More and more, society is realizing the power of social enterprise to create opportunities to be in business while creating stronger communities, and people are on board with it!
However, like all entrepreneurs, social entrepreneurs can use various kinds of support as they dive into the world of social enterprise: funding, training and advice, legal help, and space in which to conduct their business activities.
We’ve attempted in this blog post to put together some resources for Canadian social entrepreneurs who are just starting out, to get them started on their journey to starting a social enterprise. We hope you’ll find it useful!
General Resources
Canadian Social Enterprise Foundation –> Links, interviews, resources, funding information
Canadian Social Enterprise Guide –> A detailed guide to starting a social enterprise in Canada, put together by the Social Enterprise Council of Canada.
Canadian Social Enterprise Youth Guide –> A guide especially for the young people!
Centre for Social Innovation –> General guide. Memberships has perks like access to coworking space.
Start, Build, and Grow a Social Enterprise –> A comprehensive guide from the Government of Canada
Accelerators/Incubators
Accelerators from Anywhere –> A variety of online accelerator programs for social enterprises addressing climate change issues.
Dela Programme –> Ashoka and Ikea co-created this global accelerator to support leading social entrepreneurs to develop their impact and scaling strategies.
Libro Social Enterprise Incubator – Offered by Pillar Non-Profit Network in conjunction with several partners to those starting a new social enterprise, embedding a social enterprise into an existing organization, or creating a viable business model for a non-profit.
Purpll –> A social enterprise accelerator that works with leaders to build capability and capacity to implement sustainable business models and sustainable impact models.
School for Social Entrepreneurs –> Toronto incubator that focuses on capacity building for individuals, so they can launch enterprises that benefit the community.
Funding
Canada Summer Jobs –> A great way to get a government subsidy on the wage for a summer student.
Innoweave –> Innoweave puts out a call for funding request 3 times a year for businesses that would like money to purchase coaching and mentoring support, social enterprises included.
SheEo –> Provides zero-interest loans to social ventures and non-profits that are aligned with the U.N.’s Sustainability Goals and majority-led by women or non-binary individuals.
Toronto Enterprise Fund –> TEF provides seed funding to new social enterprises, and operating grants to existing ones, as well as extensive business development supports to help enterprises start, grow and thrive.
Trico Charitable Foundation –> TCF delivers monetary awards to Canadian social enterprises to help advance their work in using business models to solve social problems.
Networks
Alberta Social Innovation Connect (ABSI) –> A collective of Alberta-based organizations and individuals who want to address the root causes of today’s most pressing issues and believes this requires working and learning together.
Canadian Community Economic Development Network (CCEDN) –> A network of Canadians acting locally to create economic opportunities that improve social conditions, particularly for those who are most disadvantaged.
Rural Social Enterprise Constellation (RSEC) –> Connects, supports and grows social enterprise (SE) in rural Ontario.
Tribe Network –> A hub for Canadian Black, Indigenous and People of Colour pursuing Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
Women of Ontario Social Enterprise Network (WOSEN) –> Offered by Pillar Non-Profit Network in conjunction with several partners to broaden and diversify the entrepreneurial ecosystem by supporting women-identified and gender non-binary individuals from underrepresented and underserved communities in starting or growing their social enterprise.
Do you know about a resource that’s not listed?
Contact Sarah at info@communityinnovationhub to get it included!
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