WES Ecosystem Fund 2027: Up to $80 Million in Funding for Organizations Supporting Women Entrepreneurs in Canada

The Government of Canada has opened the application for the WES Ecosystem Fund 2027.  The 2027 Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES) Ecosystem Fund Call for Proposals, providing an opportunity for eligible Canadian not-for-profit organizations to access a share of up to $80 million in non-repayable contribution funding.

The funding initiative is designed to strengthen Canada’s entrepreneurship ecosystem and expand access to business support services for women entrepreneurs and majority women-owned businesses across the country.

Eligible organizations can submit proposals for projects that support women entrepreneurs through services such as business development, access to capital, accelerator and incubator programs, procurement opportunities, supplier diversity initiatives, and other forms of entrepreneurship support.

The 2027 WES Ecosystem Fund will provide funding over a four-year period beginning in 2027–28, with successful projects expected to be completed by March 31, 2031.

Organizations interested in applying must submit their proposals by November 9, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST).

What Is the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy Ecosystem Fund?

The Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES) is a Government of Canada initiative focused on advancing women’s economic empowerment and supporting women entrepreneurs.

Through the Strategy, the Government of Canada seeks to ensure that women entrepreneurs have access to the resources, networks, financing, knowledge, and business support they need to establish, operate, grow, and scale businesses.

A major component of this broader strategy is the WES Ecosystem Fund, which focuses on strengthening the organizations and programs that support women entrepreneurs.

Since its launch in 2018, the WES Ecosystem Fund has allocated $285 million to strengthen Canada’s entrepreneurship ecosystem and improve the capacity of organizations serving women entrepreneurs.

The latest call represents another major investment in this ecosystem, with up to $80 million in non-repayable contribution funding available to successful applicants.

Rather than providing funding directly to individual women entrepreneurs, this particular funding opportunity is intended for eligible organizations that develop and deliver programs, services, and initiatives supporting women entrepreneurs and majority women-owned businesses.

What Is the 2027 WES Ecosystem Fund Offering?

Under the 2027 call for proposals, successful applicants can receive non-repayable contribution funding to implement projects that strengthen the entrepreneurship ecosystem for women in Canada.

The funding will be distributed over four years, beginning in the 2027–28 fiscal year.

Projects supported through the fund are expected to provide meaningful business support to women entrepreneurs and/or businesses that are majority owned by women.

The initiative is particularly interested in projects that can operate at a national or multi-regional level and demonstrate the capacity to address significant gaps within Canada’s women’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Key funding details

• Total funding available: Up to $80 million
• Type of funding: Non-repayable contribution funding
• Funding period: Four years
• Funding begins: 2027–28
• Maximum project completion date: March 31, 2031
• Eligible project budget: $250,000 to $6 million
• Application languages: English or French
• Application deadline: November 9, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. PST

What Types of Projects Can Receive Funding?

The WES Ecosystem Fund is designed to support projects that provide practical business support to women entrepreneurs and/or majority women-owned businesses.

Projects should contribute to strengthening Canada’s broader entrepreneurship ecosystem rather than simply providing isolated services.

Eligible projects may address different challenges faced by women entrepreneurs, including access to financing, business growth, market opportunities, procurement, entrepreneurship education, and support networks.

The Government of Canada has identified several areas as priorities for this funding round.

1. Access to Equity Capital

One priority area is improving women’s access to equity capital.

Access to financing remains an important consideration for entrepreneurs seeking to launch, grow, or scale their businesses. Projects under this priority could help women entrepreneurs understand, access, or navigate equity financing opportunities.

Organizations proposing projects in this area may focus on creating stronger connections between women entrepreneurs and sources of investment capital or developing programs that improve entrepreneurs’ readiness to seek equity financing.

2. Women-Focused Business Accelerators and Incubators

Another priority is the development or strengthening of women-focused business accelerators and incubators.

Business accelerators and incubators can provide entrepreneurs with resources such as mentorship, training, networking opportunities, business development support, and connections to potential investors or markets.

Projects in this area could therefore help women entrepreneurs move from early-stage business ideas toward sustainable and scalable enterprises.

3. Procurement and Supplier Diversity Opportunities

The fund also prioritizes projects that help women entrepreneurs access procurement and supplier diversity opportunities.

Government agencies, corporations, and other large organizations often purchase products and services from external suppliers. However, smaller businesses can face barriers when attempting to enter these supply chains.

Projects may therefore support women-owned businesses in understanding procurement processes, becoming procurement-ready, accessing supplier networks, or identifying opportunities to sell products and services to larger organizations.

Projects Outside the Priority Areas May Also Be Considered

Applicants are not necessarily required to focus exclusively on one of the three priority areas.

Organizations may propose projects addressing other needs within the women’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.

However, applicants proposing projects outside the stated priority areas should be able to demonstrate that their proposed project responds to a genuine and clearly identified need.

This means applicants should be prepared to explain:

• What problem their project is addressing
• Why the problem is significant
• Who is affected by the problem
• Why existing programs or services are insufficient
• How the proposed project will address the identified need
• What outcomes the project is expected to achieve
• How the project will contribute to the broader women’s entrepreneurship ecosystem

A strong proposal should therefore go beyond simply describing an interesting project. It should establish a clear connection between the identified need, the proposed intervention, the target population, the expected outcomes, and the objectives of the WES Ecosystem Fund.

Priority Populations and Areas of Focus

The Government of Canada may give preference to projects that serve particular groups of women entrepreneurs or contribute to broader government objectives.

This includes projects serving:

• Diverse and intersectional populations of women entrepreneurs
• Underserved women entrepreneurs
• Women working in underrepresented sectors
• Women entrepreneurs operating in traditionally male-dominated industries
• Women seeking to diversify trade and exports
• Women entrepreneurs who face additional barriers within the entrepreneurship ecosystem

Projects that support other Government of Canada objectives may also receive preference.

This means organizations should consider the broader impact of their proposed project and clearly demonstrate how it responds to the needs of the women entrepreneurs it intends to serve.

Who Can Apply for the WES Ecosystem Fund?

The 2027 WES Ecosystem Fund is not an individual entrepreneurship grant.

The lead applicant must be an eligible Canadian incorporated not-for-profit organization.

Specifically, the organization must:

1. Be incorporated in Canada either federally or provincially.
2. Be a not-for-profit organization.
3. Have been operating for at least three years.
4. Have an established mandate focused on supporting women and/or women entrepreneurs, and/or
5. Have offered programming focused on women entrepreneurs within the past three years.

Organizations that have previously received funding through the WES program are eligible to apply.

Organizations that have never previously received WES funding are also eligible to apply, provided they satisfy the other requirements of the call for proposals.

This makes the opportunity relevant to both experienced organizations within Canada’s women’s entrepreneurship ecosystem and eligible organizations that are new to WES funding.

Project Eligibility Requirements

In addition to meeting the organizational eligibility requirements, proposed projects must satisfy specific requirements established under the 2027 call.

Eligible projects must:

• Provide business support services to women entrepreneurs and/or majority women-owned businesses.
• Be national in scope or serve at least four provinces and territories that are not regionally clustered.
• Have a project budget of between $250,000 and $6 million.
• Be completed by March 31, 2031.
• Deliver services and products in both of Canada’s official languages, in accordance with the Official Languages Act.

The geographic requirement is particularly important.

Organizations should not assume that serving multiple communities within one region automatically qualifies as a multi-regional project. The call specifies that a multi-regional project must serve a minimum of four provinces and territories that are not regionally clustered.

Applicants should therefore carefully review the application guide before developing their project scope and geographic strategy.

National and Multi-Regional Projects

The WES Ecosystem Fund is intended to support projects capable of making a significant contribution to Canada’s women’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Eligible projects should either have:

National reach

A national project is designed to provide services across Canada and address women’s entrepreneurship needs on a broad scale.

Or:

Multi-regional reach

A project may qualify as multi-regional if it serves at least four provinces and territories that are not regionally clustered.

This requirement means organizations should carefully consider the geographic reach of their proposed activities when developing their applications.

Funding Amount Available Per Project

The WES Ecosystem Fund provides substantial funding compared with many smaller entrepreneurship support programs.

Eligible projects must have a budget of at least:

$250,000

The maximum project budget is:

$6 million

Across all successful applications, the Government of Canada expects to make up to $80 million available in non-repayable contribution funding.

Because applications will be assessed competitively, meeting the basic eligibility requirements does not automatically guarantee funding.

Applicants will need to demonstrate the relevance, quality, feasibility, and expected impact of their proposed projects according to the assessment criteria outlined in the official application guide.

How Applications Will Be Assessed

Applications under the 2027 WES Ecosystem Fund will be assessed on a competitive basis.

This means eligible organizations will be compared based on the requirements and assessment criteria established by the program.

Applicants should therefore pay close attention to the official application guide when preparing their proposals.

The guide provides information about:

• Program eligibility
• Project parameters
• Application requirements
• Assessment criteria
• Required documentation
• Instructions for completing the application forms
• Submission requirements

Organizations should ensure that their applications address all required sections and provide the information requested by the program.

Incomplete applications may not proceed to the next stage of the selection process.

How to Apply for the WES Ecosystem Fund

Organizations interested in applying must prepare and submit an application package.

The application package includes:

• A completed application form
• A completed project budget form
• Other required information and documentation specified in the application guide

Applicants should carefully read the official 2027 Women Entrepreneurship Strategy Ecosystem Fund – Call for Proposals Application Guide before completing their forms.

The application guide contains detailed instructions on eligibility, project requirements, assessment criteria, and how applicants should complete and submit their application.

Application Forms

Applicants are required to complete the relevant application forms as part of their submission.

The two key forms include:

WES Ecosystem Fund Application Form

The application form provides the information required to assess the proposed organization and project.

Applicants should ensure that all sections are completed accurately and that the information provided clearly demonstrates how their project aligns with the objectives and requirements of the fund.

WES Project Budget Form

Applicants must also provide a detailed project budget.

The budget should reflect the proposed activities and demonstrate how the requested funding will be used to implement the project.

Organizations should ensure that the figures in their budget are consistent with the information presented elsewhere in their application.

Language Requirements

Applications can be submitted in either of Canada’s two official languages:

• English
• French

However, eligible projects must deliver services and products in both official languages, in accordance with Canada’s Official Languages Act.

Organizations should therefore consider bilingual service delivery when developing their project plans and budgets.

Important Deadline for Applicants

The deadline to submit an application for the 2027 WES Ecosystem Fund is:

November 9, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. PST

Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered.

Applicants should not wait until the final day to submit their applications. Preparing a large funding proposal can require significant time, particularly where organizations need to develop project budgets, collect supporting documentation, establish partnerships, and review the application against the assessment criteria.

Organizations should allow sufficient time to complete and review their application before submission.

What Applicants Should Consider Before Applying

Organizations considering an application should carefully evaluate whether their project genuinely fits the requirements of the fund.

Before beginning the application, applicants should consider questions such as:

1. Does our organization meet the incorporation and operating requirements?
2. Does our organization have a clear connection to supporting women or women entrepreneurs?
3. Does our proposed project directly support women entrepreneurs or majority women-owned businesses?
4. Can the project operate at a national or eligible multi-regional level?
5. Does our project meet the $250,000 to $6 million budget requirement?
6. Can we provide services in both English and French?
7. Can the project be completed by March 31, 2031?
8. Does our project address one of the identified priority areas?
9. If it does not address a priority area, can we clearly demonstrate the need for the proposed project?
10. Does our application provide enough evidence to demonstrate the project’s potential impact?

Carefully answering these questions before submitting an application can help organizations determine whether their proposal aligns with the program requirements.

Where to Get More Information

Applicants should consult the official 2027 WES Ecosystem Fund Application Guide for complete information about eligibility, project requirements, assessment criteria, application procedures, and submission requirements.

Organizations can also consult the official Frequently Asked Questions page for additional guidance.

For questions about the application process CLICK HERE

Conclusion

The 2027 Women Entrepreneurship Strategy Ecosystem Fund provides a significant funding opportunity for eligible Canadian not-for-profit organizations working to strengthen the women’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.

With up to $80 million in non-repayable contribution funding available, successful organizations can receive between $250,000 and $6 million for projects designed to provide business support to women entrepreneurs and majority women-owned businesses.

The fund places particular emphasis on improving access to equity capital, supporting women-focused accelerators and incubators, and creating greater access to procurement and supplier diversity opportunities. Projects supporting underserved and diverse groups of women entrepreneurs, women in traditionally male-dominated sectors, and initiatives related to trade and exports may also receive preference.

Organizations interested in applying should carefully review the official application guide, ensure that their proposed project meets the geographic, financial, language, and organizational requirements, and prepare all required documents well ahead of the deadline.

The application deadline is November 9, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. PST, and late applications will not be considered.

APPLY HERE

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