Open

Inclusive Women Venture Capital Initiative

Q: Who is eligible for the Inclusive Women Venture Capital Initiative program?

To be eligible for the Inclusive Women Venture Capital Initiative program, you must: The applicant must be a not-for-profit organization. The project must focus on increasing access to venture capital for Canadian women entrepreneurs.

Q: Where is the Inclusive Women Venture Capital Initiative available?

The Inclusive Women Venture Capital Initiative program is available across Canada.

Q: Is the Inclusive Women Venture Capital Initiative a grant, loan, or tax credit?

Inclusive Women Venture Capital Initiative is a Loans and Capital investments

Q: Who are the financial supporters of the Inclusive Women Venture Capital Initiative?

Inclusive Women Venture Capital Initiative is funded by Innovation Canada, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), Government of Canada

Last Update: March 4, 2026

Canada

Financial support to increase representation of women in the venture capital industry

Loans and Capital investments

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

Overview

Get financing to reach national audiences and create a more inclusive venture capital environment for women. Assist women entrepreneurs to understand options for financing by providing education and training to support equitable access to funding.

At a glance

Funding available

Financing goals

No objectives are currently available

Eligible Funding

No Condition

Timeline

Open continuously

Eligible candidates

Eligible Industries

All industries

Location

Canada

Legal structures

Non-profit
Public or Parapublic institution

Annual revenue

All revenue ranges

Organisation size

All organization sizes

Audience

Women

Non-profit candidates

Sector of operation

Economic, Social and Community Development
Diversity and Inclusion

Target groups

Women & girls
Business owners / entrepreneurs

Revenue structures

All structures

Scope

National

Activities funded

Projects must be delivered by not-for-profit organizations.
Projects should increase Canadian women entrepreneurs' access to venture capital funding.
Projects should contribute to increasing representation of women in the Canadian venture capital industry.
Projects should aim to reduce biases in the Canadian venture capital industry.

Examples of admissible projects:

$ 18,000

Develop a curriculum to educate women on venture capital fundraising strategies

$ 14,000

Establishing a research initiative to study gender biases in venture capital

$ 15,000

Creating a mentorship program to connect women entrepreneurs with experienced venture capitalists

$ 11,000

Organizing networking events to connect women entrepreneurs with venture capital firms

$ 18,000

Launching an online platform to provide educational resources on venture capital to women

$ 12,000

Offering specialized training workshops to equip women entrepreneurs with venture capital skills

Eligibility

Eligibility for this grant is determined by specific requirements related to the applicant's profile and proposed activities.

The applicant must be a not-for-profit organization.
The project must aim to increase Canadian women entrepreneurs' access to venture capital funding.
The initiative should contribute to increasing representation of women in the Canadian venture capital industry.
The project should reduce biases in the Canadian venture capital industry.

Who is eligible?

The eligibility for the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES) Inclusive Women Venture Capital Initiative is targeted towards not-for-profit organizations that focus on enhancing the venture capital environment for women entrepreneurs in Canada. The initiative aims to increase access to venture capital funding for Canadian women entrepreneurs, improve women's representation in the venture capital industry, and reduce biases within the industry. However, specific evaluation and selection criteria are not provided in the given context.

Eligible expenses

Eligible expenses for the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES) Inclusive Women Venture Capital Initiative grant may include but are not limited to:

Program development and delivery costs
Administrative expenses directly related to the project
Consultant fees for project-specific expertise
Training and capacity-building activities
Outreach and networking costs
Evaluation and reporting expenses

Selection criteria

The evaluation and selection criteria for the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES) Inclusive Women Venture Capital Initiative include the following:

Alignment with the program objectives and priorities of the WES Inclusive Women Venture Capital Initiative.
Demonstrated ability to increase access to venture capital funding for Canadian women entrepreneurs.
Potential to contribute to the representation of women in the Canadian venture capital industry.
Strategies to reduce biases in the Canadian venture capital industry.
Sustainability and scalability of the proposed project.

How to apply

Prepare your project proposal according to the grant guidelines and criteria.

Submit your application during the open call for proposals, which is currently closed.

Wait for the evaluation process to be completed by the grant administrators.

If successful, follow the instructions provided by the grant program for next steps.

Documents and links

Inclusive Women Venture Capital Initiative

Apply to this program

Frequently Asked Questions about the Inclusive Women Venture Capital Initiative Program

Here are answers to the most common questions about the Inclusive Women Venture Capital Initiative. This section explains what the program is, how much funding is available, eligibility requirements, application deadlines, and other important details to help you determine if this grant is right for your business.

What is the Inclusive Women Venture Capital Initiative?

Who is eligible for the Inclusive Women Venture Capital Initiative program?

What expenses are eligible under Inclusive Women Venture Capital Initiative?

There are eligible projects for the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES) Inclusive Women Venture Capital Initiative grant. Projects must be delivered by not-for-profit organizations to increase Canadian women entrepreneurs' access to venture capital funding, contribute to increasing representation of women in the Canadian venture capital industry, and reduce biases in the Canadian venture capital industry. Projects must be delivered by not-for-profit organizations. Projects should increase Canadian women entrepreneurs' access to venture capital funding. Projects should contribute to increasing representation of women in the Canadian venture capital industry. Projects should aim to reduce biases in the Canadian venture capital industry.