Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency · Contribution program
Innovative Communities Fund (ICF)
To enhance community or regional capacity through the development of competitive, productive, strategic industry sectors; to strengthen community infrastructure in rural communities to improve their economic development capacity; and to support initiatives that enhance communities’ capacity to overcome economic development challenges and take advantage of their strengths, assets and of the opportunities presented.
- Total value
- $24.5M
- Agreements
- 62
- Sep 2020 to Mar 2026
- Median agreement
- $262K
- Typical range
- $117K–$473K
- the middle half of agreements
Federal grants and contributions, agreements starting Jan 2006 to Oct 2026, each counted once at its latest amended value. Source: Treasury Board proactive disclosure, published October 11, 2026.
See every record for this program on the government’s search. How to apply: look up the program on Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency’s website.
Who got it
Organizations with the most funding under this program.
By year
Agreements by the year they started.
| Year | Agreements | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1 | $278K |
| 2022 | 1 | $951K |
| 2023 | 3 | $1.4M |
| 2024 | 5 | $5.7M |
| 2025 | 36 | $10.5M |
| 2026 | 16 | $5.7M |
By province
| Province or territory | Agreements | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Nova Scotia | 25 | $9.1M |
| New Brunswick | 10 | $6.4M |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 19 | $5.8M |
| Prince Edward Island | 8 | $3.2M |
By type of recipient
As the department classified the recipient.
| Recipient type | Agreements | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Not-for-profit organizations and charities | 32 | $13.8M |
| Government | 22 | $8.6M |
| Indigenous recipients | 5 | $1.4M |
| Academia | 3 | $695K |
Latest agreements
| Start | Recipient | What for | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2026 | Cape Breton University | Contribution | $200,000 |
| Mar 2026 | Paqtnkek Mi'kmaw Nation | Contribution | $246,750 |
| Mar 2026 | The Men of the Deeps Society | Contribution | $100,000 |
| Mar 2026 | Qalipu Mi'kmaq First Nation | Contribution | $137,436 |
| Mar 2026 | Green Bay Regional Tourism Association Inc. | Contribution | $396,617 |
| Feb 2026 | Summerside Port Corporation Inc. | Contribution | $1,000,000 |
| Feb 2026 | Newfoundland T'Railway Council Inc. | Contribution | $306,490 |
| Feb 2026 | Destination Cape Breton Association Inc. | Contribution | $918,000 |
| Feb 2026 | Pathways to Employment Society | Contribution | $100,000 |
| Feb 2026 | Inverness/Victoria Federation of Agriculture | Contribution | $150,000 |
| Feb 2026 | City of Saint John | Contribution | $971,520 |
| Feb 2026 | Town of Torbay | Contribution | $358,700 |
| Feb 2026 | Festival Antigonish Society | Contribution | $120,000 |
| Jan 2026 | La Société acadienne de Clare | Contribution | $200,000 |
| Jan 2026 | Imperial Theatre Inc. | Contribution | $401,309 |
| Jan 2026 | ARTS-WELLNESS-HERITAGE Community Site - PCSP Inc. | Contribution | $90,413 |
| Dec 2025 | Cape Smokey Race Team | Contribution | $65,000 |
| Dec 2025 | Acadia University | Contribution | $455,000 |
| Dec 2025 | Municipality of the District of Digby | Contribution | $37,452 |
| Dec 2025 | Le Pays de la Sagouine Inc. | Contribution | $450,342 |
| Dec 2025 | Ville de Saint-Quentin | Contribution | $500,000 |
| Dec 2025 | Town of Clarenville | Contribution | $81,734 |
| Dec 2025 | Town of Carbonear | Contribution | $293,100 |
| Dec 2025 | Abegweit First Nation | Contribution | $750,000 |
| Dec 2025 | Cape Breton University | Contribution | $40,000 |