Nottawasaga Futures

What Nottawasaga Futures does

Nottawasaga Futures (legal name: Nottawasaga Community Futures Development Corporation) is a federally-supported non-profit Community Futures Development Corporation founded in 2003 and headquartered in Alliston, Ontario, Canada. The organization delivers community economic development services across South Simcoe, serving small business owners and entrepreneurs in Adjala-Tosorontio, Bradford West Gwillimbury, Essa, Innisfil, and New Tecumseth. Its core mandate is federally administered through FedDev Ontario and Industry Canada, with supplemental funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation and the County of Simcoe.

The organization's service portfolio spans three connected lines: (1) repayable business financing through the Community Investment Fund, with disbursements of $1.4M across 9 loans in 2025-2026 and an active portfolio of 43 investments valued at $3.08M; (2) non-lending advisory services including one-on-one coaching, mentoring, business plan development, and the BizLink business transition matching platform (app.bizlink.pro); and (3) specialized programs targeting women entrepreneurs (PARO Prosper Peer Lending Circles), youth (Be Your Own Boss training with FOCUS Community Development Corporation), agricultural businesses (AgKnowledge Forum), film production liaison, and the South Simcoe Streams Network environmental restoration program. The organization operates NT Temps Inc., a wholly-owned temporary staffing subsidiary whose proceeds fund community economic development projects.

The business model is a hybrid of (a) federal/provincial/municipal grant funding for community economic development program delivery, (b) interest and fees from the Community Investment Fund's repayable lending portfolio, and (c) transactional staffing revenue from NT Temps. Loan pricing is determined case-by-case through an online application portal at apply.nottawasaga.com, with no early payout fees and locally-made credit decisions. The organization operates with 1-10 employees and a volunteer Board of Directors, reaching entrepreneurs through community events (South Simcoe Business Excellence Awards, Small Business Week), referral partnerships with DMZ Innisfil, PARO Centre for Women's Enterprise, and the Small Business Centre, and digital channels including their website, weekly newsletter, and social media presence. Underlying technology is standard business software — loan management systems, self-serve web portals, and Microsoft Bookings for consultation scheduling — with no proprietary technology products.

Name

Nottawasaga Futures

Legal name

Nottawasaga Community Futures Development Corporation

Website

https://nottawasaga.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Nottawasaga Futures is a federally-supported non-profit Community Futures Development Corporation serving South Simcoe, Ontario, providing repayable business financing, advisory services, and specialized programs for small business owners, entrepreneurs, youth, and women.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Economic Development Services

NAICS

Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Temporary Help Services (56132)

SIC

Finance Lessors (6172), Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local) (BPAIACAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Development Finance & Blended Finance Facilities (BPADAOAD), Development Finance, Guarantees & Blended Finance Programs (BPADABAM)

Keywords

• Community economic development
• Small business financing
• Business coaching consulting
• Community futures corporation
• Temporary staffing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Alliston, Ontario

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Business Loans and Financing: Nottawasaga Futures provides repayable financing to new and existing small businesses through their Community Investment Fund. Loans support business starts, expansions, and transitions. The organization also offers targeted lending programs for business purchases through the BizLink partnership.
2. NT Temps Temporary Staffing Services: NT Temps Inc., a subsidiary of Nottawasaga Community Economic Development Corporation, provides temporary and permanent staffing services to local businesses. Revenue comes from billing clients for temporary employee hours. Proceeds fund community economic development projects.
3. Government Funding and Grants: The organization receives funding from the Government of Canada through FedDev Ontario and the Ontario Trillium Foundation to deliver community economic development programs, stream restoration (South Simcoe Streams Network), and entrepreneurship support services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Nottawasaga Futures provides repayable business financing through its Community Investment Fund, one-on-one business coaching and consulting services, and a BizLink program that matches buyers and sellers of businesses across South Simcoe, Ontario. The organization also runs specialized entrepreneurship programs for youth, women, and agricultural operators, operates NT Temps Inc. as a wholly-owned temporary staffing subsidiary, and delivers community economic development programs including film liaison services and the South Simcoe Streams Network environmental initiative.

Product overview

Nottawasaga Futures is a community economic development organization providing a comprehensive suite of business support services across South Simcoe, Ontario. The core offerings center on business financing through repayable loans, business advisory services including coaching and consulting, and specialized programs targeting specific entrepreneurial demographics. Key products include Business Financing (loans from the Community Investment Fund), BizLink (business transition matching for buying/selling businesses), Business Coaching & Consulting, Youth and Women's Entrepreneurship Programs, Film Production Support, and the South Simcoe Streams environmental initiative. The organization also operates NT Temps Inc. as a subsidiary temp agency, organizes the annual AgKnowledge Forum for agriculture stakeholders, and hosts the South Simcoe Business Excellence Awards. Services are delivered through partnerships with federal, provincial, and municipal governments, with support from FedDev Ontario and the Ontario government.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Business Financing (Community Investment Fund) Repayable business loans and financing for new and existing small businesses across South Simcoe, including start-up loans, expansion funding, working capital, and targeted lending for business purchases. Loan decisions are made locally with flexible terms and no early payout fees, supporting borrowers who may not qualify for conventional financing.
• BizLink Business Transition Matching Online matching platform (app.bizlink.pro) that connects entrepreneurs looking to buy or sell existing businesses in Simcoe County, providing confidentiality throughout the transition process along with targeted lending for business purchases and transition support services.
• Business Coaching & Consulting Program One-on-one business coaching, consulting, and mentoring services to help entrepreneurs develop business plans, marketing strategies, and expansion plans, delivered at the Alliston office or via virtual sessions. Includes access to professional advisors in accounting, marketing, and sales.
• Women's Entrepreneurship Programs Tailored business advisory services, funding opportunities, mentorship, and PARO Prosper Peer Lending Circles (microfinance loans of $1,000-$5,000 with $500-$1,000 non-repayable portions) for women-owned and women-led businesses at every stage from first venture to scaling.
• Be Your Own Boss Youth Entrepreneur Training A 14-week course immersing youth in entrepreneurship fundamentals, covering business basics, financial planning, branding, sales, networking, and marketing strategies, delivered in partnership with FOCUS Community Development Corporation.
• AgKnowledge Forum Annual forum advancing the agricultural industry through education, networking, and innovation, featuring expert discussions and a Vendors Market showcasing local farm products, serving farmers, agricultural businesses, and agri-tourism operators in South Simcoe.
• NT Temps Inc. Staffing Services Temporary and permanent staffing services for businesses in South Simcoe covering industrial, agricultural, administrative, and accounting sectors. NT Temps handles all payroll costs (EI, CPP, EHT, WSIB, vacation pay) and offers temp-to-perm placements at no additional cost after 30 days. Proceeds fund community economic development projects.
• Film Production Liaison Services Film liaison services helping productions find filming locations, connecting them with local businesses for goods and services, coordinating permits and policy guidance, and providing Film-Friendly Vendor program support.
• South Simcoe Streams Network Environmental program improving water quality and stream habitat through tree planting (over 60,000 native trees and shrubs since 2008), in-stream restoration, and community engagement along local waterways, with the $521,100 Ontario Trillium Foundation Grow grant funding the Connecting Communities and Creeks Project.
• Targeted Lending Program Financing program specifically designed for business purchases, working capital, and start-up costs, addressing the difficulty entrepreneurs face in securing traditional lender financing for business transitions.
• Entrepreneur Financial Literacy Series Six-module bi-weekly online program building financial knowledge and resiliency for business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs with practical tools and expert mentorship.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2025-2026: $1.4M loaned across 9 approvals, 1,286 client interactions, 180+ businesses assisted, 200+ jobs impacted
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DMZ InnisfilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDMZ Innisfil startup incubator program provides mentorship, networking, and business support services. Organizations collaborate closely, with DMZ referring businesses to Nottawasaga Futures for financing and vice versa.
• PARO Centre for Women's EnterprisecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnduring partnership delivering specialized loan programs for women entrepreneurs. PARO Prosper Peer Lending Circles bring together women entrepreneurs for peer support and access to microfinance loans of $1,000-$5,000.
• FOCUS Community Development CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership delivering the Be Your Own Boss Youth Entrepreneur Training program. FOCUS provides employment services while Nottawasaga Futures delivers entrepreneurship programming.
• NT Temps Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubsidiary temporary employment agency providing staffing services to South Simcoe businesses. Proceeds fund community economic development projects. Offers temp-to-perm placements in industrial, agricultural, administrative, and accounting sectors.
• Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating partner on the Connecting Communities and Creeks Project and Nottawasaga River Restoration Program. Coordinates stream ecosystem restoration initiatives.
• Dufferin-Simcoe Land Stewardship NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in environmental restoration projects including tree planting and stream improvement under the South Simcoe Streams Network program.
• County of SimcoecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner collaborating on business support workshops, AI Bootcamp, Entrepreneur Financial Literacy Series, and South Simcoe Innovation Week. County provides funding through Entrepreneurial Innovation Fund.
• Municipalities of South Simcoe (Bradford West Gwillimbury, Innisfil, New Tecumseth, Essa, Adjala-Tosorontio)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal municipal governments serving as service area partners and collaborators on economic development initiatives, film facilitation, and community programs.
• Small Business Centre of Barrie, Simcoe County and OrilliaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional small business support partner collaborating on workshops, programs, and referral of entrepreneurs needing financing and advisory services.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC): Federal Crown corporation providing financing, advisory, and capital to Canadian small businesses. Operates at far larger scale and with broader mandate than Nottawasaga Futures, but competes and collaborates for the same small-business financing segment.
• DMZ: Toronto-based startup accelerator with regional DMZ Innisfil location — an existing partner that refers businesses to Nottawasaga Futures for financing. Comparable in entrepreneur-support mission but operates at much larger scale and tech-startup focus.

Direct peers

• Futurpreneur Canada: National non-profit providing financing, mentorship, and resources to young entrepreneurs (ages 18-39). Overlaps directly with Nottawasaga Futures' youth entrepreneurship programming and small-business lending mission, though at national scale.
• Community Futures Ontario: Provincial umbrella network representing Ontario's 37 Community Futures Development Corporations. Nottawasaga Futures is one of its member CFDCs operating under the same federally administered program model with analogous financing and advisory mandates.
• PARO Centre for Women's Enterprise: Ontario women's enterprise organization delivering peer-lending circles and business advisory — an existing partner of Nottawasaga Futures via PARO Prosper Peer Lending Circles, making it the closest comparable for the women's entrepreneurship program.
• Kawartha Lakes Community Futures Development Corporation: Ontario CFDC providing business loans, advisory, and community development programs in the Kawartha Lakes region — operating under the same CFDC funding framework and serving similar rural small-business clients as Nottawasaga Futures.
• Northumberland Community Futures Development Corporation: Ontario CFDC serving Northumberland County with parallel business financing, coaching, and community economic development services — directly comparable in mandate, funding model, and program portfolio to Nottawasaga Futures.
• Georgian Bay Community Futures Development Corporation: Adjacent Ontario CFDC serving rural communities in the Georgian Bay region with the same Community Investment Fund lending model, business advisory services, and youth/women entrepreneurship programs as Nottawasaga Futures.

Regional players

• Small Business Centre of Barrie, Simcoe County and Orillia: Regional small business support organization covering overlapping Simcoe County geography with workshops, advisory, and entrepreneur referrals — a direct collaborator with Nottawasaga Futures and comparable in regional scope and SME focus.
• Invest Ottawa: Regional economic development agency serving the Ottawa tech and entrepreneurship ecosystem with advisory, capital connections, and programming — comparable in mandate as an economic development organization but focused on a different Ontario geography and tech-leaning segments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/nottawasaganews?lang=en
• Facebookfacebook.com/NottawasagaFutures
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nottawasaga-futures
• Instagraminstagram.com/nottawasagafutures/?hl=en

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Nottawasaga Futures