Open
CED — Black Entrepreneurship Program
Last Update: March 4, 2026
Quebec, Canada
Supports Black-led NPOs delivering business support services
Grant and Funding
Overview
Provides up to $3,000,000 over four years (up to $750,000/year) to support Black-led, not-for-profit organizations in Quebec. Funding supports activities such as incubation/acceleration, mentorship, networking, training, outreach, and capacity building to strengthen the Black entrepreneurship ecosystem.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Increasing community impact
- Strengthening governance
- Develop strategic partnerships
Eligible Funding
- Minimum amount : 100,000 $
- Up to 90% of project cost
Timeline
- Open continuously
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Quebec
Legal structures
- Non-profit
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- Language Minorities
- Black Canadians
- Canadians
- Women
Non-profit candidates
Sector of operation
- All industries
Target groups
- All the groups
Revenue structures
- All structures
Scope
- All dimensions
Activities funded
- Incubation and acceleration programs for Black-led businesses
- Business consulting and support services
- Strategy development (studies, assessments, action plans)
- Networking activities and business contacts
- Mentoring and managerial capacity development initiatives
Documents Needed
- Completed application form (submitted by the signing authority/authorized person)
- Financial statements for the previous two years
- Annual reports for the previous two years
- Project proposal (max 10 pages, excluding appendices)
- CVs (1 page each) for management team members and, if applicable, five mentors
Eligibility
- Be a not-for-profit organization operating in Quebec and registered in the Registre des entreprises du Québec (REQ).
- Be Black-led, with at least two-thirds of leadership positions held by individuals who identify as Black.
- Have a governance structure largely composed of individuals who identify as Black (minimum two-thirds).
- Have a mandate and activities focused on supporting members of Black communities.
- Have at least one year of experience providing business support services and the in-house capacity to deliver them.
Who is eligible?
- Black-led not-for-profit organizations providing business support services
Who is not eligible
- For-profit businesses
- Organizations not registered in the Registre des entreprises du Québec (REQ)
- Organizations not operating in Quebec
- Organizations that are not Black-led (less than two-thirds Black leadership/governance)
Eligible expenses
- Wages associated with eligible activities
- Consulting fees
- Travel expenses
- Other project delivery costs directly related to eligible activities
- Overhead costs (e.g., rent, telecom, utilities, insurance) up to 15% of total project costs
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- Establishment of a fund to finance business projects
- Debt refinancing
- Amortization costs
- Purchase of assets above fair market value
- Non-essential costs not directly related to the project
Eligible geographic areas
- Quebec
Selection criteria
- Contribution to the BEP Ecosystem Fund objective and expected results / anticipated economic impacts for businesses
- Organizational capacity and performance
- Complementarity and collaboration with the entrepreneurial ecosystem
- Reasonableness of the costs and relevance of the financing package
How to apply
1
Confirm organizational eligibility
- Confirm the organization operates in Quebec and is registered in the Registre des entreprises du Québec (REQ)
- Confirm Black leadership and governance represent at least two-thirds
- Confirm the mandate focuses on supporting Black communities and the organization has at least one year of business support experience
2
Design the eligible project
- Define project activities that promote the creation and development of Black-led businesses in Quebec
- Ensure proposed activities align with eligible activities (e.g., incubation/acceleration, mentoring, networking, consulting, strategy development)
- Plan for reach and accessibility across Black communities and, if applicable, multiple regions of Quebec
3
Prepare budget and financing
- Build a project budget with only eligible costs that are reasonable, essential, and directly tied to activities
- Keep overhead costs (rent, telecom, utilities, insurance, etc.) at or below 15% of total project costs
- Prepare a financing package and ensure total government stacking does not exceed 100%
4
Collect required financial documents
- Gather the organization’s financial statements and annual reports for the previous two years
- Ensure files do not require a password to be opened
5
Write the project proposal
- Draft a Word proposal of 10 pages maximum (excluding appendices) addressing the call’s evaluation criteria
- Include required sections such as context, organization overview, unique positioning, current services (including whether bilingual), and project description with timeline and costs
- Add required supporting information (e.g., partnerships, geographic coverage, examples and list of supported businesses, expected benefits and performance indicators, detailed financing package, forecasts)
- Attach one-page CVs for the management team and, if applicable, five mentors
6
Complete the application form
- Complete the application form
- Have the form submitted by the authorized person (signing authority)
7
Submit the complete application
- Email the requested documents to the email address indicated in the application form
- Ensure the application file is complete, as incomplete or late applications will not be considered
8
Respond during evaluation
- Be prepared to provide additional information if requested during the evaluation process
- Await funding decision, noting the process is competitive and funding depends on budget availability
Processing and Agreement
- Applications are reviewed through a competitive evaluation process.
- Applications must include all required information to be considered (incomplete or late files are not considered).
- CED may request additional information from applicants at any time during the evaluation.
- CED may approve an amount different from the amount requested.
- If approved, eligible costs can start from April 1, 2026 (costs incurred before this date are not eligible).
Additional information
- This call for projects is competitive; meeting requirements does not guarantee funding due to budget availability and proposal volume.
- Incomplete or late applications will not be considered; applicants may be asked to provide additional information during the evaluation.
- As Phase 2, applicants are expected to demonstrate unique positioning, expertise, and added value within Quebec’s Black entrepreneurship support ecosystem.
- Ability to deliver services in both official languages is considered an asset.
