Private and International programs | COVID-19: Funding and financial relief programs for startups and small businesses

Authors:

Brigitte LeBlanc-Lapointe
 
Anthony de Fazekas
 
Conrad Flaczyk
 

Canada |  Publication |  June 2020

A detailed table outlining the various private and international programs available are listed below. If you would like to discuss your eligibility for any of these programs, please do not hesitate to contact a member of our team.

Microsoft AI for Health COVID-19 Grant

Description Eligibility Application details
  • This is a focused effort for COVID-19 grant requests only. This grant program provides Azure cloud and High-Performance Computing capabilities. Our team of AI for Health data science experts, whose mission is to improve the health of people and communities worldwide, is also open to collaborations with COVID-19 researchers as they tackle this critical challenge
  • Proposals can be submitted by non-profits, academic institutions, and governments
 
  • The application deadline is June 15 2020
 

Facebook Small Business Grants Program

Description Eligibility Application details
  • Facebook has pledged $100M in cash grants and ad credits to support businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Up to 30,000 eligible small businesses in more than 30 countries will be able to receive a grant
  • To be eligible to apply, your business must:
    • Have between 2 and 50 employees
    • Have been in business for over a year
    • Have experienced challenges from COVID-19
    • Be in or near a location where Facebook operates
  • Submit an application here
 

Michael Smith Foundation for Health Resaerch: COVID-19 Research Response Fund 

Description Eligibility Application details
  • The focus of this first call under the MSFHR COVID-19 Research Response Fund will be on high quality research that evaluates BC’s response to the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and informs ongoing response, especially strategies for avoiding or mitigating subsequent waves of transmission.
  • Projects should have results available in time to help inform public health responses through the fall and winter of 2020/2021
  • Funding Call #1 will provide award amounts of up to $150,000, for a maximum duration of 12 months
  • Extraordinary requests above $150,000 will be considered but will require additional justification to exceed the limit
  • Researchers or research teams interested in applying to this first call should have projects that address one or more of the following:
    • Rapid evaluation and/or modelling of public health measures to stop the spread of COVID-19 and to support decisions around when to withdraw these measures or redeploy them at a future date
    • BC population-specific epidemiologic support for decision-makers including the identification of strategies to prevent high burdens of illness among key/vulnerable groups (e.g., residents of long-term care facilities, inner city populations, Indigenous people, health care workers, etc.)
    • Human geographic considerations in BC including rurality, community, culture and population movement with a view to preventing transmission and mitigating effects
    • The identification and mitigation of the impacts of the pandemic and pandemic response including the secondary effects on the health of the population of BC
  • The impacts of rapid health service redesign and redeployment on health outcomes in BC
  • Applications are accepted on a rolling basis
  • The application deadline is May 19 2020
  • To apply, click here
 

UK Research and Innovation

Description Eligibility Application details
  • UKRI will support excellent proposals up to 18 months duration meeting at least one of the following:
    • New research or innovation with a clear impact pathway that has the potential (within the period of the grant) to deliver a significant contribution to the understanding of, and response to, the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts
    • Supports the manufacture and/or wide scale adoption of an intervention with significant potential
    • Gathers critical data and resources quickly for future research use
  • Funding will amount to 80% of the full economic cost of the proposal
  • You can apply for Innovate UK funding if you are a UK based business. All kinds of businesses can apply, from pre-startup and new companies to large multi-nationals. International co-investigators can participate
  • Submit your application here

Worldwide Universities Network

Description Eligibility Application details
  • Proposals are invited for projects that address time-sensitive research problems arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. WUN will consider proposals falling with the scope of the four Global Challenges, for work on research problems whose value depends on being able to collect or analyse data obtained during the pandemic, and on which the collaboration of WUN partners confers real advantage
  • Requests for support, for up to a maximum of £10,000, will be evaluated in consultation with the relevant Global Challenge steering group, to ensure that whatever support we provide is well directed.  Proposals must include at least three WUN member universities across two or more countries, and funds should be expended within one year of the award
  • Projects must involve at least three WUN member universities in two or more countries
 
  • The Application deadline is May 15 2020
  • Submt your application here
 


Contacts

Anthony de Fazekas
Anthony de Fazekas
Partner, Patent Agent
T: +1 416 216 2452
anthony.defazekas@nortonrosefulbright.com
Vanessa Grant
Vanessa Grant
Partner
T: +1 416 216 4056
vanessa.grant@nortonrosefulbright.com
Mathieu Deschamps
Mathieu Deschamps
Partner
T: +1 514 847 4344
mathieu.deschamps@nortonrosefulbright.com
Peter Riddell
Peter Riddell
Partner
T: +1 514 847 4536
peter.riddell@nortonrosefulbright.com
Maya Medeiros
Maya Medeiros
Partner
T: +1 416 216 4823
maya.medeiros@nortonrosefulbright.com
Paul Amirault
Paul Amirault
Partner
T: +1 613 780 8601
paul.amirault@nortonrosefulbright.com
Brigitte LeBlanc-Lapointe
Brigitte LeBlanc-Lapointe
Senior Associate
T: +1 613 780 8638
brigitte.leblanc-lapointe@nortonrosefulbright.com
Elizabeth Williams
Elizabeth Williams
Partner, Lawyer, Trademark Agent
T: +1 403 267 8383
elizabeth.williams@nortonrosefulbright.com
Pierre Nicol
Pierre Nicol
Senior Partner
T: +1 418 640 5013
pierre.nicol@nortonrosefulbright.com

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