American Express Canada supports small-business resilience through grant and mentorship partnerships such as Backing Canadian Small Businesses, helping independent firms access capital and expert support. View American Express Canada's website for more information.
American Express Canada contributes to the small-business funding ecosystem by pairing corporate philanthropy with delivery partners that can reach independent entrepreneurs. Through Backing Canadian Small Businesses, funded by American Express Canada and administered with DMZ, eligible small businesses can receive direct grant capital and mentorship support to help them recover from economic pressure, invest in growth and strengthen their community impact. This kind of program fills an important gap between traditional loans, tax credits and local economic development services because it provides non-dilutive funding for owner-operated companies that may need a smaller but timely injection of capital. By attaching mentorship to the grant, the program also helps recipients turn funding into operational improvements, marketing, hiring, technology adoption or resilience projects rather than one-time relief only.