What is the Ecosystem Fund
The goal of the Ecosystem Fund is to strengthen the entrepreneurship ecosystem for Black entrepreneurs and business owners across Canada. It allows not-for-profit Black-led organizations to develop new services or expand those they already offer such as mentorship, networking, financial planning, and business training for Black entrepreneurs.
The Ecosystem Fund is a component of the Black Entrepreneurship Program, a partnership between the Government of Canada, Black-led business organizations, post-secondary or other accredited educational institutions, the Business Development Bank of Canada. and financial institutions.
The Ecosystem Fund is an investment of $100 million, and has so far approved $92 million in funding to 38 Black-led organizations across the country.
Note: The window for submitting applications is closed and the program is no longer accepting applications.
A list of successful organizations that have received funding to date is provided below by Province.
| Organization | Total Funding |
|---|---|
| AB | |
| African Canadian Civic Engagement Council | $2,333,356.00 |
| Bipoc Foundation | $2,600,000.00 |
| Black Business Ventures Association | $1,853,000.00 |
| Black Canadian Women in Action Society | $3,000,000.00 |
| Canadian Imperial Advantage | $2,800,000.00 |
| Council for Advancement of African Canadians in Alberta | $3,000,000.00 |
| BC | |
| Black Business Association of BC | $2,751,930.00 |
| Atlantic | |
| Black Business Initiative | $2,359,390.00 |
| The Tribe Network | $2,890,000.00 |
| ON | |
| Afro Caribbean Business Network Foundation | $1,315,298.00 |
| Africa Development Network Foundation | $832,000.00 |
| Aspire for Higher Elite Basketball | $977,070.00 |
| Black Business and Professional Association | $5,000,000.00 |
| Black Creek Community Health Centre | $2,999,431.00 |
| Canadian Black Chamber of Commerce | $5,000,000.00 |
| Caribbean Canadian Association of Waterloo Region | $2,999,687.00 |
| CaribbeanTales | $648,000.00 |
| Casa Foundation for International Development | $4,740,000.00 |
| Connecture Canada | $1,126,705.00 |
| Conseil Économique et Social d'Ottawa Carleton (CÉSOC) | $1,715,216.00 |
| Dream Legacy Foundation | $3,000,000.00 |
| Empowerment Squared | $1,922,500.00 |
| Festival Management Committee | $1,800,000.00 |
| Foodpreneur Lab | $2,999,657.00 |
| La Solidarité des femmes et familles interconnectées francophones du Niagara (SOFIFRAN) | $352,006.00 |
| Mouvement Ontarien des Femmes Immigrantes Francophones | $1,757,552.00 |
| Nigerian Canadians for Cultural, Educational and Economic Progress | $1,677,676.00 |
| Ògo Tàwa | $2,000,000.00 |
| Open HXOUSE Inc | $3,000,000.00 |
| OYA Black Arts Coalition | $3,000,000.00 |
| Reelworld Foundation | $1,425,000.00 |
| Northern Ontario | |
| The Afro-Heritage Association of Sudbury (AHA) | $1,150,000.00 |
| Southern Ontario | |
| Federation of Black Canadians | $1,355,000.00 |
| Quebec | |
| 0rijin Village | $2,348,190.00 |
| Audace au Féminin | $500,000.00 |
| Centre d'Encadrement Pour Jeunes Femmes Immigrantes (CEJFI) | $2,400,000.00 |
| Côte Des Neiges Black Community Association Inc. | $2,999,716.00 |
| DESTA Black Youth Network | $462,500.00 |
| Fondation Fabienne Colas | $3,000,000.00 |
| Fonds Afro-entrepreneurs | $2,995,600.00 |
| Groupe 3737 | $4,985,776.00 |
| Réseau des Entrepreneurs et Professionnels Africains (REPAF) | $2,618,966.00 |
| Sommet socioéconomique des jeunes des communautés noires | $2,300,000.00 |
Program Administration
The program is administered by the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs)
- Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA)
- Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED)
- Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor)
- Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario)
- Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario (FedNor)
- Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan)
- Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan)