Most money reserved for women is a loan. 11 of the 26 are loans or forgivable loans, led by the federal Women Entrepreneurship Loan Fund: up to $50,000, renewed in June 2026.
Looking for the Women Entrepreneurship Fund? It was a one-time federal call in 2018 (up to $100,000, 322 businesses funded) and it has not reopened. What replaced it
What grants are there for women entrepreneurs in Canada?
We checked every programme in the GrantCompass catalogue that is not closed. 26 are reserved for women-owned or women-led businesses, and most of them are not grants. Here is what they are, counted once each. One of the 11 grants and awards, the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards, is recognition with no cash prize, so 10 actually pay.
- 26 programmes in our catalogue that are not closed are reserved for women-owned or women-led businesses. 20 are open to any woman who meets their other conditions; 6 are reserved for women in a further group, such as Indigenous or Métis women.
- Only 11 of the 26 are grants or awards you never repay (8 of them open to any woman). The rest are 11 loans or forgivable loans, 3 equity investors and 1 support programme (advice, training or in-kind help).
- 17 of the 26 accept applications today, 3 of them grants or awards. The other 9 are all between intakes.
- 12 of the 26 are available across Canada; 12 are limited to one province and 2 to a group of provinces.
- The 8 women-only grants and awards that publish a maximum have a median maximum of $10K. A maximum is a ceiling, not a typical cheque.
- A further 4 programmes are reserved for a set of groups that includes women (for example women, Indigenous or Black owners), and 11 wider programmes run a stream, cohort or prize category only for women.
- 18 programmes open to everyone state a priority or incentive for women in their own rules. 3 offer women a bigger award or better terms, 9 weigh it in selection, 3 reserve a share of funding or of the project, and 3 reward hiring women.
| Type | Programmes | Open now | Repaid? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grant | 5 | 1 | No |
| Award or prize | 6 | 2 | No |
| Forgivable loan | 2 | 2 | Unless its conditions are met |
| Loan | 9 | 9 | Yes |
| Equity investment | 3 | 3 | You give up a share |
| Support programme | 1 | 0 | Mostly support, not cash |
Data as of September 30, 2026, generated from the GrantCompass catalogue. "Reserved for women" means the programme's own rules limit it to women-owned or women-led businesses. A programme counts as open when it accepts applications today; one past its own deadline is counted as between intakes, never as open. Each programme is counted once.
Is the Women Entrepreneurship Fund still open?
No. The Women Entrepreneurship Fund was a one-time federal call in 2018. It paid non-repayable contributions of up to $100,000 to women-owned businesses, and the government's own evaluation counts 322 businesses funded. The regional agencies that delivered it targeted businesses that had been operating for at least two years. It has not reopened, it is not one of the programmes on the government's current Women Entrepreneurship Strategy page, and federal disclosure shows no agreement under its name after 2020 (see where its money went).
What the federal women's strategy funds today
On June 22, 2026, the federal government announced $173.7 million over five years to continue the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy. It splits three ways, and only one part reaches a business directly, as a loan:
| Part of the strategy | New money (June 2026) | Who receives it | Can your business apply? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women Entrepreneurship Loan Fund | $59 million | Partner lenders, who lend up to $50,000 to women entrepreneurs | Yes, for a loan, through a partner lender |
| WES Ecosystem Fund | $100 million | Not-for-profit organisations that run advice and training for women founders | No. You can join the programmes it pays for |
| Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub | $7 million | Research on women's entrepreneurship | No |
The government describes the whole strategy as nearly $7 billion in investments and commitments since 2018. That figure is not a grant budget: the part a business can apply to directly is the Loan Fund, whose lenders had already made more than 1,600 loans before the renewal.
Which women's business grants and loans can I apply for in my province?
All 26 programmes reserved for women that are not closed, grouped by where they are available, open programmes first, followed by 4 open to women and other groups and 11 wider programmes with a women-only stream. The filters narrow the list by what each programme records; they cannot tell you whether you qualify.
41 programmes listed: 26 reserved for women, 17 of them open now, as of September 30, 2026.
Reserved for women: available across Canada 12 programmes, 7 open now
- Amber Grant for WomenAward or prize · $10K monthly · $50K year-end · Canada-wideWomen-owned businessesOpen nowNo matching funds
- FCC Women Entrepreneur ProgramLoan · Varies (not published) · Canada-wideWomen in agriculture or foodOpen nowNo matching funds
- WEOC National Loan ProgramLoan · Up to $50K · Canada-wideWomen-owned businessesOpen nowNo matching funds
- Women Entrepreneurship Loan Fund (WELF)Loan · Up to $50K · Canada-wideWomen-owned businessesOpen nowNo matching funds
- NACCA Indigenous Women Entrepreneur (IWE) ProgramLoan · Up to $50K · Canada-wideFirst Nations, Inuit or Métis women onlyOpen nowNo matching funds
- BDC Thrive Lab for WomenEquity investment · $100K-$2M · Canada-wideWomen-led businessesOpen nowYou fund part of the cost
- Thrive Venture FundEquity investment · Up to $5M · Canada-wideWomen-led businessesOpen nowNo matching funds
- Indigenous Women Entrepreneurship Fund (IWEF)Grant · Up to $2.5K · Canada-wideIndigenous women onlyBetween intakesNo matching funds
- BMO Celebrating Women Grant ProgramAward or prize · $10,000 Grant · Canada-wideWomen-owned businessesBetween intakesNo matching funds
- Cartier Women's InitiativeAward or prize · Up to $100K · Canada-wideWomen-owned or women-led businessesBetween intakesNo matching funds
- Mastercard Small Business Fund (Canada)Award or prize · Up to $10K/yr · Canada-wideWomen-owned businessesBetween intakesNo matching funds
- RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur AwardsAward or prize · Recognition award · Canada-wideWomen-owned or women-led businessesBetween intakesNo matching funds
Reserved for women: Alberta 2 programmes, 1 open now
- AWE Business Loans for WomenLoan · Up to $150K · AlbertaWomen-owned businessesOpen nowNo matching funds
- AWE Bridge ProgramSupport programme · Up to $5K · AlbertaWomen-owned or women-led businessesBetween intakesNo matching funds
Reserved for women: British Columbia 3 programmes, 3 open now
- Sophie Morigeau Women's Entrepreneurship Program (SMWEP)Forgivable loan · Up to $25K · British ColumbiaMétis women onlyOpen nowYou fund part of the cost
- WeBC Business Loans for WomenLoan · Up to $150K · British ColumbiaWomen-owned businessesOpen nowYou fund part of the cost
- WeBC Women Entrepreneurs Program (Vancity)Loan · Up to $250K · British ColumbiaWomen-owned businessesOpen nowMatching funds: check
Reserved for women: Manitoba 1 programme, 1 open now
- Women's Enterprise Centre of Manitoba (WeMB): Business LoansLoan · Up to $150K · ManitobaWomen-owned businessesOpen nowNo matching funds
Reserved for women: Ontario 4 programmes, 2 open now
- PARO Women's Innovation Initiative (WIN) · BIZGrowthGrant · Up to $2,500, matched 1:1 · OntarioWomen-owned or women-led businessesOpen nowYou fund part of the cost
- Waubetek Indigenous Women's Entrepreneurship ProgramForgivable loan · $3K-$100K · OntarioFirst Nations or Inuit women onlyOpen nowYou fund part of the cost
- OBIO WiHI Seed ProgramGrant · Up to $10K non-dilutive · OntarioWomen-owned or women-led businessesBetween intakesNo matching funds
- Fierce Founders UpliftGrant · $10,000 non-repayable · OntarioWomen or non-binary founders from an equity-deserving groupBetween intakesMatching funds: check
Reserved for women: Prince Edward Island 1 programme, 0 open now
- PEIBWA Micro-GrantsGrant · Up to $1K · Prince Edward IslandWomen-owned businessesBetween intakesNo matching funds
Reserved for women: Saskatchewan 1 programme, 1 open now
- Women Entrepreneurs Saskatchewan (WESK): Business FinancingLoan · Up to $150K · SaskatchewanWomen-owned businessesOpen nowYou fund part of the cost
Reserved for women: several provinces 2 programmes, 2 open now
- Canada's Total Mom PitchAward or prize · $10K-$50K · Canada except QuebecWomen who are mothers (Quebec excluded)Open nowNo matching funds
- SheBoot: Women-Led Tech Startup Investment ProgramEquity investment · Up to $300K · Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, New BrunswickWomen-led businessesOpen nowNo matching funds
Open to women and other groups (not women-only) 4 programmes, 4 open now
- Nova Scotia Supplier Diversity Certification Program (SDCP): Invest Nova ScotiaGrant · $1K-$3K · Nova ScotiaBusinesses 51% owned by one of several groups, women includedOpen now, deadline February 26, 2027No matching funds
- Evol: Conventional Loan for Inclusive EntrepreneursLoan · Up to $450K · QuebecAn owner from an underrepresented group, women includedOpen nowYou fund part of the cost
- BDC Inclusive Entrepreneurship LoanLoan · Up to $350K · Canada-wideWomen, Indigenous or Black ownersOpen nowNo matching funds
- Inclusive Trade Investments Program (ITIP): Export Development Canada (EDC)Equity investment · Up to $200M · Canada-wideExporters founded or led by equity-deserving groups, women includedOpen nowNo matching funds
A women-only stream inside a wider programme 11 programmes, 8 open now
- TechAlliance GROW Accelerator: TechAlliance of Southwestern OntarioGrant · Up to $10K · OntarioA women-led streamOpen nowYou fund part of the cost
- Saskatchewan Indigenous Enterprise Foundation (SIEF): Business FinancingLoan · $25K-$250K · SaskatchewanAn Indigenous Women Entrepreneur stream (Status First Nations women)Open nowYou fund part of the cost
- Apeetogosan (Métis) Development Inc.: Business Financing & MEAPLoan · Up to $330K (blended) · AlbertaA Métis women micro-business streamOpen nowYou fund part of the cost
- Alterna Savings Community Microfinance ProgramLoan · $1K-$50K · OntarioA Working Women Business Loan segmentOpen nowNo matching funds
- Métis Financial Corporation of BC (MFCBC): Business LoansLoan · Preferred rate, per applicant · British ColumbiaA Métis women entrepreneurs streamOpen nowNo matching funds
- Nuu-chah-nulth Economic Development Corporation (NEDC): Business Loans & ContributionsLoan · $7.5K-$250K · British ColumbiaAn Indigenous women entrepreneurs streamOpen nowYou fund part of the cost
- Ulnooweg Indigenous Business Loans (Micro, Women & Youth, General Lending)Loan · Up to $750K (individuals) · Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and LabradorWomen & Youth loans for Indigenous applicantsOpen nowNo matching funds
- ACCESS Business Lab & Marketplace for EntrepreneursSupport programme · Free training + market access · OntarioA women-only cohort on requestOpen nowNo matching funds
- New Ventures BC CompetitionAward or prize · Up to $80K · British ColumbiaA Woman-Led Venture Award categoryBetween intakesNo matching funds
- Pow Wow Pitch CompetitionAward or prize · $500-$100K · Canada-wideA stream for Indigenous women and Two-Spirit entrepreneursBetween intakesNo matching funds
- Communitech Fierce Founders and Startup ProgramsSupport programme · Up to $50K · OntarioFierce Founders streams: women-identified or underrepresented foundersBetween intakesMatching funds: check
No programme matches all of these filters. Try removing one, or answer a few questions on the eligibility map.
Data as of September 30, 2026. Amounts are each programme's published figure; "matching funds" is what our record says, checked against the programme's own description, so confirm it with the funder.
This list covers the programmes with a rule about women. Your business can also apply to general grants, loans and tax credits that never mention women. Answer a few questions to see the ones that fit.
Find Your GrantsWhat changed for women's business funding in 2026?
- June 22, 2026 The federal government renewed the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy with $173.7 million over five years, $59 million of it for the Loan Fund.
- June 16, 2026 Applications for the 2027 Cartier Women's Initiative closed. The next edition has not opened yet.
- April 2 to April 23, 2026 The BMO Celebrating Women Grant ran its application window in April, not in August as in earlier years. Watch for the 2027 window in the spring.
- Still paused Coralus (formerly SheEO) says its funding is paused while it redesigns how its capital flows. It is a loan programme, and it is not taking applications.
- Closed since May 30, 2025 The federal AgriDiversity Program closed its intake, and it only ever funded not-for-profit organisations, Indigenous organisations and academia, never businesses.
Who lends to women entrepreneurs in each province?
Every province has a women's enterprise organisation, and almost all of them lend rather than give grants. Most are also the local partner for the federal Loan Fund, through the Women's Enterprise Organizations of Canada (WEOC). The number on each card is how many programmes reserved for women are available to a business there, national ones included.
Alberta: AWE
16 reserved programmes available
Alberta Women Entrepreneurs lends up to $150,000, typically at prime plus 2% to prime plus 4%, and says plainly that it does not offer standalone grants. It is WEOC's Loan Fund partner in Alberta.
AWE business loans →British Columbia: WeBC
17 reserved programmes available
WeBC (formerly Women's Enterprise Centre BC) lends up to $150,000 directly; loans of $50,000 or less may need no specific security. It does not give grants. It is WEOC's Loan Fund partner in BC.
WeBC business loans →Manitoba: WeMB
15 reserved programmes available
The Women's Enterprise Centre of Manitoba lends between $5,000 and $150,000, and is WEOC's Loan Fund partner in Manitoba.
WeMB business loans →Saskatchewan: WESK
14 reserved programmes available
Women Entrepreneurs Saskatchewan provides business financing and is WEOC's Loan Fund partner in Saskatchewan.
WESK business financing →Ontario: PARO
18 reserved programmes available
PARO is the exception: it gives small grants. Its BIZGrowth grant pays up to $2,500, matched 1:1, and Prosper Circles up to $1,500. It is also WEOC's Loan Fund partner in Northern Ontario.
PARO WIN and BIZGrowth →Quebec: Evol
13 reserved programmes available
Evol is the federal Loan Fund's delivery partner in Quebec. Its conventional loan is open to owners from several underrepresented groups, women included.
Evol loans →Nova Scotia: CWB
14 reserved programmes available
The Centre for Women in Business is WEOC's Loan Fund partner in Nova Scotia.
Nova Scotia grants →Newfoundland and Labrador: NLOWE
13 reserved programmes available
The Newfoundland and Labrador Organization of Women Entrepreneurs is WEOC's Loan Fund partner in the province.
Newfoundland and Labrador grants →Anywhere in Canada: WEOC
National programme
WEOC's own national loan programme lends up to $50,000 to businesses with revenue of $2 million or less. First Nations, Inuit and Métis women can also borrow through NACCA's Indigenous Women Entrepreneur Program, which pairs a loan with a non-repayable part of up to 45%.
WEOC national loan →Are there loans or investment for women-owned businesses?
Yes, and they are where most of the money is. Of the 26 programmes reserved for women, 9 are loans and 2 are forgivable loans (repaid unless you meet their conditions), and 3 invest in exchange for a share of your company.
Loans
The Women Entrepreneurship Loan Fund lends up to $50,000 through its partner lenders, and the provincial lenders above go higher. Two loan programmes open to women and other groups are worth knowing: BDC's Inclusive Entrepreneurship Loan and, for Black entrepreneurs, the Black Entrepreneurship Loan Fund (up to $250,000). The Futurpreneur Startup Program is not a women's programme: it lends up to $75,000 to any founder aged 18 to 39.
Investment
BDC's Thrive platform invests in women-led companies. The Thrive Venture Fund ($300M) invests at seed and Series A/B; the Thrive Lab for Women ($100 million) invests only in companies a BDC-approved co-investment partner nominates; and a newer $50 million fund helps women buy an established Canadian company. All three are equity: you give up ownership, and none is a grant.
Farming
For agriculture, the women's programme that exists today is FCC's Women Entrepreneur Program, and it is financing, not a grant.
Where did the federal women's-strategy money actually go?
Federal departments and agencies publish the grant and contribution agreements they sign. We pulled the three women's-strategy programmes that pay out, collapsed the amendments, and added them up: $251.2M in agreements across the three.
Women Entrepreneurship Fund (grants to businesses, 2018 call)
At least 135 of the 322 businesses the fund paid appear in federal disclosure under its name. Every one of those agreements started between 2018 and 2020, 99 of them for exactly the $100,000 maximum, and 103 went to Ontario businesses. None has been signed under the fund's name since 2020.
- 135 agreements
- 135 recipients
- $12.8M in total
- median $100K
| Province or territory | Agreements | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario | 103 | $9.9M |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 8 | $800K |
| Nova Scotia | 8 | $688K |
| New Brunswick | 7 | $675K |
| Prince Edward Island | 4 | $390K |
| Yukon | 4 | $274K |
| Northwest Territories | 1 | $100K |
By start year: 2018: 1 ($100K) · 2019: 132 ($12.5M) · 2020: 2 ($200K). Recipients are not named here: many are sole proprietors listed under a person's name.
WES Ecosystem Fund (grants to support organisations)
73 agreements worth $162.4M went to 52 organisations, not to businesses; Ontario organisations hold 54 of the agreements and 54% of the money. For a founder, this is the money behind the free advice and training programmes you can join, not cash for your business. The largest recipients: Quebec Business Women's Network ($8.0M), Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada ($6.9M), PARO Centre for Women's Enterprise ($6.7M).
- 73 agreements
- 52 recipients
- $162.4M in total
- median $1.9M
| Province | Agreements | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario | 54 | $88.3M |
| Quebec | 5 | $22.5M |
| British Columbia | 4 | $20.1M |
| Nova Scotia | 4 | $14.8M |
| New Brunswick | 2 | $5.9M |
| Alberta | 1 | $3.5M |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 1 | $2.6M |
| Saskatchewan | 1 | $2.5M |
| Manitoba | 1 | $2.3M |
By start year: 2019: 25 ($40.8M) · 2020: 18 ($4.8M) · 2023: 28 ($114.1M) · 2025: 2 ($2.8M).
Women Entrepreneurship Loan Fund (capital for lenders)
$76.0M went to 7 agreements with lenders, all signed in 2022. Women borrow from these lenders; the individual loans are not disclosed. SheEO Canada Fund and Coralus are the same organisation under two names, and Coralus now says its funding is paused.
- 7 agreements
- 7 recipients
- $76.0M in total
- median $6.7M
| Lender | Agreements | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Women's Enterprise Organizations of Canada | 1 | $38.0M |
| Evol Financement | 1 | $9.3M |
| Nventure Business Development Corporation | 1 | $8.9M |
| National Aboriginal Capital Corporation Association | 1 | $6.7M |
| Northumberland Business Development Assistance Corp. | 1 | $5.0M |
| Coralus | 1 | $4.1M |
| SheEO Canada Fund | 1 | $4.0M |
Lenders are listed by their legal name in the disclosure; the headquarters province is where the lender is registered, not where it lends.
Method. Rows from the federal Proactive Disclosure of Grants and Contributions (open.canada.ca), filtered by the exact programme names the agencies use. Amendments restate an agreement, so each agreement is counted once, at its latest value. At least 135 of the 322 WE Fund recipients appear in federal disclosure; the western and Quebec agencies filed theirs under other programme names, so the WE Fund figures are a floor, not the whole. Medians, not averages. Data as of September 21, 2026. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.
Do mainstream grants give women-owned businesses priority?
Some do, and they say so in their own rules. 18 programmes open to every business state a priority, a bonus, a reserved share or a hiring incentive that involves women, and only 3 of them pay a woman-owned business more. Earlier versions of this page said that federal gender analysis (GBA+) automatically adds score to a woman's application to IRAP, CanExport or Canada Summer Jobs. None of those programmes says so in its published rules, and we found no official source for it, so we no longer make that claim. Apply to mainstream programmes on their merits: they are open to you like anyone else.
Not reserved for women. These 18 programmes are open to every business. Each one's own rules state a priority, bonus, reserved share or hiring incentive that involves women; the line under each name says which. 11 accept applications today.
A bigger award or better terms for women 3 programmes, 2 open now
- REGI Business Scale-up and Productivity (BSP): ACOALoan · Up to $20M (typical $100K-$2M) · Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and LabradorExtra funding or flexible terms for Indigenous women (among others)Open nowYou fund part of the cost
- ElevateIP ProgramSupport programme · Up to $100K · Canada-wideWomen and Indigenous founders get the top tierOpen nowYou fund part of the cost
- Invest Ottawa Path FundGrant · $10K-$15K · OntarioWomen-led companies may request the larger awardBetween intakesYou fund part of the cost
A share reserved for women 3 programmes, 1 open now
- SODEC: Film Production Aid (Quebec production companies)Grant · Up to $4M · QuebecWith several projects, at least half must be written or directed by womenOpen nowYou fund part of the cost
- Creative BC: Domestic Motion Picture Production ProgramGrant · $50K-$200K · British Columbia30% of funding reserved for equity-deserving creators, women includedBetween intakesYou fund part of the cost
- Protein Industries Canada: Technology Leadership (Fermentation Stream)Grant · 45% rate · Canada-wideProjects must show participation from women or other underrepresented groupsBetween intakesYou fund part of the cost
Women weighed in selection 9 programmes, 6 open now
- Protein Industries Canada: Artificial Intelligence ProgramGrant · Up to $30M · Canada-wideParticipation of women and other groups is assessedOpen nowYou fund part of the cost
- REGI: Regional Innovation Ecosystems (ACOA)Grant · Up to 75% of costs · New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and LabradorEnhanced consideration for organizations serving womenOpen nowYou fund part of the cost
- REGI: Regional Innovation Ecosystems (CED Quebec)Grant · Up to 90% of costs · QuebecEnhanced consideration for organizations serving womenOpen nowYou fund part of the cost
- REGI: Regional Innovation Ecosystems (FedDev Ontario)Grant · $125K-$10M · OntarioEnhanced consideration for organizations serving womenOpen nowYou fund part of the cost
- REGI: Regional Innovation Ecosystems (PrairiesCan)Grant · Up to 50% of costs · Alberta, Saskatchewan, ManitobaEnhanced consideration for organizations serving womenOpen nowYou fund part of the cost
- Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative (RAII)Loan · $250K-$5M · Alberta, Saskatchewan, ManitobaProjects supporting women and other groups are an eligible focusOpen now, deadline December 31, 2028You fund part of the cost
- Lenovo Evolve Small AI GrantGrant · $10K-$25K · Ontario, British ColumbiaWoman-owned businesses championed, not reservedBetween intakesNo matching funds
- Ontario Creates: Futures Forward ProgramGrant · Up to $20K (75% cap) · OntarioApplications encouraged from women-owned companies (not required)Between intakesYou fund part of the cost
- Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor) FundingSupport programme · Up to $6M · Northwest Territories, Nunavut, YukonPriority to underrepresented groups, women includedBetween intakesYou fund part of the cost
An incentive for hiring women 3 programmes, 2 open now
- Nova Scotia Graduate to Opportunity (GTO)Grant · Up to $45K · Nova ScotiaHiring from underrepresented groups, women includedOpen nowYou fund part of the cost
- BioTalent Canada: Career Starter ProgramGrant · 60% up to $20K/hire · Canada-wideHiring from target groups, women in STEM includedOpen nowYou fund part of the cost
- Apprenticeship Service Employer GrantGrant · $5K-$10K per apprentice · Canada-wideAn extra $5,000 per apprentice from an equity-deserving group, women includedPaused by the funderNo matching funds
Data as of September 30, 2026. Only programmes whose published rules say so are listed; a programme that weighs gender without saying so publicly cannot appear here.
How do the best-known women's programmes compare?
The programmes women founders ask about most, with what each one really is and whether it is open today.
Our verdict: The lowest bar of any grant here: no business plan, and Canadian businesses are eligible. Three $10,000 grants a month, plus $50,000 year-end grants for monthly winners. Enter once, then wait 3 months before the same email can enter again.
Our verdict: Cash plus services for one mother-founder a year. Worth one application if you qualify; it is a pitch competition, so plan for one winner, not a pool.
Our verdict: Small but real, and it is a grant: up to $2,500, which you match 1:1 on a $5,000 project. The page lists it once: PARO's BIZGrowth is WIN's funding component, not a second grant.
Our verdict: $10,000 each to 10 businesses a year that are 51% owned by women or non-binary owners, operating two years or more, with $50,000 or more in revenue. The 2026 window ran April 2 to April 23, 2026, not in August. BMO disqualifies applications written with AI tools.
Our verdict: A global award of US$100,000, US$60,000 or US$30,000 for impact businesses with US$50,000 to US$5 million in revenue and 5 to 250 staff. The 2027 edition closed on June 16, 2026.
Our verdict: Indigenous women only, and chosen by lottery, not merit. The 2025 round ran June 5 to July 7, 2025; we found no confirmed 2026 round.
Our verdict: The federal money reserved for women today, and it is a loan: up to $50,000 through partner lenders, renewed with $59 million in June 2026.
Our verdict: The largest Loan Fund lender. Loans up to $50,000 for businesses with revenue of $2 million or less, at prime plus 4% or less, with a 2% fee capped at $1,000.
Our verdict: Equity, not a grant: you sell part of the company. You cannot apply yourself; a BDC-approved co-investment partner has to nominate you.
Our verdict: Equity for women-led technology companies at seed and Series A/B, from a $300M fund. You give up ownership in exchange.
Our verdict: Not a women's programme: a loan of up to $75,000 for any founder aged 18 to 39. Women apply on the same terms as everyone else.
Our verdict: A loan, not a grant, and not lending now: Coralus says funding is paused while it redesigns how the capital flows. Do not plan around it.
Type, status, amount and place from the GrantCompass catalogue as of September 30, 2026; the verdicts are ours, from each programme's own published rules.
Which funding path fits your business?
Start from your situation
Can you combine women's grants with other funding?
Usually yes, but there is no single stacking rule. Each government programme sets its own limit on how much of a project government money can cover. Our records show 75% for IRAP and 75% for CanExport SMEs, but 100% for Canada Summer Jobs and 100% for the Indigenous Women Entrepreneurship Fund, and 24 of the 26 women-reserved programmes publish no limit at all. Before you combine two programmes on one project, read each one's rules, and tell every funder about the other money you have applied for.
How do you apply for a women's business grant?
Check the ownership test for each programme
The tests differ. The Amber Grant asks that your business be at least 50% women-owned; BMO asks for 51% or more owned and controlled by women or non-binary owners. Have your articles of incorporation or share register, and any shareholder agreement, ready; sole proprietors need their business registration.
Check the conditions that rule you out
Most women's programmes also set a revenue or age test: BMO wants $50,000 or more in revenue and two years in business; Cartier US$50,000 to US$5 million in revenue; WEOC lends to businesses with revenue of $2 million or less. The finder above shows each programme's type and place; its own page has the full list.
Write it yourself where the funder says so
BMO disqualifies applications created with AI tools. Impact competitions such as BMO and Cartier ask you to show measurable results against the UN Sustainable Development Goals, so gather your numbers first.
Plan around the windows
The Amber Grant closes on the last day of every month, and the same email can enter only once every 3 months. BMO opened in April in 2026 and Cartier from April to June. PARO opens BIZGrowth in rounds it announces to registered clients.
Apply to more than one, and disclose
Nothing stops you applying to several programmes at once. Tell each funder what else you have applied for or received, and keep within each programme's own stacking limit.
GrantCompass is an independent funding database, not a government office. Some features are paid, including the one below.
Find every programme you qualify for, not only the women's programmes
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Sources
- Women Entrepreneurship Strategy, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada: ised-isde.canada.ca
- Minister Valdez announces new funding for the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (June 22, 2026): canada.ca
- Evaluation of the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy RDA-delivered programming (Women Entrepreneurship Fund), ISED: ised-isde.canada.ca
- Women Entrepreneurship Loan Fund, ISED: ised-isde.canada.ca
- Proactive Disclosure of Grants and Contributions, Government of Canada: open.canada.ca
- WEOC National Loan Program: weoc.ca
- BMO Celebrating Women Grant Program: bmoforwomen.com
- Amber Grant for Women, FAQ: ambergrantsforwomen.com
- Cartier Women's Initiative, Regional Awards: cartierwomensinitiative.com
- PARO Women's Innovation Initiative and BIZGrowth: paro.ca
- Alberta Women Entrepreneurs, loans: awebusiness.com
- WeBC, business loans for women: we-bc.ca
- Women's Enterprise Centre of Manitoba: wemb.ca
- BDC Thrive platform: bdc.ca
- Coralus (formerly SheEO): coralus.world
- AgriDiversity Program, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada: agriculture.canada.ca
- Indigenous Women Entrepreneurship Fund, CCIB: ccib.ca
Need Help With Your Grant Application?
Templates for the parts every application asks for: a Canadian grant proposal template, a business plan template and a financial projections model.