Funding for women entrepreneurs in Canada: where to start

Women entrepreneurs in Canada have three places to look for funding: programs set aside for women-owned or women-led businesses, organizations that offer women entrepreneurs loans, training and mentoring, and the general programs open to any business that qualifies. Most of the money is loans and support rather than free grants, so the best first step is to find the organizations near you and check which general programs fit your business. You can start with the funding check and the programs for women.

What funding is set aside for women entrepreneurs?

Some programs are a set-aside: money or spots reserved for one group of applicants. For women entrepreneurs, these usually take a few forms:

• Loans from lenders and community organizations that focus on women-owned businesses.
• Training and mentoring, such as business plan workshops, coaching and peer groups.
• Networks and accelerators that connect founders with advisers, buyers and investors.
• Occasional grants or pitch prizes, often tied to finishing a training program.

Each program defines a "women-owned" or "women-led" business its own way. Some look at the share of the business owned by women, some at who runs it day to day, and some at both. Read the definition on the program page before you apply, and ask the organization if your situation is not clear-cut, for example a business you own with a partner.

What is the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy Ecosystem Fund?

The Women Entrepreneurship Strategy Ecosystem Fund is a federal program that funds not-for-profit organizations that support women entrepreneurs. It does not give money to individual business owners. Instead, it helps pay for the services those organizations offer: advice, training, mentoring, networking and help reaching new markets.

That matters for how you use it. If you run a business, you don't apply to the Ecosystem Fund yourself. You go to the organizations it supports and use their programs, many of which are free or low cost. If you run a non-profit that serves women entrepreneurs, the fund may be something your organization can apply to; the non-profit funding guide explains how that kind of application works.

Which general programs can women entrepreneurs use?

All of them, if the business qualifies. A set-aside is an extra option, never a limit. Women entrepreneurs often miss general programs because they assume a women-focused program is the only door. Look at these too:

• Loans from lenders like BDC. The BDC online small business loan is for businesses that already have revenue and some time in operation. Check the program page for who qualifies.
• Start-up programs for new businesses, covered in the guide to funding to start a business.
• Hiring programs that pay part of a new employee's wages; see hiring a student with a wage subsidy.
• Digital, export and innovation programs, such as those in funding to go digital and export funding for your first market.

Browse by topic with start-up and growth, or see everything for small businesses.

How do I get started?

1. Write down the basics. What your business does, where it is, whether it is incorporated or a sole proprietor, and what you want the money for.
2. Run the funding check. It lists programs by fit and deadline, including set-asides you may qualify for.
3. Find a women-focused organization near you. Their advisers often know local programs that are hard to find online, and many can help with a business plan.
4. Read each program's eligibility rules. The guide to reading eligibility rules walks through the common ones.
5. Apply before you spend. Many programs don't cover costs from before approval; see apply before you spend.
6. Watch the dates. Some programs take applications any time, others only in short windows. Closing soon shows what is about to close.

Can I combine a women-focused program with other funding?

Often, yes, but each program sets its own rules. Some limit how much public money one project can receive in total, and some ask you to list every other source of funding. This is called stacking. Before you accept a second offer, read both programs' rules, and see can you combine grants? for how it usually works.

Frequently asked questions

Are there free grants for women to start a business?

There are a few, but most funding for women entrepreneurs is loans, training and mentoring. Grants that pay for an idea alone are rare. See small business grant myths and the difference between grants, loans and tax credits.

Do I have to own all of my business to qualify?

Not always. Each program defines a women-owned or women-led business its own way, often by share of ownership or by who manages the business. Check the definition on the program page.

Can a business owned by women apply to general programs too?

Yes. Set-aside programs are an extra option. A women-owned business can apply to any general program it qualifies for.

Where do I apply for the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy?

Business owners use the services of the organizations it funds. The Ecosystem Fund itself is for not-for-profit organizations; check the program page for who can apply.