The Funding Portal
The Funding Portal Inc. is a privately owned Canadian corporation that operates a free searchable database of 7,000 sources of government funding and private capital for businesses, universities, hospitals, charities and non-profits. Government grants and tax credits listed on its search tool disburse approximately $30 billion in funding on an annual basis.[1] In 2015 it attracts 17,000 users per month. The company’s main headquarters are in Toronto, but The Funding Portal also has staff in Ottawa and Montreal.
History
The Funding Portal was founded July 11, 2011 by Canadian lawyer Teri Kirk, who acts as its CEO. [1] The company raised financing from private and angel investors.[2] At that time it launched its searchable directory of 7,000 government funding programs and sources of capital. The capital markets section of the search engine, which includes more than 2,500 sources of financing, including bank, angel, venture capital, and private funders, launched in 2012.
The Funding Portal held a media partnership with Postmedia Network, a national Canadian news agency from March 2012 to January 2013.[3] The Funding Portal held a dedicated news page on Postmedia’s Financial Post website page, which is dedicated to business news.
In April 2012, the Canadian branch of KPMG became a partner of The Funding Portal[4] to widen its offering of financing strategies to clients beyond traditional tax incentive programs. The company later developed partnerships with law firm LaBarge Weinstein LLP, York University, Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, MaRS Discovery District, Advantage Mississauga, BIOTECanada, the National Angel Capital Organization, the Information Technology Association of Canada, the Canadian Digital Media Network, the Toronto Region Board of Trade, the Mississauga Board of Trade, and Invest Ottawa.
In 2013, because of uncertainty about future Canadian government regulation of contingency-based billing practices in Canada for consultancy services directed to companies seeking tax incentives under the Scientific Research and Experimental Development program,[5] The Funding Portal made the choice not to practice contingency-based billing on its Government Funding services.
In May 2014, The Funding Portal was registered by Canadian regulatory authorities as an Exempt Market Dealer (EMD) portal able to assist companies into both sources of government funding and capital markets. [6]
Products
As well as its searchable database, which matches businesses with investors, The Funding Portal provides grant writers who assist clients to apply for government funding, including grants and tax credits. The company also offers data and analytics reports for business, universities, hospitals, charities and non-profits providing information on funding sources and awards in Canada.
References
- 1 2 "Vouchers hook businesses up with academics". The Globe and Mail Jacob Serebrin July 15, 2013
- ↑ "The Funding Portal gets angel round from Ottawa investor",. Ottawa Business Journal. Ottawa, Canada, 17 October 2011. Retrieved on 11 April 2012.
- ↑ "Financial Post and The Funding Portal launch new Funding content and services platform", The Financial Post. Toronto, Canada, 26 March 2012. Retrieved on 11 April 2012.
- ↑ "KPMG and The Funding Portal transform delivery of industrial support programs". The Financial Post. 9 April 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
- ↑ Ottawa Business Journal. "2012 BUDGET: SR&ED squeezed", Ottawa Business Journal, Ottawa, Canada, 29 March 2012. Retrieved on 9 April 2012.
- ↑ Techvibes."The Funding Portal Becomes First Online Exempt Market Dealer, Eyes Equity Crowdfunding", Jacob Serebrin, 31 May 2014. Retrieved on 14 May 2015.