Ecosystem Fund

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.

Recipients of the BEP Ecosystem Fund

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)