Community Foundation Grey Bruce: Investment Readiness Program

We are thrilled to be helping deliver the Investment Readiness Program (IRP) supporting eligible social enterprises to prepare to receive investments and unlock even more innovative solutions to pressing challenges in Grey & Bruce.

Community Foundation Grey Bruce in partnership with Georgian College and their Social Enterprise Network of Central Ontario (SENCO) is offering eligible organizations working to do good across Central Ontario the opportunity to access up to $100,000 in non-repayable capital through the Investment Readiness Program (IRP). This is part of a national initiative led by Community Foundations of Canada and funded by the Government of Canada that will provide $18.5 million across the country to seed and grow social enterprise.

Through this partnership, funding will be allocated in the form of non-repayable capital to charities, non-profits, co-operatives, social enterprises, and mission-focused for-profits across Central Ontario including the counties of Grey and Bruce, as well as Muskoka, Huntsville, Orillia-Huronia, Simcoe County, Barrie, Dufferin County, Owen Sound, Collingwood, Kincardine, Manitoulin Island, Tobermory, Orangeville, Saugeen First Nation, and Neyaashiinigmiing. The first application period for the program runs from Jan. 8 to Feb. 10, 2020, with two other application periods planned later this year.

The IRP is open to a diverse range of organizations and businesses including charities, non-profits, co-ops and for-profit social enterprises who are helping achieve positive social, cultural or environmental results in the community. The program can provide between $10,000 and $100,000 in non-repayable capital to design, plan, measure, and scale social enterprises in order to get ready to accept future investment.

The Investment Readiness Program will help social enterprises across Canada grow, and build their capacity to accept investment, and participate in Canada’s growing social finance market.

“Business isn’t just about the bottom line. It can be a source for good and a catalyst for social and environmental change in communities across Canada. We are honoured to support social enterprises across Canada in building a better world,” says Andrew Chunilall, CEO of Community Foundations of Canada, a national partner in the Investment Readiness Program.

Applications for the IRP, of which Community Foundation Grey Bruce is a regional partner, will open January 8th, 2020, and should be submitted by February 10th, 2020 through the program’s website at irp-ppi.ca. Community Foundation Grey Bruce will open additional application periods in 2020.

For more information on the Investment Readiness Program,

visit communityfoundations.ca

Application for the IRP available here.

Upcoming Events

Investment Readiness Program 101 Session

Tuesday, January 28th, 3:00 – 4:00 pm

Grey County Administration Building

Join us with our Regional Partners for Central Ontario, Georgian College SENCO (Social Enterprise Network Central Ontario), for a 101 session on the Investment Readiness Program (IRP) and the first call for proposals running January 8th to February 10th. This session will include a short presentation followed by open discussion to respond to your questions. This free session can be attended in person or by Zoom and is intended for social purpose organizations interested in applying to the IRP. Find out more about the program and the steps to apply.

For more information & to register: eventbrite.com

Social Enterprise 101 Session

Tuesday, January 28th, 4:00 – 5:00 pm

Grey County Administration Building

senco is an initiative of Georgian College’s Centre for Changemaking and Social Innovation and has created this Social Enterprise 101 session to provide you with an in-depth understanding on what defines a social enterprise. Throughout this session social enterprise business models will be reviewed and a series of existing social enterprises will be explored. If you are interested to learn more about social enterprise, considering starting a social enterprise, or looking to build social impact into your business you’ll want to attend this session.

This session is open to the public and we hope to have attendees from interested non-profits, businesses, as well as students, faculty and individuals. Attend in person or stream in online by webinar.

For more information & to register: eventbrite.com

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