Most funding applications do not fail on the big idea. They fail on details: the wrong name on the form, work done too early, an invoice that does not match. Here are six things to get right with BUMP.
1. Check that you qualify first
Fewer than 500 full-time equivalent employees counting related businesses, permanently established in Manitoba, and fully operational for at least a year when you apply. If any of those is uncertain, settle it before the intake form.
2. Apply in your own name
The program does not accept applications sent by another organization on your behalf. An advisor can help you think it through and gather what you need, but the intake form and the application come from your business.
3. Start with the year end in mind
Funding agreements cannot run past 31 March of the year you apply in, and the program does not publish how long approval takes. Applying early leaves more of the year to do the work. Training must be delivered inside the year, and training delivered from 1 April 2026 onward is eligible in the current year.
4. Know which stream each cost belongs in
Training for your people goes in the Employee Training stream. Outside help with HR plans, policies, job descriptions and recruitment plans goes in the HR Strategy Development stream. Training must lead to a job, a better job or more job security, and outside trainers must be independent of you and deliver training as their main business. Refresher courses to keep a current certification, such as WHMIS or First Aid renewals, do not count.
5. Keep invoices clean
Every invoice should name the work delivered, match the payment exactly, and keep anything outside the program on a separate invoice. Proof of payment can be a credit card statement, an electronic transfer or payroll records. Partial or estimated payments are not accepted.
6. Plan the final report from day one
Payment depends on completing the approved activities and achieving the expected outcomes. Write down at the start what success looks like (job descriptions in use, reviews held, a trainee promoted) so the final report writes itself.
Where to read more
The official program page has the full rules and the intake form: gov.mb.ca/jec/busdev/financial/bump.
Talk to People Purpose about the program.
We help Manitoba owners build the HR their teams need: clear roles, fair policies, a hiring plan and a review routine that works. If you are wondering whether BUMP fits your business, book a free twenty-minute call with Rod. You apply in your own name; we help you think it through.
People Purpose is not part of the Building Up Manitoba Program and is not endorsed by the Government of Manitoba. The program decides who qualifies and how much it pays. Program details from gov.mb.ca, checked 6 November 2026, and subject to change.