Grant
Provincial
Active
PARO Women's Innovation Initiative (WIN)
PARO Centre for Women's Enterprise
Maximum Funding
Non-repayable contributions, not a loan. BIZGrowth pays up to...
Ongoing — continuous intake
Difficulty
Easy
Payment
Varies
Trend
Growing
First-Timers
Friendly ✓
Co-Funding
50%
PARO Women's Innovation Initiative (WIN) provides up to Non-repayable contributions, not a loan. BIZGrowth pays up to $2,500 and Prosper Circles up to $1,500. Both are matched at least 1:1 by your business, so a $2,500 BIZGrowth contribution goes with a project totalling $5,000. The Women's Innovation Initiative (WIN) is PARO's FedDev Ontario funded program for women-led small and medium-sized enterprises throughout Southern Ontario. The program covers up to 50% of eligible costs. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
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Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
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Program Description
The Women's Innovation Initiative (WIN) is PARO's FedDev Ontario funded program for women-led small and medium-sized enterprises throughout Southern Ontario. It pays non-repayable contributions on matched projects and pairs them with scale-up advising, skills training through BizCamps and webinars, and trade-mission support for companies moving into export markets. Two funding components sit inside WIN: BIZGrowth, up to $2,500 matched 1:1 by the business on a project totalling $5,000, and Prosper Circles, up to $1,500 matched at least 1:1 through two-stage Prosper Peer Lending Circle loans. WIN does not lend money. The loans of up to $50,000 over terms of up to 5 years that PARO also delivers belong to the separate WEOC National Loan Program, which has its own eligibility rules and its own borrowing costs.
Eligibility Requirements
- Women-led small and medium-sized enterprises throughout Southern Ontario. PARO's Northern Ontario programs are separate from WIN
- BIZGrowth requires an established business, two years or more, that is women-owned and located in Ontario
- No closed industry list. WIN names software-as-a-service, digital services, health tech, clean tech, agri-food and manufacturing as examples of the sectors it works across
- Both WIN funding components are matched by the business, at least 1:1, so you need to fund your own share of the project
- The Prosper route runs through a PARO Prosper Peer Lending Circle: 4 to 7 women, 18 and over, who review and approve each other's loan requests
- WEOC loan route only, which PARO delivers separately from WIN: at least 19 years old, a Canadian citizen or permanent resident residing in Canada, and a business over 50% women-owned with gross revenues not over $2 million
Provinces
Industries
Business Stage
Quick Assessment
Difficulty
Easy
Competition
Low
First-Timer
Friendly
Funding Details
- Amount
- Non-repayable contributions, not a loan. BIZGrowth pays up to $2,500 and Prosper Circles up to $1,500. Both are matched at least 1:1 by your business, so a $2,500 BIZGrowth contribution goes with a project totalling $5,000.
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Provincial
- Co-Funding
- Up to 50% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- Ongoing — continuous intake
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Competition
Low
Deadline
Ongoing
Approval
Varies
Accessibility
--/5
Competition
--/5
Approval Rate
--%
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How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
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Insider TipThe binding constraint is the match, not the ceiling.
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Success Profile
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Evaluation Criteria
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The pitfalls, the checklist and the reviewer notes are in the Playbook below. See what it includes ↓
What's in this Playbook
Everything you need to win WIN
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 4-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- 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
- 1-program stacking strategy to combine with compatible funding
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what reviewers score on
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Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
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5 steps
4 docs
Application Steps
1
Check that WIN is the right PARO program for you WIN supports women-led small and medium-sized enterprises throughout Southern Ontario and is funded through FedDev Ontario. PARO's Northern Ontario programs and the WEOC loan are separate. The sectors named on the WIN page, including software-as-a-service, digital services, health tech, clean tech, agri-food and manufacturing, are given as examples rather than a closed list.
Required Documents 4
✓ Business plan including cash flow forecasts for a minimum of two years (WEOC loan route, required)
✓ For an existing business on the WEOC loan route: a business overview and a summary of your expansion or growth plans, with two years of cash flow projections
Eligible Expenses 6
Ineligible Expenses 3
Intake Periods
Deadline Notes
Ineligible Organizations
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Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
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1 partners
Compatible Programs
Combined Funding Potential
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Clawback Risk
Low Risk
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How WIN Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
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| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PARO Women's Innovation Initiative (WIN) | up to $2,500 | Easy | Varies | Ongoing — continuous... |
| WEOC National Loan Program | Up to $50,000 | Easy | Loan | Ongoing |
| Ontario Job Grant (formerly Canada-On... | Up to $10,000 per employee | Easy | Varies | Ongoing — year-round... |
| Ontario Innovation Tax Credit | Up to 8% tax credit | Moderate | Tax Credit Offset | Ongoing |
| Commercial Façade Improvement Grant P... | Up to $12,500 (50% of costs) | Easy | Reimbursement | Annual Intake |
Related Programs
Other programs you might be eligible for
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about WIN
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Do I have to put in my own money?
Yes. Both WIN components are matched. BIZGrowth pays up to $2,500 non-repayable and is matched 1:1 by the business, on a project totalling $5,000. Prosper Circles pay up to $1,500 non-repayable, matched at least 1:1 through two-stage Prosper Peer Lending Circle loans.
Is this the $50,000 women's business loan?
No. That is the WEOC National Loan Program, a separate national program that lends up to $50,000 over terms of up to 5 years, at a rate fixed at Prime plus 4% or less, with a 2% administration fee up to $1,000 taken off the first disbursement. WIN's own funding is non-repayable and much smaller.
How does a Prosper Circle loan work?
It is a peer micro-loan your own circle reviews and approves, and it climbs in stages. You borrow $1,000 and repay $500, then $2,000 repaying $1,000, then stage three at $3,000 and stage four at $5,000. A first-time borrower cannot start at $5,000.
Do I need a PARO membership?
For the Prosper route, yes. Circle membership is $20 and carries access to peer loans up to $5,000 and grants of $500 to $1,000 if eligible. First-time circle members also complete the PARO Circle Membership Form, requested by emailing [email protected] or calling 807-625-0328.
Who qualifies for BIZGrowth?
An established women-owned business, two years or more, located in Ontario, that is looking to grow, scale up or expand into new markets. Speak to a PARO Business Growth Advisor or counsellor to see if you qualify, and watch the client portal for the next Stream.
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Full Playbook: WIN
5 steps · 4 docs · reviewer insights