BDC Inclusive Entrepreneurship Loan
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Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
Program Description
Up to $350,000 with preferred terms for businesses 51%+ owned by women, Indigenous, or Black entrepreneurs. No application fees, up to 24 months principal deferral, interest rate reduction for completing free BDC Entrepreneurship Fundamentals course. Part of a $50M BDC financing and training programme (a separate $200M is BDC Capital equity investment, not this loan).
Eligibility Requirements
- Business based in Canada
- 51%+ owned and operated by women, Indigenous, or Black entrepreneurs
- Annual revenue below $3,000,000
- Canadian citizen or permanent resident
- Must have reached the age of majority in your province or territory of residence
Quick Assessment
Funding Details
- Amount
- Up to $350,000
- Type
- Loan
- Level
- Federal
- Financing share
- Up to 100% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- Ongoing
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
How to qualify
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Insider TipComplete the free BDC Entrepreneurship Fundamentals course for an interest rate reduction.
Success Profile
Evaluation Criteria
How BDC Inclusive Entrepreneurship Loan judges your application
What the reviewer scores, what gets applications rejected, and what to write.
Distilled from 6 documents published by BDC Inclusive Entrepreneurship Loan: the application form, the applicant guide and the judging criteria, condensed into one brief. Updated 2026-09-02.
6 funder documents
Sign in free: we show which checks your profile already answers and keep your document ticks.
What BDC Inclusive Entrepreneurship Loan favours
Loans and training for majority-owned women, Indigenous, Black businesses under $3 million◦
“Recognizing the barriers are highest, and trust is lowest, among the smallest and earliest-stage businesses, their first act was creating a new $50M program that provides loans, plus training, for businesses that are majority-owned by women, Indigenous and Black entrepreneurs and have revenues under $3 million.”
The form
Your project
- 1 of 5How long has your business been in operation?selectionno limit
- 2 of 5How much are you looking to borrow?short answerno limit
Your contact information
- 3How can we reach you?short answerno limit
- 4Job roleselectionno limit
- 5How did you hear about BDC?selectionno limit
- 6Othershort answer · 100 characters
- 7Marketing consentcheckboxno limit
Your business
- 8Tell us about your business — underserved-community ownershipcheckboxesno limit
- 9Company nameshort answer · 100 characters
- 10Business typeselectionno limit
- 11Industryselectionno limit
- 12Othershort answerno limit
- 13Established inshort answer · 4 characters
- 14Number of employeesshort answerno limit
- 15Annual salesshort answerno limit
- 16Street addressshort answerno limit
- 17Cityshort answer · 80 characters
- 18Provinceselectionno limit
- 19Postal codeshort answer · 10 characters
- 20Countryselectionno limit
Describe your project
- 21When do you need the funds?selectionno limit
- 22Tell us about your project and how the loan will be usedwritten answer · 500 characters
bar = length the funder allows, from its stated limits
Judged against
- 1
Is the business majority-owned, Canadian and under $3M?
Show them Answer the ownership, sales and location questions exactly as the business stands today.◦
- 2
Is the amount inside this loan's band?
What to show, and the funder’s 0 criteria behind it in Premium
- 3
What will the loan buy, in 500 characters?
What to show, and the funder’s 0 criteria behind it in Premium
Where applicants fail
“Your business is not eligible for this loan, check out our other financing solutions.”
“For amounts of $100,000 or less, check out our small business loan.”
Premium · the rest of this brief
See all 5 rules run against your profile, every criterion the reviewer scores, and your draft laid out in this form. On every programme you match.
2 more rules that can reject you · 2 more prompts · 4 more pitfalls
Do you pass?
5 checks. Sign in free and we show which ones your profile already answers.
Your business
At least 51% owned and led?
At least 51% owned and led by persons from an underserved community
Annual sales under $3M?
Revenue of less than $3M
Is the business based in Canada?
Based in Canada
The money
Loan amount$25,000–$350,000; $100,000–$350,000 over 24 months
$25,000 to $350,000 if the business has operated under 24 months; above $100,000 to $350,000 if it has operated more than 24 months
Preferred termsPreferred terms up to $350,000
For a limited time only, take advantage of preferred terms and conditions for loans up to $350,000. Subject to approval. Certain conditions apply.
Principal postponementPrincipal postponement up to 24 months
the option to postpone principal payments for up to 24 months
FeesNo application or annual fees
no application or annual fees
What it pays for · 3
- Launch growth projects Purchase inventory to fulfill orders quickly, develop new products or launch a marketing campaign.
- Purchase new or used equipment Expand and modernize your operations, and increase your production capacity and efficiency.
- Invest in technology Purchase hardware and software, or boost revenue with a new e-commerce website.
From application to money
- Submit the requestSubmit request confirming eligibility
- BDC contacts youBDC contacts you to discuss options
- Apply with a specialistApply with a BDC specialist
- Sign and receive fundsSign agreement and receive funds
In the funder’s words · 4
- Submit the request
- Provide information on the business and shareholders and confirm that you meet the eligibility criteria.
- BDC contacts you
- one of our representatives will contact you to discuss financing options tailored to your needs.
- Apply with a specialist
- Fill out a loan application with a BDC specialist.
- Sign and receive funds
- You sign the loan agreement and BDC releases the money.
Every quotation is BDC Inclusive Entrepreneurship Loan’s own wording; lines marked ◦ are our reading of it. Brief updated 2026-09-02.
Everything you need to secure BDC Inclusive Entrepreneurship Loan
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- Your Application Game Plan — the print-ready PDF the preview below describes
- 5-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- 4-program stacking strategy to combine with compatible funding
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what lenders look for
Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
Application Steps
Eligible Expenses 8
Deadline Notes
Ineligible Organizations
Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
Compatible Programs
Clawback Risk
Low RiskHow BDC Inclusive Entrepreneurship Loan Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BDC Inclusive Entrepreneurship Loan | Up to $350,000 | Easy | Advance Payment | Ongoing |
| Futurpreneur Canada Startup Program | Up to $75,000 | Moderate | Loan | Ongoing |
| Community Futures Program — Ontario (... | up to $250,000, | Easy | Loan | Ongoing (year-round... |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about BDC Inclusive Entrepreneurship Loan