Apply for the Tribe Start Small Grant powered by Emera
The challenges that racialized entrepreneurs face in accessing funding are well known. In fact, a significant finding from the 2021 report by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives revealed that businesses owned by visible minorities received only 8.2% of the available funding.
In recognition of these challenges, and thanks to the generous support of Emera, we’re able to offer grants ranging from $500 to $1000 to aspiring entrepreneurs like you.
Don’t miss your chance to move your idea or business forward. Apply now for the Tribe Start Small Grant Program!
Applications are due July 21, 2024.
Successful applicants will receive…
- One-time, non-repayable grant funding of $500-$1000.
- Access to mentorship sessions with Tribe mentors.
- Peer-to-peer mentorship and networking opportunities.
- Access to programming that includes webinars, workshops and networking events.
If you have any questions about the program, contact us at hi@tribenetwork.ca
What do I need to do?
Applications for the Tribe Start Small Grant Program are open until July 21, 2024. Our team will review your application and respond to you by August 5, 2024.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the Start Small Grant, applicants must:
- Be a member on Tribe Network’s platform (sign up here – it’s free!)
- Identify as a racialized individual (i.e., Black, Indigenous and People of Colour).
- Be part of a business that is at least 33% owned by a racialized founder
- Be part of a new or existing business or organization with under $5000 of total revenue to date.
- Be a resident of Atlantic Canada (i.e., Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI, or Newfoundland & Labrador)
- Complete the application form.
Assessment Criteria
Applications will be assessed based on the following criteria:
- The viability of your solutions and objectives
- The uniqueness of the product or service you’re offering
- Your experience and abilities related to the product or service
- Your knowledge of the proposed customer base and industry, obtained through thorough market research
- Your demonstrated understanding of the resources (financial, human, technological, etc) required for your project’s success, including honestly identifying gaps in your knowledge
- Your awareness of logistics, including planning, production, and distribution, for your proposed program, product, or service
- A detailed and realistic breakdown of how you plan to use the funds to develop your business or idea.
- The overall clarity of your application in terms of how well information is organized and presented.
Ready to take advantage of this opportunity? Submit your application for the Tribe Start Small Grant Program!
Frequently Asked Questions
Applications for the Tribe Start Small Grant Program are open until July 21, 2024. Our team will review your application and respond to you by August 5, 2024.
You can apply for Start Small Grants in different rounds. However, you may only apply once during each application period.
Yes, you can apply for the next round of the Tribe Start Small Grant with the same idea . However, Tribe Network will only review one submission per applicant during each application period. If your application was submitted with incorrect info or if you require changes to your application prior to the judging period, please contact hi@tribenetwork.ca
Yes, you can apply for another round of the Tribe Start Small Grant if you do not get the full funding. However, applicants may only apply once during each round/application period.
To improve your chances of getting the full amount, give a realistic, detailed and clear explanation of what you need the funds for and how this will impact your business or idea.
As long as your business is 33% owned by a racialized founder, your business is eligible for the Tribe Start Small Grant. A racialized representative must be the applicant and individual engaged in discussions involving the Tribe Start Small Fund.
Cash grants are difficult to come by in the entrepreneurship ecosystem. Through this barrier-free program, we want to create opportunities that will allow racialized people to access funding and get the support they need to start businesses and grow their ideas.
In 2021, Emera invested $375,000 from its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Fund to establish the Tribe IDEA Fellowship presented by Emera. The Fellowship provided participants with access to peer networks, mentors and industry experts, as well as financial support to pursue their community-based efforts.
In 2023, this program evolved into the Start Small Fund, meeting the needs of the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Atlantic Canada by providing cash grants to fuel ideas.
This program will allow for more racialized entrepreneurs and community leaders to register their businesses or community initiatives, and it will ensure that some relevant start-up costs for products and services are covered. This will have ripple effects that will impact the ecosystem positively by supporting recipients to take their business and community initiatives further.
If you have any questions or feedback on the program, we’d love to hear it! Please contact us at hi@tribenetwork.ca
