Kickstarter Canada Program
Welcome to The Kickstarter Canada Program!
Financial and promotional support to help you grow your California wine brands in your market – July 2026 to June 2027.
Capped at 30 participants · First registered, first served
PROGRAM FUNDING
Three ways to access support
Choose any of the opportunities below. All funding is reimbursed after the activity on receipt of proof of performance.
Budget deadline: All invoices and proof of performance must be received by June 30, 2027. Invoices received after this date cannot be paid. The budget cannot be carried over to the following year.
EDUCATION
Capstone California
As part of Kickstarter, participants are encouraged to complete the Capstone California online certification course – a comprehensive guide to California wines created by internationally recognized experts.
Free enrollment for Kickstarter participants
Levels 1 and 2 are available at no cost through the link below (normally $175 and $375 USD). Please do not share the enrollment link externally.
PROGRAM RULES
Before your event, trip, or samples submission
Complete these steps before undertaking any funded activity.
-
1
Register to participate: complete the enrolment form -
2
Read and accept the terms and conditions (included in the registration form) -
3
Email the proposed date and a short description of your activity to info@calwine.ca -
4
Download the California Wines logo for use on invites, menus, signage, and social posts
Event Rules
-
Events must feature California wines exclusively -
At least two California wine brands must be included — no exceptions -
The California Wines logo must appear on invites, menus, and event photos -
Tag @CaliforniaWines on Instagram and Facebook -
Trade and/or consumer events and dinners are both eligible
Travel Rules
-
Travel bursary can only be used once per fiscal year -
Only Heads of Sales and Buyers are eligible -
Representatives must differ year to year -
Cannot be taken in back-to-back years unless a new brand was added after the prior trip -
Budgets cannot carry over from one year to the next
Sample Rules
-
Up to $1,000 CAD in shipping costs per agency per year, including customs clearance fees, duties, and excise -
Does not cover the cost of the samples themselves or any provincial markups
REIMBURSEMENT
Proof of performance required
Submit all proof of performance with your invoice to info@calwine.ca by June 30, 2027.
AGREEMENT
Terms, conditions & registration
Please read the terms below before completing your registration.
Payment
California Wine Institute (CWI) will pay the applicable amount within 30 days of receiving a valid invoice. Invoices must:
- Describe the activity
- Include all wire transfer details for EFT payment from the United States
- Be addressed to: California Wine Institute, 915 L St #1190, Sacramento, CA 95814, USA
Funding restriction
Participants must not charge the wineries they represent for any funding received through this program. If additional costs are billed back to the winery, the bill back must be reduced by the amount of Kickstarter funding received. Failure to comply requires repayment and will result in exclusion from future California Wines programs.
Other terms
Intellectual property: No rights in either party’s trademarks, brand names, copyrights, designs, or logos are transferred by this agreement.
Liability: CWI and its agents have no liability for any loss or damage in connection with participation in the activity.
Governing law: This agreement is governed by the laws of the State of California.
If we don’t use our funding in 2026 - 2027 can we hold it over for activity starting from July 2027?