Up to $6M WES Ecosystem Fund Grant

Organization: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

Type: Grant

Location: Canada

Deadline: November 9, 2026

Funding: Fully Funded

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) has opened the 2027 call for its Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES) Ecosystem Fund, which pays Canadian not-for-profits to run business support for women entrepreneurs. Up to $80 million in non-repayable contributions will be shared among successful projects over four years from 2027-28, with each project budgeted between $250,000 and $6,000,000. Projects must be national or cover at least four provinces and territories, run in both English and French, and finish by March 31, 2031. **What you get:** - Non-repayable contribution funding for one project with a total budget of $250,000 to $6,000,000 - Funding spread over up to four years, from 2027-28 to March 31, 2031 - Eligible costs include staff salaries and benefits, professional fees such as consultants, IT, translation and digital production, and incremental operating costs, with administrative costs capped at 15 percent of the contribution - Data collection and reporting costs can be built into the project budget **What you'll do:** - Design and deliver business support services for women entrepreneurs and majority women-owned businesses, such as training, mentorship, coaching, advisory services, networking and matchmaking - Reach a national audience, or at least four provinces and territories that are not clustered in one region, in both official languages - Priority areas are access to equity capital, women-focused accelerators and incubators, and access to procurement and supplier diversity - Report quarterly and annually to ISED, including audited financial statements and participant business data **Key dates:** - Call for proposals announced September 24, 2026 - Proposals close November 9, 2026 at 11:59 pm Pacific Time - Funding decisions expected Winter or Spring 2027 - Funding disbursed over four years starting in 2027-28 - Funded activities must finish by March 31, 2031 **More information:** - One-stage intake: there is no expression of interest. Each organisation submits one full application package, and only its most recent package is reviewed - The package is the fillable PDF application form, the PDF budget form, a proposal of up to 12 pages, two years of audited or review engagement financial statements, the incorporation document, and signed letters of support from any partners - The PDF forms must be downloaded and opened in Adobe Reader, not a web browser, and cannot be completed on a phone or tablet - Questions go to wes-sfe@ised-isde.gc.ca. No help is given in the last 24 hours before the deadline and no extensions are granted - Full rules are in the 2027 WES Ecosystem Fund application guide and FAQ on the ISED website

Innovation, Science and Economic Development CanadaGrant

Up to $6M WES Ecosystem Fund Grant

Nov 09, 2026 23:59:00 PT

Opportunity type

Grant

Funding

Fully Funded

Location

Canada

Deadline

Nov 09, 2026 23:59:00 PT

About this opportunity

What you get:

Non-repayable contribution funding for one project with a total budget of $250,000 to $6,000,000
Funding spread over up to four years, from 2027-28 to March 31, 2031
Eligible costs include staff salaries and benefits, professional fees such as consultants, IT, translation and digital production, and incremental operating costs, with administrative costs capped at 15 percent of the contribution
Data collection and reporting costs can be built into the project budget

What you'll do:

Design and deliver business support services for women entrepreneurs and majority women-owned businesses, such as training, mentorship, coaching, advisory services, networking and matchmaking
Reach a national audience, or at least four provinces and territories that are not clustered in one region, in both official languages
Priority areas are access to equity capital, women-focused accelerators and incubators, and access to procurement and supplier diversity
Report quarterly and annually to ISED, including audited financial statements and participant business data

Key dates:

Call for proposals announced September 24, 2026
Proposals close November 9, 2026 at 11:59 pm Pacific Time
Funding decisions expected Winter or Spring 2027
Funding disbursed over four years starting in 2027-28
Funded activities must finish by March 31, 2031

More information:

One-stage intake: there is no expression of interest. Each organisation submits one full application package, and only its most recent package is reviewed
The package is the fillable PDF application form, the PDF budget form, a proposal of up to 12 pages, two years of audited or review engagement financial statements, the incorporation document, and signed letters of support from any partners
The PDF forms must be downloaded and opened in Adobe Reader, not a web browser, and cannot be completed on a phone or tablet
Questions go to wes-sfe@ised-isde.gc.ca. No help is given in the last 24 hours before the deadline and no extensions are granted
Full rules are in the 2027 WES Ecosystem Fund application guide and FAQ on the ISED website

Who can apply

Lead applicant must be a not-for-profit organisation incorporated federally or provincially in Canada
Lead applicant must have been operating for at least three years; partner organisations for at least one year
Lead applicant must have a mandate focused on women or women entrepreneurs, or have run programming in the past three years designed specifically for women entrepreneurs. Programming that simply attracts many women does not count
Eligible types include not-for-profit social enterprises and co-operatives, consortia led by a not-for-profit, business and entrepreneur support organisations, research and innovation hubs, supplier diversity certifiers, post-secondary institutions and research institutes, Indigenous not-for-profits, and accelerators and incubators
Not eligible to lead: Crown organisations, Community Futures Development Corporations, Community Business Development Corporations, SADCs, CAEs, and for-profit organisations (these may join as partners)
Project budget between $250,000 and $6,000,000, focused on women entrepreneurs or businesses at least 51 percent owned by women
Project must be national or serve at least four provinces and territories that are not regionally clustered, and deliver services in English and French
Funds cannot be passed on as loans, grants, microloans or scholarships to entrepreneurs or other third parties
Partnerships are encouraged but not required; one lead organisation submits for the partnership

AI Verification

✓ AI Verified

Our AI read the official sources and cross-checked the key facts. Here is what held up, and what it could not confirm.

We could not fully verify this organization or all of its details. Check it independently on the official website before you apply, and never share sensitive personal or financial information until you are sure a request is genuine.

LOT Verification ScoreFair

Cross-checked 11 of 12 key facts

Confirmed Our best read Not stated

Good to know

+A Government of Canada programme with a published guide, FAQ and news release that agree on every date
+Free to apply
+Projects from $250,000 up to $6 million
+Organisations that received WES funding before can apply again

Worth checking yourself

!Organisation-only: individuals and for-profit businesses cannot apply, and the lead must be a not-for-profit operating at least three years
!Reimbursement model: the organisation spends first and claims eligible costs back
!Projects must be bilingual and national or multi-regional, which rules out most small local groups
!$6M is the maximum project budget, not a guaranteed award; the $80M is shared across all funded projects
!Funds cannot be regranted to entrepreneurs as loans, grants or scholarships
!No help in the final 24 hours and no extensions; technical problems near the deadline are not grounds for late submission

Sources checked

ISised-isde.canada.caApplyISised-isde.canada.caApplyISised-isde.canada.caApplyCAcanada.caOfficialISised-isde.canada.caApplyISised-isde.canada.caApplyISised-isde.canada.caApply

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