RAII grant writing for Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta
PrairiesCan funds AI commercialization and adoption projects from $250,000 to $5 million. We help Prairie businesses and not-for-profits meet PrairiesCan's requirements and present a strong case.
What PrairiesCan's RAII program offers
| Who can apply | Eligible businesses (including AI SMEs) and not-for-profit organizations in the Prairie provinces |
|---|---|
| Project size | $250,000 to $5 million per project, over a maximum of 3 years |
| Businesses | Up to 50% of eligible costs, as interest-free repayable funding |
| Not-for-profits | Up to 90% of eligible costs, non-repayable. Commercial projects by not-for-profits are normally repayable, and projects with other funding sources are preferred. |
| Stacking limit | For business or commercial projects, total government funding is capped at 50% of eligible capital costs and 75% of other costs. Non-commercial and Indigenous projects can reach 100%. |
| Approval limit | One RAII project approval per organization per calendar year |
Technology readiness
PrairiesCan doesn't fund basic or applied research at technology readiness levels 1 to 5. Your AI solution needs to be ready for demonstration, commercialization or adoption.
Intake
PrairiesCan confirmed in May 2026 that it was accepting RAII applications and encouraged early expressions of interest. The Prairie share of the October 2026 expansion hasn't been announced yet. We'll confirm the current intake with you.
Leave these out of your budget
- Basic and applied R&D (TRL 1 to 5)
- Land acquisition and goodwill
- Salary bonuses and dividends
- Entertainment expenses
- Refinancing existing debt, amortization or depreciation
- Purchases above fair market value
- Lobbying, donations, dues and membership fees
- Ongoing operating costs
Your Prairie RAII application
- Confirm eligibility and your project's technology readiness
- Prepare the expression of interest
- Size the project within the $250,000 to $5 million range
- Build a budget with only incremental, eligible costs
- Plan for repayment and flag any SR&ED tax credit overlap PrairiesCan needs to know about
Applying in the Prairies?
Book a free call and we'll tell you honestly whether your project fits PrairiesCan's criteria.
Book a free eligibility callOther regions
Information summarized from PrairiesCan's official RAII pages as of October 14, 2026. Program details can change, so we confirm current requirements with you before starting. Official source: Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative in the Prairie provinces (PrairiesCan).