The Canadian Women’s Foundation will be accepting proposals for the third and last funding cycle of the Investment Readiness Program from Monday, September 14, 2020 to Friday, October 2, 2020 at 11:59pm PST. Apply now! The online application can be accessed here. In total, we will fund approximately 40 grants across the 3 cycles of this 2-year funding program with each grant funded up to a maximum of $50,000.

As one of the partners in the Investment Readiness Program announced by the Federal Government in June 2019, the Canadian Women’s Foundation will receive $3 million over two years to help social purpose organizations become investment ready to access the new Social Finance Fund, set to launch in 2020.

The Foundation believes that promoting entrepreneurship and innovation, as well as the growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises helps women develop greater economic prosperity. With more knowledge and experience in the use of social finance mechanisms and tools, the women’s sector will be better able to support these enterprises.

Through the Investment Readiness Program funding, the Foundation aims to boost women’s sector participation in social innovation and social finance. This is especially important for organizations that serve women who face multiple barriers and are underrepresented in this field.