What is the Aboriginal Entrepreneurship Program?
The Aboriginal Entrepreneurship Program is a federal program administered by Indigenous Services Canada, available across Canada. Equity contributions and access to business opportunity funding for Indigenous entrepreneurs, delivered largely through Indigenous Financial Institutions.
Funding: Set per project, delivered through an IFI.
How federal program funding works
Federal programs are funded by the Government of Canada. Many Indigenous business programs are delivered through Indigenous Financial Institutions rather than directly by a department, so the application often starts with the institution that serves your region.
How to prepare an application
- 01Confirm the current intake window, eligibility and funding amounts directly with Indigenous Services Canada on the official program page. These change from year to year.
- 02Gather proof of Indigenous ownership, membership or citizenship if the program requires it. Verification can take time, so start early.
- 03Prepare a clear project description, a budget showing every source of funds, and recent financial statements or a forecast.
- 04Line up the rest of the financing. Many programs fund only part of a project and expect the balance from equity, a lender or another program.
- 05Submit before the deadline, keep copies of everything, and report on the project as the funding agreement requires.
Combining it with other capital
Non-repayable funding works best when it is sequenced before debt. Grants and contribution agreements reduce how much a business needs to borrow, which can make the loan that follows smaller and easier to approve. Read why we stack non-dilutive capital before debt, or see how our grants and non-dilutive capital service works.