Updated March 2026 · Verified against TELUS guidelines
✓ First-Timer Friendly Lump Sum Est. 2020
Award Private Active

TELUS #StandWithOwners Contest

TELUS
Maximum Funding
$200,000 package per grand prize winner...
Annual (6th year)
Visit Official Program →
Difficulty
Easy
Payment
Lump Sum
Trend
Stable
First-Timers
Friendly ✓
Co-Funding
100%
TELUS #StandWithOwners Contest provides up to $200,000 package per grand prize winner (5 winners); $20,000 each to 15 finalists; $1.3M+ total annually. Annual contest awarding $200,000 packages to 5 grand prize winners (including $75,000 cash, $80,000 in advertising, $35,000 in technology, and $10,000 in health benefits), plus $20,000 each to 15 finalists. Annual (6th year). (As of March 2026, verified against TELUS program guidelines)

Eligibility & Details

What this program funds and who can apply

Free

Program Description

Annual contest awarding $200,000 packages to 5 grand prize winners (including $75,000 cash, $80,000 in advertising, $35,000 in technology, and $10,000 in health benefits), plus $20,000 each to 15 finalists. In its 6th year, TELUS has invested over $6 million in Canadian small businesses since 2020.

Eligibility Requirements

  • Canadian business with 1-100 employees
  • Legally registered and revenue-generating
  • Must be nominated (self-nomination accepted)
  • Available for public voting and media participation
  • Business must operate in Canada
Provinces
All Provinces
Industries
All
Business Stage
Startup Growth Established

Quick Assessment

Difficulty
Easy
Competition
High
Est. Hours
4h
First-Timer
Friendly

Funding Details

Amount
$200,000 package per grand prize winner (5 winners); $20,000 each to 15 finalists; $1.3M+ total annually
Type
Award
Level
Private
Co-Funding
Up to 100% of eligible costs
Deadline
Annual (6th year)

Program Scorecard

Competition, effort, and approval at a glance

Hybrid
Competition
High
Effort
~4 hours
Approval
Moderate
Accessibility
--/5
Competition
--/5
Approval Rate
--%
Premium See how this program compares on approval odds, difficulty, and competition — so you know if it’s worth your time.
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Approval likelihood, realistic amounts, competition level, and what winners look like
Consultants charge $500–$2,000 per program. This Playbook is $19.
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What's in this Playbook

Everything you need to win TELUS #StandWithOwners Contest — $19

Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.

Consultants charge $2,000–$5,000 per program. This Playbook is $19. Yours forever.
Unlock this Playbook — $19 or subscribe for $29/mo · 30-day money-back →

Applying for TELUS #StandWithOwners Contest? Our Grant Proposal Template ($19) mirrors the section structure Canadian reviewers actually score on. Or get all 4 templates in the Founder Pack ($59 · saves $27) →

How to Win

Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like

Premium
Insider Tip

Judged 50% innovation, 25% teamwork, 25% social purpose. The public voting phase is critical — start building social media momentum as soon as your nomination is confirmed. Winners consistently have compelling founder stories, clear social purpose, and strong community engagement. The $80,000 in advertising credit and $35,000 in technology can be more valuable than the cash for businesses ready to scale their marketing.

Premium See what trips up most applicants for this program — and how to avoid it.

Success Profile

Canadian small businesses with compelling innovation stories and strong community roots. Past winners span restaurants, tech startups, social enterprises, and retail businesses. Common thread is a clear social purpose beyond profit. Businesses with active social media presences and loyal customer bases perform best in the voting phase.

Premium See what successful applicants for this program actually look like.

Evaluation Criteria

Judged exclusively by an internal TELUS panel (no public vote). Three criteria: Innovation (50% weight) — how innovation helps the business stand out and grow; Teamwork (25%) — role of team, mentors, volunteers, and support networks in success; Social Purpose (25%) — how the business makes communities more sustainable, diverse, equitable, and inclusive.

Premium See exactly what reviewers score on — so you know where to focus.
Don’t waste 4 hours on a preventable rejection
Common rejection pitfalls, what winners look like, and exactly what reviewers score on
Paid grant writers quote $2,000–$5,000 per program. Start with the $19 Playbook first.
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Application Playbook

Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses

Premium 5 steps 5 docs

Application Steps

1 Confirm eligibility Canadian business, currently operational, legally registered, revenue-generating, 1-100 employees. For-profit, not-for-profit, and social enterprises eligible. Government organizations, municipalities, and chambers of commerce are excluded.
2 Prepare your three narratives Draft answers to all three criteria: Innovation (50%) — concrete innovation with measurable outcomes; Teamwork (25%) — team, mentors, volunteers, family networks; Social Purpose (25%) — specific community/societal impact with measurable outcomes.
3 Gather supporting materials High-quality photos or video showcasing the business, employee count and revenue confirmation, business description, any media coverage or community recognition.
4 Submit online application Apply at telus.com/StandWithOwners during the annual contest period (typically June-September). Complete the form in full. Photos and video matter for a program that uses winners in advertising.
5 TELUS panel review and notification Internal panel reviews all applications against the three criteria. No public voting. Winners notified directly by TELUS typically 3-6 months after application close.

Required Documents 5

✓ Online nomination form
✓ Business description and story
✓ Employee count and revenue confirmation
✓ Photos or video showcasing business
✓ Social impact or innovation description

Intake Periods

Annual. 2025 contest: June 3 – September 3, 2025. 2026 dates not yet announced — monitor telus.com/standwithowners from May 2026.

Deadline Notes

Annual contest — nomination period typically opens in fall. Check TELUS website for current year dates. Public voting phase follows nominations.

Open Application Portal →

Ineligible Organizations

  • Businesses with more than 100 employees
  • Pre-revenue or non-operational businesses
  • Government organizations and municipalities
  • Chamber of Commerce network organizations
Premium Get the step-by-step application guide — documents, timeline, and what to prepare.

Funding Stack Strategy

Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential

Premium 3 partners

Compatible Programs

BDC Advisory Services CanExport SMEs Provincial Small Business Grants
Combined Funding Potential See your total funding potential

Clawback Risk

None Risk

None on cash component. Non-cash credits are tied to TELUS services and expire per terms.

Premium See which programs combine with this one — and how much more you could get.
See your total funding potential across 3 programs
Stacking amounts, clawback details, government stacking limits, and tax implications
One avoided clawback typically outweighs the $19 Playbook cost by 50–100×.
Unlock this Playbook — $19 One-time · Yours forever · Instant access
or subscribe for $29/mo · 30-day money-back

How TELUS #StandWithOwners Contest Compares

Side-by-side with similar programs

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Program Amount Difficulty Payment Deadline
TELUS #StandWithOwners Contest $200,000 package per grand prize winner Easy Lump Sum Annual (6th year)
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Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about TELUS #StandWithOwners Contest

Free
Can sole proprietors apply?
Yes, as long as they're legally registered, have 1-100 employees (including themselves), and generate revenue. Pre-revenue businesses are ineligible.
What's the realistic payout for finalists?
Finalists receive $20,000 cash. The grand prize package totals $200,000 (including $75k cash, $80k advertising, $35k tech, $10k health benefits).
Is public voting required to win?
Yes — winners are selected 50% by judges (innovation, teamwork, social purpose) and 50% by public voting. Strong social media presence is critical.
Are non-profit businesses eligible?
No — must be a revenue-generating business. Non-profits, charities, and pre-revenue startups are ineligible.
Can I stack this with other grants?
Yes — no restrictions on combining with BDC Advisory Services, CanExport SMEs, or provincial grants. The private award has no funding restrictions.

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