Who Actually Helps You Get Government Funding for Training?

If you are trying to fund training for your team through a government program, one of the first questions is a practical one: who can actually help you do it? It is a fair question, because the answer is not a single person. Several different kinds of expert touch a funding application, and they do genuinely different jobs. Knowing who does what saves you time, saves you money, and helps you avoid anyone who promises more than they can deliver.

I am Malcolm Gurley, President of Gurley Leadership Solutions. We are a training provider, not a funding agency, so I am going to be straight about where we fit in this and where we do not. This is a plain map of who can help you fund training in Ontario, based on what is current as of July 2026.

Who Can Help With Government Funding for Training

Here are the people worth knowing about, roughly in the order most businesses should approach them.

1. The program administrators themselves. This is the most reliable help, and it is free. For the Ontario Job Grant, applications go through the portal on Ontario.ca, and Employment Ontario (1-800-387-5656) can answer questions about eligibility and the process. They are the actual authority on who and what qualifies, so start here before you pay anyone.
2. Grant writers and funding advisors. These are private specialists who identify programs and prepare or write applications. They can save you time and improve a submission, but they charge for it, sometimes a flat fee and sometimes a percentage of the grant. Ask exactly what you are paying and what they do and do not guarantee, because no one can promise approval.
3. Your accountant or bookkeeper. Applications usually need financial information and clean documentation. The person who already handles your books is often the fastest, lowest-cost help for that part, and they may already know which programs you qualify for.
4. Local economic development offices and industry associations. Durham Region and many industry bodies offer guidance to local employers and can point you toward relevant programs, often at no charge. They are a good, neutral starting point.
5. Your training provider. For a training grant, the provider supplies the course outline, learning outcomes, costs, and other details the application asks for, and then delivers the approved training. A provider does not file your application, decide your eligibility, or guarantee funding, but the information they give you is a required piece of the paperwork.

Where a Training Provider Like Gurley Fits

Because we are a training provider rather than a funding agency, our role in a funding application is specific and limited, and I would rather be clear about it than oversell it. If you pursue funding for a leadership program, we can supply the program outline, learning outcomes, schedule, and cost information that an application asks for, so that part of your paperwork is straightforward. Then, if funding is approved, we deliver the training. What we do not do is decide whether you qualify, file the application on your behalf, or guarantee that funding will come through. Those are the program's decisions, and one important rule to know is that approval generally has to be in place before training begins, so the sequence matters.

Our programs themselves are built on proven Leadership Management International content and customized to your organization. Whether or not you pursue funding, they are designed to deliver a strong return. You can read more about the approach in our guide on how to develop better leaders, or learn why organizations choose Gurley Leadership Solutions.

What Should I Watch Out For?

A few honest cautions. Be wary of anyone who guarantees funding, because the program decides, and budgets are limited, so approval is never certain. Be clear on what a paid advisor charges and whether it is a fee or a percentage before you commit. Check the program's own rules first, since eligibility and amounts are set by the administrators and change without notice. And remember the sequence: for the Ontario Job Grant, you generally need approval before training starts, so a plan that has you beginning training first can put the funding at risk.

None of this should put you off. Funding can be well worth pursuing. The point is simply to use the free official help first, pay for outside help only when it clearly adds value, and keep the training itself, which is the part that actually changes how your people lead, at the centre of the decision. If you want to talk through a leadership program and what an application would need from us, a short call is the easiest place to start.