Announcing New Funding for Atlantic Indigenous Social Enterprises

Ulnooweg Development Group and the Ulnooweg Indigenous Communities Foundation are pleased to announce that $40,000 in non-repayable funding is available to support Indigenous social enterprises in Atlantic Canada prior to the end of March 2020!

In partnership with the Community Foundations of Canada, which is a partner in the Investment Readiness Program (IRP), the funding is a first stage of the Government of Canada’s $755-million Social Finance Fund to support innovative solutions to social challenges.

Social Enterprise:
Social enterprises are mission driven, aiming to sell goods or services to earn a revenue, while also helping to achieve positive social, cultural or environmental objectives, like providing healthy food for vulnerable populations or education for their employees.

Social Purpose Organizations:
Social purpose organizations are any organization that seeks to advance a social, cultural or environmental mission. They can be charities and other qualified donees, non-profits, social enterprises, co-operatives, or for-profits with a social impact. Social purpose organizations across Canada are developing innovative approaches to serving their communities — and many of them could benefit from social finance to grow their impact.

Eligibility:
Eligible social purpose organizations can receive $10,000 to $40,000 in non-repayable funds to develop, design, measure and scale their social enterprises in order to get ready to accept investments.

Applying:
To apply and for more information, please visit the Community Foundations of Canada IRP webpage

Timing:
The application process opened on January 8, 2020, and all applications must be received by February 10, 2020. Successful applicants will be notified by the end of March and receive funds by May 2020. There will be up to two more funding rounds in 2020 until the program concludes on March 31, 2021.

Support:
The IRP can assist organizations at any stage, from refining an idea to scaling up and preparing for investments.

Richard Bridge of the Ulnooweg team is also available to provide more information and assistance. He can be reached at [email protected] or 902 693-2047.