The Call for Proposals for the second Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES) Ecosystem Fund is now open. As part of the Strategy, the Government is ensuring women across Canada have access to the business supports they need to start or grow a business.
Under this new second call for the WES Ecosystem Fund, $40 million is allocated to support projects that will provide business supports for women entrepreneurs and strengthen the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Canada.
This funding will provide an opportunity to further strengthen relationships between organizations within the entrepreneurship ecosystem; deliver supports that will contribute to business development and growth; and will prioritize support for activities in areas of strength for women entrepreneurs as well as for projects which provide services to women entrepreneurs in rural and remote areas or the North.
Eligibility
Projects must be led by a not-for-profit organization with at least three years of operations. Eligible applicants must apply as a partnership (two or more organizations working together).
Organizations must meet at least one of the following criteria:
- Have an established mandate focused on supporting women entrepreneurs; and/or
- Have existing programming (offered within the past three years) which specifically targets or is focused on women entrepreneurs/women skills development.
Project Scope
Funding consideration will be given to projects that:
- are national in scope, or serve a minimum of 5 provinces and territories (multi-regional);
- projects which deliver benefits to women-owned businesses and/or support activities in areas of strength for women entrepreneurs (e.g. care economy, retail and service sectors) or projects which provide services to women entrepreneurs in rural and remote areas or the North;
- have a maximum budget of $3,000,000
- have a minimum budget of $250,000
- be completed by March 31, 2025 (project lengths may vary)
- deliver services and products in both official languages
- focus on women entrepreneurs or women majority owned businesses (51% or more ownership stake) and demonstrate a focus on diverse/intersectional and/or under-served women entrepreneur populations
- meet one or more of the following project scope elements:
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- 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)
Submission Deadline: September 26, 2022 (11:59 am Pacific Time).
WES Ecosystem Fund Documents
For Mor Information: WES Ecosystem Fund