Waubetek: Indigenous Women’s Entrepreneur Micro-Loan
Waubetek offers Indigenous women in North-Eastern Ontario up to $50,000 in financing, or a mentorship grant of up to $3,000. The Micro-Loan is a mixed package (50% repayable loan, 45% contribution) and the larger Loan Fund is a 100% repayable loan, so you must repay the loan portions.
“The application for Waubetek financial support is reviewed for completeness and is then screened for eligibility.”
From the official program page
Before you spend any money
Approval must come BEFORE spending; purchasing goods or services before approval makes those costs ineligible for funding.
At a glance
Subject to program rules, available funding, and approval. Confirm current details with the official program administrator.
Is this for you?
- You are an Indigenous (First Nations or Inuit) woman who owns at least 51% of a for-profit business in North-Eastern Ontario.
- You need capital for startup costs, equipment, or working capital and can provide the required 5% cash equity.
- You are committed to working full-time in your business and are ready to engage in mentorship or secure a loan with repayment terms up to 5 years.
Probably not the right fit if
- You are a husband-and-wife partnership, as these structures are explicitly ineligible.
- You run a non-profit, government entity, or a business in excluded sectors like smoke shops, liquor establishments, or passive real estate.
- You have already purchased equipment or services without prior approval, since Waubetek does not reimburse costs incurred before the loan or grant is approved.
How much you'd realistically get
Micro-Loan Fund offers up to $20,000 in assistance (split between loan and grant); Women Entrepreneurship Loan Fund offers up to $50,000 in assistance (part of a max $100,000 package); Mentorship Grant offers up to $3,000.
What may be supported
- Capital costs: purchase of machinery, equipment, leasehold improvements, and renovations
- Operating and working capital costs: inventory, pre-paid startup costs, insurance
- Marketing and promotional material costs
- Digital development: website/e-commerce
- Business start-up costs: legal fees, incorporation fees, business plan preparation
- IT/Software license purchase
- Employee training
What's excluded or restricted
- Not-for-profit organizations.
- Government or municipal entities.
- Husband and wife partnerships.
- Renovations to personal living space (unless strongly demonstrated as necessary for the business).
- Passive real estate transactions (land acquisitions) that do not create employment.
- Vehicle purchases primarily utilized for personal use.
- Refinancing of existing debt.
- General ongoing operation costs that should be financed through operations.
- Acquisitions without independent financial statements and a certified business valuation.
- Non-arm’s length transactions.
- Goods or services you committed to buy before Waubetek approved your funding.
- Purchase of assets for more than fair market value.
- Costs of amortization and goodwill.
- Businesses primarily involved in: smoke shops, liquor establishments, sexual exploitation, games of chance, payday loans, or passive investments (self-storage units, laundromats, investor only).
- Owner’s salary (for Loan Fund).
How applying works
Effort: moderateYou must contact Waubetek for an initial enquiry, submit a detailed application package including ancestry documentation and equity confirmation, and later submit invoices and proofs of payment for reimbursement or direct supplier payment.
- 01Contact Waubetek at 1-705-285-4275 or waubetek@waubetek.com for an enquiry to discuss criteria and eligibility.
- 02If eligible, receive the information package and prepare your application documents, including proof of Aboriginal Ancestry and Cash Equity Confirmation.
- 03Submit your application via the online 'Apply Now' portal or email, including the application form, resume, and summary of project.
- 04If approved, review and sign the Letter of Offer.
- 05Meet pre-disbursement conditions and proceed with your project purchases only after approval.
- 06Submit the claim summary form, invoices/quotations, and proofs of payment to receive reimbursement or direct payment to the supplier.
Who to ask: Phone: 1-705-285-4275; Email: waubetek@waubetek.com
Documents commonly required
- Application form
- Resume
- Summary of Project
- Documentation of Aboriginal Ancestry (Status card, ITK letter, or birth certificate)
- Driver’s license/Birth certificate and Cash Equity Confirmation
What to know before you count on it
- The Micro-Loan is not free money: it is 50% repayable loan, 45% non-repayable contribution, and requires 5% cash equity from you.
- The larger Loan Fund is 100% loan (not a grant) with interest at prime rate plus up to 4% based on risk, repayable over 5 years.
- You must show that you work full-time in the business. Waubetek does not see holding another job as good for the business.
- Payment is processed after you meet pre-disbursement conditions and submit invoices/proofs of payment, meaning you may need upfront cash flow.
What are your odds?
Eligibility is strict regarding Indigenous status, ownership percentage, and business location; approval depends on demonstrating full-time involvement and a viable business plan.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Micro-Loan Fund entirely a grant?
No. It is a mixed package: 50% is a repayable loan, 45% is a non-repayable contribution, and you must provide 5% cash equity.
Can I use this funding if I have another job?
No. Waubetek expects you to work full-time in the business, and it does not see another job as good for the business. If your situation is unusual, ask Waubetek before you apply.
What happens if I buy equipment before getting approval?
Those costs are not eligible. Waubetek does not fund purchases you committed to before it approved your funding.
Who administers this program?
Waubetek Business Development Corporation administers the program. You apply to Waubetek directly.
More funding by what it pays for
Funding for Websites
Grants and loans to help you build or improve your business website.
Funding for E-commerce
Grants and loans to help you launch or improve your online store.
Funding for Online Ordering and Booking
Grants and loans may help pay for online ordering, booking and reservation systems.
Funding for Retail POS
Grants and loans that may help pay for point-of-sale systems and other store technology.
What you can combine it with
Related programs include the Métis Voyageur Development Fund (for Métis citizens), the E-Commerce Grant Program, and Community Economic Grants. Ask Waubetek whether these can be combined.
Related programs
Waubetek: Indigenous Women Entrepreneur Loan Fund
Up to $50,000
Waubetek's loan fund lends up to $50,000 to Indigenous women entrepreneurs in North-Eastern Ontario who want to start or expand a business.
Checked
Technology Equipment Loan (BDC)
A BDC loan for IT equipment, software, cybersecurity and digital infrastructure. You pay interest only for the first 24 months and can take up to 8…
Checked
BDC Financing: Start-up
Up to $150,000
A BDC loan of up to $150,000 for businesses that have operated at least 12 months. Use it to buy assets, pay start-up fees, buy a franchise, or pay…
Checked
Worth reading before you apply
Get alerted when this changes
Programs open and close, budgets run out, rules change. We send one short email when something changes that matters for this program.
Page last updated ; status and deadline checked . Source: official program page.