Deadline: 26-Sep-22
The Government of Canada has launched the second call for Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES) Ecosystem Fund to increase women-owned businesses’ access to the financing, talent, networks, and expertise they need to start up, scale up and access new markets.
The WES Ecosystem Fund was designed to provide non-repayable contribution funding to projects led by non-profit organizations that would help close service gaps and strengthen capacity within the women entrepreneurship ecosystem in Canada.
This funding will provide an opportunity to further foster connections and strengthen the network of supports within the entrepreneurship ecosystem for women entrepreneurs, and ensure supports are available and respond to the needs of women entrepreneurs.
This call is to support:
- New projects that will deliver business supports that will contribute to business development and growth. Recipients of 2018 Ecosystem Fund support may seek funding for either new projects or for enhanced/expanded 2018 projects, which abide by the parameters of this call for proposals.
- Projects that support activities in areas of strength for women entrepreneurs (including in the care economy, retail, and service sectors), in order to maximize benefits within the ecosystem.
- Projects that provide services to women in rural and remote areas or the North.
Focus Areas
Eligible focus areas include one or more of the following:
- Enhance or expand 2018 WES Ecosystem Fund Projects;
- Deliver business supports for women entrepreneurs (for example: business operation innovations [helping businesses become more sustainable, or achieve internal efficiencies] or supplier diversity and procurement).
Funding Information
- Under this new call, $40 million is allocated over two years (ending in 2024-25).
Eligible projects
- Must be led by an eligible non-for-profit organization that has been in operation for a minimum of three years September 26, 2022;
- All proposed funded activities be completed by March 31, 2025;
- Projects must have a minimum budget of $250,000;
- Projects must not exceed a budget of $3,000,000;
- Projects must focus on women entrepreneurs or women majority owned businesses (51% or more ownership stake);
- Project activities and products must be delivered in both official languages; and
- Projects must meet one or more of the project scope elements.
Eligibility Criteria
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Applicant organizations must be a Canadian not-for-profit organization or association which operates at a local, regional or national level and falls under at least one of the following categories:
- Business and entrepreneur support organizations;
- Research/innovation hubs;
- Organizations that certify diverse suppliers in Canada;
- Post-secondary institutions, universities, colleges and technical institutes;
- Indigenous organizations; and
- Business accelerators and incubators.
For more information, visit WES.
For more information, visit https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/wes-ecosystem-fund/en/women-entrepreneurship-strategys-ecosystem-fund-application-guide