SOWEI PROGRAM
OBJECTIVE
To help develop and support entrepreneurial skills among francophone/bilingual women in Southern Ontario through strategic alliances, coaching, training, mentoring and microloans.
STRATEGIC ALLIANCES
Thanks to our strategic partnership alliances, we will strengthen your entrepreneurial skills by sharing your best practices via networking, coaching, training, mentoring and the B2B partnership across Southern Ontario.
COACHING
A maximum of 10 hours of coaching may be available for eligible francophone or bilingual businesses. Our professional coaches can help you acquire the knowledge and know-how to build a successful business by providing you with essential tools.
Coaching resources may be focused on but not limited to:
- Financial management for francophone or bilingual women in business
- Human resources for francophone or bilingual women in business
- Leading change in small francophone or bilingual business
- Sales and marketing for francophone or bilingual women in business
- Strategic planning for francophone or bilingual women in business
Eligible applicants
Eligible applicants must be:
- francophone or bilingual women over 18 years of age;
- a for-profit organization, this may include but not limited to:
- An individual operating a francophone or bilingual small or medium-sized business
- Business partnerships (2 entrepreneurs +) francophone or bilingual
- Incorporated companies, corporations, and
- An Indigenous organization
- Must have an active francophone offer (must offer products and services in French at all times)
- francophone or bilingual women-owned and/or francophone or bilingual women-led business;
- a small to medium francophone or bilingual SME – up to 499 employees;
located within the boundaries of Southern Ontario as defined by the Government of Canada; - registered or incorporated;
operational for at least 1 year; - able to provide financial statements (in house) and a financial report (in house) if applicable.
Non-eligible applicants:
- Not-for-profit organizations;
- Government or municipal entities.
The PRCDC recognizes that many underrepresented groups face unique economic challenges. Understanding that the participation of underrepresented groups is an integral part of building strong and inclusive communities and this helps the PRCDC to deliver inclusive programs in order to support all groups. Priority may be given to applicants that can demonstrate how they support inclusive growth of the following groups:
Divers’ women entrepreneurs, such as women with disabilities, Indigenous women, black women, women in rural regions, recent immigrants, visible minority women, women from Offical Language Minority Communities;
Women entrepreneurs with projects seeking to pursue market opportunities abroad (commercialization).
