AFO · Head-to-head
Both fund Canadian industrial innovation but at very different scales and on very different terms. IRAP is mid-sized ($50K–$10M) advisory-plus-funding for R&D projects, with the NRC industrial technology advisor as a key part of the value. SIF starts at $10M total project cost and runs five distinct strategic streams — R&D, expansion, investment attraction, ecosystem, and collaboration — with a heavier application process and larger contribution sizes.
Side by side
The matrix below pulls directly from the catalog. Each row shows the same data point across both programs so you can spot the differences at a glance.
| Attribute | NRC IRAP — Industrial Research Assistance Program | Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) |
|---|---|---|
| Capital type | Government grant | Government grant |
| Family | Grants & refundable tax credits | Grants & refundable tax credits |
| Size range | $50,000 — $10,000,000 | $10,000,000 — No ceiling |
| Typical cost | Non-repayable contribution covering up to ~80% of internal technical salaries and ~50% of contractor costs on eligible projects. | Mix of non-repayable contributions and conditionally repayable amounts depending on stream and project. Typically funds 25–50% of eligible costs. |
| Speed to close | Weeks to a few months | Months |
| Eligibility | For-profit incorporated Canadian SME with under 500 staff and a project with clear technical innovation plus a credible commercialization plan. Pairs financial assistance with NRC technical advisors. | Canadian incorporated firm with a multi-year industrial project (typically $10M+ total project cost). Five program streams cover R&D, firm expansion, investment attraction, ecosystem, and collaboration. |
| Use of proceeds | R&D / innovation | R&D / innovation, Expansion |
| Status | Live — self-serve | Coming soon |
Choosing between them
Each side describes the scenarios where the program is the stronger fit. Most real-world deals end up in the “in common” section below — neither/nor.
When to choose
Pick IRAP when the project is technical R&D in the $50K–$10M band, the company is an SME under 500 staff, and the advisory relationship with the NRC matters as much as the funding. IRAP covers up to ~80% of internal technical salaries on approved projects and the NRC advisor reviews the technical and commercialization roadmap throughout.
When to choose
Pick SIF when the project is $10M+ total, strategically significant nationally (industrial R&D, firm expansion of national consequence, investment attraction), and the company can absorb a longer application cycle (typically 6–12 months from initial conversation to funded). SIF funding is structured as contributions (a mix of non-repayable and repayable depending on stream) covering 25–50% of eligible costs.
Both stack with refundable tax credits (SR&ED, Clean Tech ITC) on the same project. A large industrial program frequently runs SIF on the capital-structure side, IRAP on the early technical work, and SR&ED on the eligible R&D pool — three programs underneath the same project plan, sequenced carefully.
The CPA can look at your specific situation and tell you in one twenty-minute call which program (or stack) is the right structure — and what providers will want to see before the first conversation.