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Ontario Creates Futures Forward Program

Ontario Creates Futures Forward Program

The Ontario Creates Futures Forward Program provides funding for early-stage project-related development. This program seeks to support companies that often have barriers to accessing project funding and to support the very beginning of a project’s creative process with the objective of giving a project a better chance to succeed in future stages of funding.

Companies may submit an application (one per company) to the Program to receive one of a limited number of grants (non-repayable contributions) to assist them with their early-stage project development activities. Applicants are encouraged to seek mentorship support for their activities.

An Eligible Applicant to the Program is a for-profit company that meets the following eligibility criteria:

  • The owner or lead producer of the company either:
    • Completed the Ontario Creates Futures Forward Workshop in 2025; OR
    • Completed an approved* workshop or course (see Appendix 1 of Guidelines) between January 1, 2024 and October 31, 2025.

*Applicants may reach out to Ontario Creates at ipfund@ontariocreates.ca to confirm if a workshop or course that does not appear on the list in Appendix 1 is eligible. See Appendix 1 for additional details.

An Eligible Project must be:

  • Interactive Content or Linear Content
  • A new project that has not received and spent other development funding for the phase of work being proposed.

If you are unsure if your project is eligible, please contact Ontario Creates at ipfund@ontariocreates.ca.

For clarity, eligibility for the Ontario Creates Futures Forward Program does not guarantee project eligibility to other Ontario Creates funding programs.

DEADLINE 

December 15, 2025, by 5:00 pm ET

    FUNDING AVAILABLE

    The maximum contribution to a project funded through the Program shall be the lesser of $20,000 or 75% of the project’s eligible costs.

    Ontario expenses must account for no less than 75% of the total budget. The balance of the budget not covered by the Program contribution may be in the form of cash or non-cash contributions from the Applicant or a third party.

      GUIDELINES AND APPLICATION FORM

      Ontario Creates – Futures Forward Program Guidelines

      Interactive projects:  Interactive Content Budget and Financing Guidelines and Template *Updated October 30, 2025

      Linear projects: Linear Content Development Budget Template

      Application Form in Ontario Creates Online Application Portal

      APPLICATION PROCESS

      • All applications must be submitted via the Ontario Creates Online Application Portal (OAP). Applications submitted by any other method will not be accepted.
      • Applicants are encouraged to start the application process well in advance of the deadline in case technical support is required.
      • Prior to starting an application, your company’s corporate information must be registered with the OAP. If you do not have a user account on OAP, please go to https://apply.ontariocreates.c... and click on “Register”.
      • If your company is registered, the program deadline will appear in your dashboard. To start the application, click on “Start new application” and follow the onscreen directions to access the application form.

      INFORMATION SESSION 

      Applicants are encouraged to attend an information session. Please complete the registration form prior to 5:00 pm on the day prior to the information session.

      Online Information Session #1Wednesday November 12, 2025

      10:30 am ET

      Registration Required

      Online Information Session #2Thursday November 20, 2025

      2:00 pm ET

      		Registration Required

      Participants will receive an invitation via email with a link to join the session.

      If you are interested in attending an Ontario Creates Information Session but require it be conducted in French please send a request to ipfund@ontariocreates.ca prior to November 7, 2025, and arrangements will be made to schedule an additional session on an alternate date.

      If you are interested in attending an Ontario Creates Information Session and have accessibility issues that need to be considered, please contact us as below. 

      Futures Forward Workshops - CLOSED FOR 2025

      Ontario Creates Futures Forward provides early-stage screen-based companies with access to the skills that they require to fast-track their knowledge acquisition and enhance the competitiveness of their companies through a series of courses administered by the following partner organizations:

      The program is intended for companies that do not currently meet the requirements of the Ontario Creates Intellectual Property Fund (IP Fund) programs:

      For Interactive – Video Games and VR

      • new companies that are led by individuals with less than three years of professional Video Game and/or XR content development experience (i.e., start-up company led by recent graduates)
      • existing companies that are transitioning to Video Game and/or XR content creation from other industries (i.e., linear production company exploring interactive content opportunities)
      • See Section 2 of the IP Fund Interactive Content Stream Guidelines for more detail on eligibility

      For Linear – Feature Films (Drama, Animation, Documentary), Digital Series

      • companies where the producer does not have sufficient credit in order to be eligible for the IP Fund and are seeking opportunities to engage Qualifying Executive Producers for their projects
      • See Section 2 of the IP Fund Linear Content Stream Guidelines for more detail on eligibility

      Companies should have an interest in pursuing opportunities associated with proprietary content creation, and have an IP Fund-eligible project that they would like to create.

      At the conclusion of the program they will have:

      1. A business and marketing plan for their project
      2. An understanding of business operations including budgeting, financing and financial statements
      3. The ability to effectively pitch their project to an investor, channel partner or funding agency
      4. A solid understanding of the IP Fund program requirements.

      Successful workshop participants will:

      • be eligible to apply for the Futures Forward Grant for early-stage development support at the end of 2025.
      • Interactive participants will be eligible to submit an application for subsequent deadlines of the IP Fund Pre-Production and Production programs for the Interactive Content Stream.
      • Linear participants will still be required to demonstrate appropriate producer credit or engage a Qualifying Executive Producer (QEP) in order to be eligible to apply to the IP Fund Development and Production programs for the Linear Content Stream
        • It is expected that through this workshop they will have networking opportunities to facilitate meetings with potential QEPs

      For further information, please send an inquiry to ipfund@ontariocreates.ca or contact the appropriate partner organizations:

      • Afrotropolis Arts Collective – chinedu@supafrik.com
      • Hand Eye Society – info@handeyesociety.com
      • Interactive Ontario – programs@interactiveontario.com
      • Webseries Canada – katie.uhlmann@webseriescanada.org
      • Women in Film and Television – Toronto – ljanuska@wift.com

      ENQUIRIES 

      Program Coordinator, Industry Development
      ipfund@ontariocreates.ca 

      Enquiries regarding the Online Application Portal (OAP) should be directed to applyhelp@ontariocreates.ca

      To receive notification of upcoming deadlines and program updates, please register here with your complete contact information, including your full name, company name and telephone number, as well as the name of the program that you are interested in.

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