FACTOR Business Development (Support for Eligible Music Companies)

FACTOR's Business Development component pays half the cost of a one-off project that expands what your music company can actually do - building a new website or digital property, buying or seriously upgrading royalty-reporting software, launching in a new territory, adding a division. It has to have a beginning and an end; ongoing running costs and maintenance of what you already have do not qualify.

It sits inside the Support for Eligible Music Companies programme, which is aimed at newer companies: labels, publishers and artist managers rated 2 or 3 and in operation no more than ten years. A rating of 2 needs CAD 35,000 gross revenue in your last completed fiscal year from eligible activities; a rating of 3 needs CAD 75,000 from your primary activity. Managers need a roster at least 51% Canadian and management agreements for two Canadian artists; labels need Canadian distribution and four qualifying releases; publishers need 25 qualifying titles. Everything funded must relate to your Canadian artists and songwriters.

FACTOR contributes 50% of the eligible budget, to an annual ceiling of CAD 7,500 for a company rated 2 or CAD 15,000 for a company rated 3, shared with the Business Travel component. Business Development is paid half on signing the funding agreement and half once your completion report is accepted. One application per fiscal year.

You need a reviewed and rated applicant profile before you can apply, plus accountant-prepared financial statements. The one thing that sinks applications outright is missing FACTOR's Business Development Plan template - it is mandatory. Deadlines for 2026-27 are 4 June and 22 October 2026 at 5pm ET, and review takes six to eight weeks.