Black Entrepreneurship Program (BEP) Ecosystem Fund applicant guide

Table of contents

• Purpose of this guide
• Black Entrepreneurship Program (BEP) Ecosystem Fund Objectives
• Preparation
• Elements of a strong application
• Access to Information Act and Privacy Act Statement
• Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
• How to complete the application
  • Organization information
  • Project information
  • Funding
  • Benefits
  • Project timelines
  • Market
  • Management
  • Documents
  • Diversity and inclusion
  • Signing authority
  • Attestation – submit application
• After you apply
• Assessment process
• If your application is approved
• Funding disbursement
• Environmental assessment compliance
• Reporting requirements
• Glossary

 

Purpose of this guide

The purpose of this Applicant Guide is to provide information to assist you with the completion of your full application for funding under the Black Entrepreneurship Program (BEP) Ecosystem Fund.

Black Entrepreneurship Program (BEP) Ecosystem Fund Objectives

To strengthen the Black entrepreneurship ecosystem by enabling Black-led not-for-profit organizations to provide incubator/accelerator programming, mentorship, financial planning, and business development and advisory services and training to Black entrepreneurs and business owners to help them grow their businesses and succeed.

Preparation

• Before beginning your application, carefully review the guidelines on the website for this initiative, to ensure your organization is eligible to apply for funding and your proposed activities meet the objective and criteria of the initiative.
• Review this help guide carefully as it contains details on how to answer specific fields exclusively for this initiative.
• This application will be used to determine whether your project will be funded by PrairiesCan under Black Entrepreneurship Program (BEP) Ecosystem Fund.
• Applicants will normally be limited to one (1) successful application for this program.
• Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are mandatory, and you will be unable to submit your application if such fields are left incomplete.
  • Incomplete applications cannot be assessed and may be deemed ineligible.
• PrairiesCan will not assess saved applications that have not been submitted.
• Signing and submitting the application form does not constitute a commitment from PrairiesCan for financial assistance.
• Contact PrairiesCan should you have any questions or wish to discuss your proposed project or other relevant government programs that may be applicable to your project.
• For program specific guidelines, please see: 
  • Black Entrepreneurship Program (BEP) Ecosystem Fund

Elements of a strong application

A strong application is complete, clearly shows you’re eligible, and includes enough detail for PrairiesCan to thoroughly review and confirm the information. A strong application will also demonstrate relative strengths in the following areas:

• clear alignment with the Black Entrepreneurship Program (BEP) Ecosystem Fund objectives
• measurable economic benefits for the Prairie provinces and how they would be achieved
• the applicant’s long-term financial viability and opportunity for the project to support its financial sustainability
• project viability
• clear, reasonable, and incremental project budget that aligns with the project description and demonstrates value for money
• strong leveraging of funds (>10%) from other sources
• the project team’s management skills and expertise to carry out the project
• the applicant’s experience providing entrepreneurship and business support to the Black entrepreneurial ecosystem
• a thorough and practical project plan (e.g., clear timelines and milestones, how the activities would be carried out and by whom)
• strong plans to collaborate with others to broaden its reach and complement/enhance the impact within the Black entrepreneurship ecosystem (i.e. Federation of African Canadian Economics, Black Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub)
• clearly identified need(s) in the Black entrepreneurship ecosystem and how the project will meet the identified need(s)

If relevant, a strong application will also demonstrate:

• alignment with other Government of Canada, PrairiesCan and/or provincial government priorities
• community and/or partner support (e.g. support letters)
• ability to provide support to Official Language Minority Communities (OLMCs)

Access to Information Act and Privacy Act Statement

Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) is a government institution subject to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act. Applicants should be aware that information provided during the application process and throughout program participation is under the care and control of PrairiesCan and may be subject to Access to Information Act or Privacy Act requests. Please review the application attestation form and contribution agreement for statements regarding how PrairiesCan manages collection, use and disclosure of information.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Please refer to our website for more information on the Black Entrepreneurship Program (BEP) Ecosystem Fund and other PrairiesCan programs.

How to complete the application

Tips

• Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are mandatory and you will be unable to submit your application if these fields are incomplete.
• Character count includes spaces.
• Remember to click save after each section.
• A glossary of terms used in the guide/application can be found at the end of this document.

Organization information

Legal name of applicant organization: *

The legal name as shown on the certificate of incorporation or registration.

Operating name (if different than legal name):

Provide the name you are operating under if different from the full legal name.

Mailing address (Including suite, unit, apt #): *

The mailing address of your organization.

Mailing address line 2:

Additional mailing address information.

City: *

The city in which your organization resides.

Province/Territory: 

The province in which your organization resides.

Country: *

The country in which your organization resides.

Mailing postal code: *

The mailing postal code of your organization.

Telephone country code: *

The telephone country code of your organization.

Telephone: *

The telephone number of your organization.

Facsimile country code:

The facsimile country code of your organization.

Facsimile:

The facsimile number of your organization.

Website:

Your applicant organization’s website address (if available).

Email address:

Include the general email address of your organization.

Are you an Indigenous (First Nation, Métis and Inuit) organization or government? *

Select yes or no.

Corporate Status: *

Indicate if your organization is a for-profit or not-for-profit.

Organization Type (select best fit): *

Select from the drop down menu that most accurately reflects your organization type.

I have a CRA Business Number:*

Select yes or no.

Provide your CRA Business number or GST number (first 9 digits only):

The unique business number or GST number assigned to your organization by the CRA. A business number or GST number must be obtained through the CRA. For information on obtaining a business number visit the website of the CRA.

Jurisdiction of Incorporation: *

Select from the drop down menu your organization’s jurisdiction of incorporation.

Incorporation number:

As shown on your certification of incorporation.

In the province of:

Indicate in which province your organization was incorporated.

Date of incorporation:

Indicate the date your organization was incorporated.

Alternative number and Alternative number type:

Please enter if you do not have a CRA Business Number or Incorporation Number, so your organization can be identified (e.g.  band number, education number).

Number of employees working for your organization (full time equivalents): *

Indicate the number of full-time equivalent employees (FTEs) working for your organization (and any affiliated companies if applicable). Part-time employees should be calculated based on their equivalent to an FTE (i.e. one part time employee working approx. 20hrs/week should be represented as 0.5 FTE).

Provide a brief summary of your organization (Maximum of 500 characters). *

Provide an overview of your organization. Include: 

• the date it was established in Canada
• mission/mandate, key priorities, reach/membership, governance
• a description of your management team and project team, and the management structure
• how it meets the eligibility criteria

Eligible not-for-profit organizations

Eligible applicants under the Black Entrepreneurship Program (BEP) Ecosystem Fund must meet all the following criteria to be eligible for the program:

• be a Black-led*, not-for-profit organization** located in Alberta, Saskatchewan, or Manitoba
• be an incorporated organization (federally or provincially) operating with a mandate, activities, and outcomes that focus on supporting members of Black communities in Canada
• have the ability to deliver business support/advisory services and reach the Black entrepreneurship community
• be able to enter into legally binding agreements

* Black-led organizations, for the purpose of this program, are defined as having both:

• a minimum two-thirds of leadership positions (directors, founders, etc.) in the organization primarily occupied by people who self-identify as Black
• a governance structure (Board of Directors, volunteer committees, advisory boards, eldership circles, etc.) primarily composed of people who self-identify as Black (minimum two-thirds) 

** Eligible not-for-profit organizations include:

• incubators and accelerators
• innovation hubs
• business and entrepreneur support organizations
• organizations that support social enterprises or cooperatives

Organizations can apply on their own or with partners. If applying with partners or as a consortium, the application must include signed letters of support from each partner. These letters should describe the partner’s role, contributions, and relevant experience. Partner organizations may be Black-led or non-Black-led.

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Project primary and secondary contacts

If you have an existing portal account, the project contact may be selected and sub-sections will be pre-filled.

Primary Contact *

This person will be contacted for any follow-up on this application. Enter primary contact person information in sub-sections below (primary contact name, title, email address, and phone number).

Project Secondary Contact

This person will be contacted if the primary contact is unavailable. Enter secondary contact person information in sub-sections below (secondary contact name, title, email address, and phone number).

Project information

Project title (maximum of 90 characters): *

Provide a project title beginning with "BEP-" that accurately reflects the activities and results of the project. The project title:

• must start with the acronym "BEP-" to be identified as an application to the Black Entrepreneurship Program (BEP) Ecosystem Fund
  • For example, BEP-Establish a business accelerator for Black entrepreneurs in the Prairie provinces
• can be a maximum of 90 characters including spaces
• will be disclosed on the Open Government Portal website as part of its proactive disclosure guidelines if your project is approved

Project address is the same as mailing address? *

Select yes or no.

Select "Yes" if the address at which the project will be undertaken is the same as the organization’s mailing address. If checked, the mailing address will be automatically entered.

Project address / location (Including suite, unit, apt #): *

If the project address is different from the mailing address, enter the location at which the project will take place.

Project address line 2:

If you would like to provide additional project address information, please fill out this section.

Project city, province/territory, and postal code. *

The project location address.

Briefly describe your project activities in plain language. This is an important section as it will be used in summary documents to describe your project at various review stages (maximum of 1,000 characters including spaces).*

Briefly describe your project in plain language. This is important as this section will be used in summary documents to describe your project at various review stages.

The description should:

• provide a high-level overview of the project and its objective
• outline the main elements of the proposed project, including how your project addresses market demand and what the funds will be spent on
• explain how the project aligns with one or more of the eligible program activities

A suggested opening sentence could be: ABC Organization will establish a bilingual Black Business Program to foster entrepreneurship across the Prairies by … etc.

You will have an opportunity to provide Full Project Description in the Timelines section.

Eligible activities

An eligible project must address a need(s) and/or build capacity in the entrepreneurship ecosystem for Black Canadians in the Prairie provinces, aligning with one of the following program activities:

• Business incubators and accelerators
  • providing business guidance (e.g., business planning, marketing, hiring) and operational support (e.g., access to office space, specialized equipment to aid product development and market growth).
• Networking, matchmaking, and mentorship
  • Facilitating connections among entrepreneurs, investors, experts, and stakeholders to share knowledge, build relationships, and foster collaboration.
  • Strategically pairing entrepreneurs with resources, partners, or opportunities that meet specific business needs—such as funding, talent, or technology.
  • Providing entrepreneurs with guidance and support from experienced individuals to help navigate challenges, build capacity, and accelerate growth.
• Capacity building
  • Includes financial planning, business development, advisory services, training, and other activity that supports the participation of the Black community in entrepreneurship and the objectives of the BEP Ecosystem Fund

Eligible projects must provide incremental value (e.g., expand/improve the applicant’s existing service offerings).

Briefly describe the economic benefits associated with this project. (1,000 characters including spaces) *

Provide an explanation on what economic outcomes (such as job creation, businesses served, etc.) your project will achieve. Identify and detail all assumptions to support the reasonableness of your economic outcomes. All projects will be screen for significance of outcomes and the likelihood of achieving them.

Describe the economic benefits associated with your project and provide numerical values measured year over year from the project start date typically to 1 year following the project completion date. Anticipated outcomes include:

• number of highly qualified personnel (HQP), including science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), jobs created in Canada
• number of non-HQP jobs created in Canada
• number of businesses created, maintained, or expanded
• number of businesses served
• number of participants trained

Where applicable, explain whether your project would generate:

• revenue growth ($)
• export sales growth ($)

If your project supports the Government of Canada’s commitment to inclusive growth (under-represented groups) you may include this in your explanation. Note: recipients will be encouraged to track inclusiveness indicators.

You will be provided another opportunity to explain in the Benefits section. Refer to the expected result for more details.

Which RDA priority does this project best support? *

Applicants must select the "Other" priority as the BEP Ecosystem Fund does not align with the standard PrairiesCan program priorities. 

To select the "Other" priority, click on the magnifying glass icon and the "Lookup records" window will appear where you can then select a priority from. For example:

 

Explain how this project supports the indicated priority. (Maximum of 2,000 characters) *

The objective of the BEP Ecosystem Fund is to strengthen the entrepreneurship ecosystem by enabling Black-led not-for-profit organizations to provide incubator/accelerator programming, mentorship, financial planning, and business development and advisory services and training to Black entrepreneurs and business owners to help them grow their businesses and succeed. 

Explain in detail how your project’s objective, activities, and outcomes align with the BEP Ecosystem Fund objective as well as other PrairiesCan key priorities where applicable.

Project timelines

Proposed start date: *

This is the proposed date the agreement between the Recipient and PrairiesCan could come into effect.

• The start date must be on or after April 1, 2025.
• Costs may be eligible on a retroactive basis for a 12-month period prior to receipt of a signed funding request, but no earlier than April 1, 2025.
• If the application is approved, eligible project costs incurred on or after the project start date may be reimbursed with proper documentation.
  • Any costs incurred prior to the project start date are not eligible for reimbursement under the terms of the agreement and are outside of the scope of the project.

Proposed end date: *

This is the anticipated date the project activity will cease.

• Project end date must be on or before the program end date of March 31, 2030.
  • Any costs incurred after this date are not eligible for reimbursement under the BEP Ecosystem Fund.

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Funding

Project costs *

BEP Ecosystem Fund non-repayable contributions to eligible not-for-profit organizations normally range between $250,000 to a maximum of $3,000,000 per project over a maximum of 5 years.

Description

List the various cost items you anticipate incurring in the implementation of the project. Each cost item should have its own line (see instructions below).

Recipients must ensure all project cost items are clearly verifiable.

Project costs incurred by the applicant in the absence of a signed contribution agreement with PrairiesCan are incurred at the sole risk of the applicant.

Eligible costs

Eligible costs under the program are incremental, reasonable, and essential to carrying out the eligible project activities. Eligible costs that may be eligible for reimbursement include:

• cost of labour (e.g., wages and benefits) and material used
• operating costs that are incremental and directly related to the project (e.g., management fees, working capital, translation costs)
• consultancy fees (e.g. professional, advisory and technical services)
• advisory expenses (e.g., planning, business information, counselling advisory services; coaching, mentoring or networking events; workshops or conference fees; fees associated with participation in business training through a business service organization)
• costs related to expanding or maintaining markets
• subcontracting costs
• production and distribution of promotional materials and management tools
• anticipated cost of maintaining the useful life of an asset for a reasonable period (e.g., photocopier maintenance)
• production of management tools
• costs related to specialized services such as testing services, research and development services, technical or innovation services, sector development strategies in all markets and business networking

Costs may be eligible on a retroactive basis for a 12-month period prior to the receipt of a funding request, but no earlier than April 1, 2025.

Ineligible costs

Costs that deemed unreasonable, not incremental, and/or not directly related to project activities will be ineligible for reimbursement. These include, but are not limited to:

• refinancing of existing debts or amortization or depreciation of assets
• infrastructure improvements such as construction, expansion, or modification of buildings
• the purchase of any asset for more than the fair market value of the said asset
• land acquisition and goodwill
• entertainment/hospitality expenses
• donations, dues, and membership fees

PrairiesCan reserves the right to make the final determination on the value of contributions, the inclusion of any in-kind contributions, and to exclude expenditures deemed to be ineligible or outside the scope of the project.

Costs incurred prior to the Proposed Project Funding Start Date will not be eligible.

Project costs incurred by the applicant in the absence of a signed funding agreement with PrairiesCan are incurred at the sole risk of the applicant.

Type

Indicate if the cost is capital (e.g. purchase of equipment and associated costs such as installation) or non-capital (e.g. salaries, professional fees).

Amount

The anticipated amount of the cost item.

Total project costs

Automatically sums the cost items listed above. Note: This total must equal the total expenditures from the Cash Flows section below.

To add a project cost item, click on the Add New Cost Item button and the following window will appear for you to provide the information. Click the Submit button once complete. You will still have the ability to edit the project cost item after hitting this Submit button.

Cash flows *

Financial assistance information

• Minimum funding request of $250,000 and maximum of $3,000,000 per project
• PrairiesCan contributions for eligible not-for-profit organizations will normally be non-repayable
• PrairiesCan will take into consideration all other sources of funding available to the applicant and may give preference to projects that demonstrate greater leverage of funding from non-PrairiesCan sources
• Recipients will not normally receive funding for more than one project.

Fiscal year (ending March 31)

Select appropriate fiscal year for cashflows.

Total fiscal expenditures

Anticipated total project costs incurred from each fiscal year.

RDA funding

The amount of PrairiesCan funding being requested to support each fiscal year expenses.

Non-RDA funding

Automatically generated: the portion of project expenditures not covered by PrairiesCan funding.

1. To enter cash flow information, click the down arrow on the far right for the fiscal year you are interested in. Click the Edit option that appears. Note: the fiscal years shown below are for illustrative purposes only.

2. Enter the Expenditures and RDA Amount Requested information and then hit Submit. You will still have the ability to edit the project cost item after hitting the Submit button. Note: the fiscal year shown below is for illustrative purposes only.

Total expenditures, total RDA funding requested and total non-RDA funding

The system will automatically calculate total PrairiesCan funding requested, as well as Total Fiscal Expenditures. Note that this total must equal total projects costs from the project cost section.

Total expenditures: *

This is the sum of the Total Fiscal Expenditures column in the Cash Flows section. It is automatically calculated.

Note: This total must equal the Total project costs from the Project Costs section above.

RDA funding requested: *

This is the sum of PrairiesCan Funding column in the Cash Flows section. It is automatically calculated.

Total non-RDA funding: *

This is the sum of the Non–RDA funding column in the Cash Flows section. It is automatically calculated.

Note: This total must equal the Amount provided by funding partners from the Funding Partners section below.

Funding Partners *

The first line in the list of funding partners is reserved for the applicant organization. Please add other funding partners or contributors, if any, in subsequent rows. Identify all potential contributors that will provide a monetary contribution to the project. In-kind contributions are not eligible and, therefore, should not be listed in this section.

In-kind contributions, such as goods and services, toward project costs that do not involve a cost incurred or paid for by the applicant. These types of contributions should be demonstrated in the application at fair market value.

Guidelines for in-kind costs/contributions

Only project costs incurred and directly paid by the applicant can be reimbursed by PrairiesCan.

An in-kind contribution is a project cost that does not involve an expense incurred and paid for by the project applicant. Typically, these expenses are borne by third parties for items or services that are in turn provided to the applicant at no cost or at a reduced cost (e.g., a deep discount not typically offered to others).

In-kind costs:

• are used to demonstrate a more accurate picture of the project scope, including:
  • project funding
  • project leveraging
  • demonstration of participant and/or private sector contributions to a project.
• must be for an item considered by PrairiesCan to be essential to a project’s success, eligible under the programming, and would otherwise be purchased and paid for by the applicant.
• may only be included in the project when there is a clear plan and commitment from the applicant on how the costs can be verified.

Example: An industry partner will provide trucks to a college for use in a project to train truck drivers.

• The college did not incur or pay any incremental costs but the project could not reasonably go forward without the trucks, so this would be an in-kind contribution to project costs.
• The value of the trucks forto the project can be quantified via sales records.

Identify all potential project partners including the applicant organization that will provide a monetary or in-kind contribution. Note: applicants must ensure all contributions are clearly verifiable.

Funding Category

Select from the drop down menu the description that best reflects the funding source.

Funding Confirmed

In the case where your organization (Applicant) is a source of funding, indicate yes if you have cash on hand. In the case of other funding sources, indicate yes if there is written documentation supporting the funding.

Amount

The anticipated amount of funding this partner (Applicant or funding partner) will provide.

1. To add a funding partner, click on the Add New Funding Partner button and the following window will appear for you to input the information. Click the Submit button once complete. You will still have the ability to edit the project cost item after hitting this Submit button.

2. To edit what your organization will be contributing towards this project, click the down arrow on the far right for the fiscal year you are interested in. Click the Edit option that appears and a similar pop-up window as shown above will appear.

Total amount provided by funding partners

Automatically sums the funding amounts listed above.

Note: This total must equal the Total non-PrairiesCan funding from the Cash Flows section above.

Briefly describe any project partnerships (non-financial and financial), including any costs covered (maximum of 1,200 characters including space): *

Describe partnerships that would be important to the success of the proposed project, including how you will engage with the Federation of African Canadian Economics (FACE) and the Black Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (BEKH).

It is strongly encouraged that applicants explore partnerships with other organizations to strengthen service offerings and coverage. Partner organizations may be Black-led or non-Black-led.

If your project includes partnerships, provide:

• partner names 
• partner role(s)
• partner track record, experience, and expertise
• any additional project partner locations where benefits of this project may accrue
• how this project will benefit the project partners involved

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Benefits

Primary activity: *

Choose 1 primary activity that best aligns with your project’s objectives, activities, and outcomes. The primary activities for BEP Ecosystem Fund projects are: 

• Business accelerators and incubators 
• Capacity building 
• Networking, matchmaking, and mentorship 

Indicator: *

Note these should be measured from the proposed funding start date until typically one year following the project completion. The most common indicators are below, although additional indicators pertaining to your project can be added. If your project does not have a value to report for a listed indicator, input a value of "0" (zero) and enter a target date.

Mandatory and optional indicators

PrairiesCan supports BEP Ecosystem Fund projects that have a viable plan to produce strong economic outcomes. Applicants must quantify, substantiate, and later report on the following mandatory expected results:

• number of highly qualified personnel (HQP) including science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) jobs created in Canada
• number of non-HQP jobs created in Canada
• number of businesses served
• number of businesses created, maintained, expanded
• number of participants trained

If any of the mandatory indicators are not selected, then explain why the indicator in question cannot be selected for your project.

Additional (non-mandatory) indicators available to measure the success of your project during reporting include:

• revenue growth ($)
• export sales growth ($)

PrairiesCan is working to improve the economic participation (e.g. job creation) of Indigenous Peoples, women and youth.

Note: recipients will be encouraged to establish and track inclusiveness indicators.

Number of highly qualified personnel (HQP) including science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) jobs created in Canada: *

Provide the number of jobs created as a result of this project that are professional, science, and technology-related jobs – based on an OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) definition of ‘science and technology-related jobs’. See definition of this in the glossary. Number of jobs created includes the number of HQP (highly qualified personnel, including STEM) jobs expanded as a result of project supported through PrairiesCan funding. Expanded refers to transitioning a seasonal or part-time employee to a year-round or full-time position, or similar increase in hours.

• One FTE job = 12 person months of employment. (In the case of seasonal or part time employment, person months of employment should be converted to FTE job).
• Inclusiveness sub-types include women, Indigenous Peoples and youth.

Number of non-HQP jobs created in Canada: *

Provide the number of jobs created as a result of this project that are not considered highly qualified personnel (HQP) as per the definition above. Number of jobs created includes the number of non-HQP jobs expanded as a result of projects supported through PrairiesCan funding. Expanded refers to transitioning a seasonal or part-time employee to a year-round or full-time position, or similar increase in hours.

• One FTE job = 12 person months of employment. (In the case of seasonal or part time employment, person months of employment should be converted to FTE job).
• Inclusiveness sub-types include women, Indigenous Peoples and youth.

Number of businesses created, maintained, or expanded: *

This indicator is calculated by the sum of three separate data points: The number/count of businesses created (defined as a count of how many businesses were formed or established due to PrairiesCan’s investment in the project) + The number/count of businesses maintained (defined as a business that existed prior to the project, but that would not continue, or would likely be lost if the project is not funded) + The number/count of businesses expanded (defined as a business receiving services leading to the growth of the business).

Number of businesses served: *

Indicate the total number of unique identifiable businesses served during the reporting period. Includes businesses receiving a loan, self-employment assistance, advisory services, or business information services.

In the reporting period, count a business only once, regardless of the number of services provided.

Number of participants trained: *

Count the number of participants at each training session delivered that offer significant value-added services beyond what might be provided through an information service.

Participants in a training course that includes multiple sessions may be counted multiple times, provided that each session is a stand-alone module. (Where training occurs in a number of locations simultaneously (e.g. webinar), count all participants individually.)

Please provide information on any other significant economic benefits that your project could achieve (maximum 2,000 characters including spaces). *

Provide a detailed explanation as to how the economic outcomes listed above will be tracked and achieved. Also list economic outcomes not included above (e.g. revenue growth, export sales growth) and how these will be tracked and achieved. Identify and detail all assumptions to support the reasonableness of your economic outcomes. All projects will be screened for significance of outcomes and their likelihood of achievement. If none apply, simply write ‘not applicable’.

Provide numerical values measured year over year from the project funding start date to typically one year following the project completion date.

Additional performance indicators are available to measure the success for your project during reporting. If you wish to track these indicators, please discuss with a PrairiesCan officer. Optional indicators available during reporting include:

Revenue growth: 

Provide a numerical value that totals the anticipated entire firm sales year over year from the project proposed start date up to 1 year following the proposed end date.

The example below illustrates how to calculate the revenue growth.

• For example, a firm has $1 million in revenue at the time of application. They plan to grow to $2 million next year, $3 million the year after and $4 million the year after (which is the last year of the project), and finally $5 million for the year after the project. To calculate the total, add up the incremental amount (that years’ forecasted revenue minus the original level they were at when they applied) from each year. In this example, the revenue growth measurable would be $1 million + $2 million + $3 million + $4 million = $10 million.

Export sales growth: 

Provide a numerical value that totals the anticipated sales growth related to entire firm exports the year over year from the project proposed start date up to 1 year following the proposed end date.

The example below illustrates how to calculate export sales growth.

• For example, a firm has $500,000 in export sales revenue at the time of application. They plan to grow to $1 million next year, $1.5 million the year after and $2 million the year after (which is the last year of the project), and finally $2.5 million for the year after the project. To calculate the total, add up the incremental amount (that years’ forecasted revenue minus the original level they were at when they applied) from each year. In this example, the export sales growth measurable would be $500,000 + $1 million + $1.5 million + $2 million = $5 million.

Does your project have activities that will benefit Francophones? If your project includes activities that will directly benefit the Francophone community in Western Canada or if you are willing to modify your project to extend its benefits to the Francophone community, choose yes. *

Select yes or no.

Official languages

Under the Official Languages Act, the Government of Canada is committed to supporting the development of official language minority communities (English-speaking communities in Quebec and French-speaking communities in the rest of Canada). More than 2 million Canadians belong to an official language minority community. The intention is to enable these communities to thrive and to enjoy the same benefits as the rest of the population.

Applicants seeking funding under not-for-profit programming may assist PrairiesCan in fulfilling its obligations under the Official Languages Act by identifying aspects of the proposed project that may benefit Francophone communities in Western Canada or by being willing to modify the proposed project to extend its benefits to the Francophone community. This may be as simple as including a French-speaking service provider who is able to offer business services in French as part of the project or offering the final product resulting from the project in French.

Please follow up with your PrairiesCan project officer to explore how you might modify your proposed project to assist the department in extending benefits to the Francophone community.

If yes, describe how the project activities will benefit Francophones (maximum of 1,500 characters including spaces). *

Explain how this project will or could benefit the Francophone community in the Prairies and what specific activity(ies) will or could be included. If Francophones will not benefit from the project, simply write ‘not applicable’.

For example:

• The project will hire bilingual staff.
• The project will ensure that any communication tools are produced in French (final report, exhibit, video, etc.).

Clearly outline if the project aligns with other Government of Canada priorities, provincial government priorities, industry needs, and your organization's long-term research, capital, and/or strategic plans (maximum of 1,500 characters including spaces).

Clearly outline if the project aligns with other Government of Canada priorities; provincial government priorities; industry needs; and your organization’s long-term capital and/or strategic plans. If none apply, simply write ‘not applicable’.

For example:

• The project will advance the Government of Canada's priority of…by…

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Project timelines

Full project description (maximum of 3,000 characters, including spaces).

This description should provide clear understanding of the following:

• objectives of the project
• key activities of the project and how these activities will achieve the intended objectives of the project
• outline the plan to achieve the objectives and key activities;
• describe the engagement and/or commitment from other partners (e.g., sector, other levels of government)
• clearly address any project risks and mitigation measures to address these risks (e.g., project delays, staff turnover, other challenges) to secure confirmed funding

Project timeline – milestone *

A milestone is a project activity that can be clearly defined and measured. Provide a list of significant activities or project milestones that can be measured and tracked to ensure the project is proceeding as planned. These should be significant milestones that will be used to ensure your project’s performance over the course of the project, up to the stated completion date of the project.

Select ‘+Add New Project Timeline’ to enter information.

Date of Expected Completion *

This is the date that the milestone should be completed by.

Timeline Comments (maximum of 1,000 characters including spaces). *

Add any information necessary to provide additional clarity regarding the milestones.

Market

Are other organizations currently providing a similar activity, service, or product?

Select Yes or No.

Describe how your activity, service, or product is different or unique compared to others (maximum of 1000 characters including spaces).

Identify any similar or complementary initiatives in Canada or internationally. Does your project build upon or duplicate other initiatives or clearly illustrate that your project is not duplicating existing activities/services/products? Outline how your activity, service or product is different or unique.

Provide the rationale for the project and the Regional Development Agency’s involvement in the project (maximum of 2,000 characters including spaces).

Fully explain how the proposed project will address an opportunity, gap, need, or challenge.

• Describe the opportunity or challenge and how your project is a solution.
• Provide a rationale for government’s role in the project.
• Provide details on how this project is incremental to the organization’s current operations or activities.
• Clearly outline if the project aligns with other Government of Canada priorities; provincial government priorities; industry needs; and your organization’s long-term research, capital and/or strategic plans.

Which western Canadian province(s) will directly benefit from this project? Select all that apply.

Select all provinces that will directly benefit.

Will the project result in the generation of revenues?

Select yes or no.

If yes, please explain (maximum of 1,000 characters, including spaces).

Explain how much and what the revenues will be used for in the comment box.

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Management

Clearly demonstrate that your organization has effective governance measures in place to execute this project. Indicate how oversight will be provided to the project (maximum of 2000 characters including spaces). *

Provide an explanation of how your organization is governed (e.g., board of directors, advisory board) and its structure along with a brief explanation of key executives’ credentials (e.g., indicate the level of experience of the board members, such as the number of years of experience each member has on the board of directors). Clearly demonstrate that your organization has effective governance measures in place to provide appropriate oversight of this project. Indicate how these individuals will specifically be involved in providing oversight on the project.

Describe the qualifications and related experience of the key individuals that will be responsible for managing and implementing the project. (maximum of 2000 characters including spaces) *

Provide an explanation of how your project will be managed and its structure along with the qualifications and experience of those members of your organization who will be directly managing and implementing this project. Clearly demonstrate that your organization has the management skills, organizational capacity and leadership to carry out this project.

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Documents

Upload here the supporting documents to be provided with your application.

Upload the following mandatory documents marked with an asterisk (*) and other supporting documents:

• supporting documents
• incorporation documents for your organization and proof of signing authority (e.g. bylaws, articles of incorporation, board minutes or record of decision)*
• a business plan providing details about your organization (including management team, board of directors) and details about the proposed project *
• a completed cost clarification form, included with the email invitation to complete a full application *
• other supporting documentation (e.g. project plan, letters of support, regulatory approvals or resolutions, board minutes, list of board of directors)
  • if applying with a partner or with consortia of partners, you must include a letter(s) of support from the partner(s) (signed by their authorized official)
    • letter(s) should outline partner roles and contributions in delivering the required project, experience, expertise and knowledge
• financial statements
  • for the past 2 years *
  • interim statements for the past 6 months *
• confirmed funding
  • confirmation of non-PrairiesCan project funding * (e.g. bank statements, unused portion of lines of credit, official letters of intent, funding agreements) and identification of project partners, where applicable

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Diversity and inclusion

Is your organization majority (i.e. over 50%) owned or led by individuals who self-identify as:

The purpose of this question is to gather information related to the ownership/leadership of the organization to see which diverse groups PrairiesCan funds. Answer related sub-questions below. Please refer to the glossary for definition on "majority-owned" and any of the diverse groups.

 

Will your project directly support any of the following diverse groups?

The purpose of this question is to gather information related to the benefits or targeted applicants for the project to see which diverse groups directly benefit from PrairiesCan funding. Answer related sub-questions below. Please refer to the glossary for definitions.

 

If yes is selected for any of the following diverse groups, please specify (maximum of 1,500 characters).

Provide an explanation on how your project will directly support the diverse group selected.

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Signing authority

The application form must be submitted by a member of your organization with signing power/authority to enter into a legal agreement.

First name: *

Provide the first name of the member of the organization with signing power/the authority to enter into an agreement. This person should be either the primary or the secondary contact.

Last name:

Provide the family name of the contact. *

Title:

Provide the contact person’s job title (e.g., President, Executive Director). *

Email address:

Provide a valid e-mail address.

Telephone country code:

The telephone country code of where the contact person can be reached.

Telephone:

Provide a phone number where the contact person can be reached. *

Cellular country code:

The cellular country code of your organization.

Cellular phone:

The cellular number of your organization. *

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Attestation - submit application

Before you can complete and submit your application, it is necessary in this final step for you to affirm that you are aware of certain statutory obligations, that your organization meets the eligibility requirements for the program, and that the collected information may also be used for consideration under other government programs.

Please ensure the attestation is completed by the primary contact, who is also the member of your organization with signing power/authority to enter into the legal agreement with PrairiesCan.

Click "I agree" to indicate you have read and agree with the acknowledgements. Then click Submit.

Authorized official of the applicant organization acknowledgements

The application form must be submitted by a member of your organization with signing power/authority to enter into a legal agreement.

After you apply

Assessment process

Intake for the Black Entrepreneurship Program (BEP) Ecosystem Fund is a competitive process.

All applications will be evaluated based on:

• ability to achieve BEP Ecosystem Fund objectives
• economic impact
• project viability
• relative strengths in:
  • market potential
  • management capability
  • financial capacity
  • economic benefits
  • degree of alignment with governmental priorities

To fully assess your project, PrairiesCan may request (as applicable):

• other detailed information on the project or your organization
• detailed breakdown of project costs

Although PrairiesCan may engage companies directly on outstanding questions or issues, applicants are advised to submit a complete and thorough application. Not all applications undergoing a detailed assessment will receive an offer of funding.

PrairiesCan anticipates funding decisions within approximately 90 business days from receiving a complete funding application.

If your application is approved

Funding disbursement

PrairiesCan provides contributions under the BEP Ecosystem Fund, not grants.

BEP Ecosystem Fund funding for successful projects is provided as periodic reimbursements based on claims you submit. PrairiesCan will reimburse you for the approved portion of eligible project costs that have been incurred and paid.

There will be a delay between the time costs are incurred and when claimed costs are partly reimbursed. Successful applicants will need to plan their project cash flow accordingly. PrairiesCan will provide an orientation to this process for successful applicants.

Claims for incurred costs can be submitted quarterly, between one and four times per year and are processed within 15 business days of PrairiesCan receiving a complete claim package.

Environmental assessment compliance

Projects involving physical works may be subject to the Impact Assessment Act (2019). Recipients of PrairiesCan funding will be responsible for obtaining all certificates, consents, permits and approvals required for compliance with applicable legislation and for complying with the requirements of such legislation. Should an environmental assessment be required, it will be necessary to plan several months before the project Proposed Start Date to allow sufficient time for the completion of the assessment.

Reporting requirements

All contribution agreements issued under the BEP Ecosystem Fund include performance indicators to measure the individual project performance and the program’s effectiveness relative to objectives.

If you are a successful applicant, you must:

• provide periodic progress reports at least twice per year (frequency requirements will be outlined in your funding agreement)
• progress reports should demonstrate project progress and achievement of results
• reports should accompany claims for project cost reimbursement
• provide annual financial statements from project start date to the end of the project
• ensure project activities are completed by March 31, 2030
• track and report on key project activities and deliverables up to the final reporting date.

Glossary

Below is a short glossary of terms used in this guide: