Racialized and Indigenous Supports for Entrepreneurs (RAISE) Grant Program 2025-2026 (up to $10,000) – YOA

Deadline: October 1, 2025

Applications for the Racialized and Indigenous Supports for Entrepreneurs (RAISE) Grant Program 2025-2026 are open. The Racialized and Indigenous Supports for Entrepreneurs (RAISE) is a grant program that helps Indigenous, Black and different racialized entrepreneurs who stay and function their enterprise in Ontario.

After completion of this system, contributors will probably be required to submit a report again confirming that they’ve used everything of the grant on eligible bills associated to their Business Action Plan. Participants will even be invited to take part in surveys and different analysis strategies to enhance the standard of this system.

Grant

The grant program will present:

• Business improvement coaching
• Culturally responsive and tailor-made enterprise teaching
• Networking alternatives
• A one-time grant of $10,000

Eligibility

Businesses should meet the next necessities to be eligible:

• Registered with the Canada Revenue Agency
• Employs 1 to 5 full-time equal workers, or up to 10 workers for companies within the Accommodation and Food Services sector (as outlined by the North American Industry Classification System), together with the applicant because the enterprise proprietor.
• Operates in Ontario on September 10, 2025, and always whereas collaborating in this system.
• Has an annual gross income that doesn’t exceed $750,000.
• In the market demonstrating gross sales/income. Businesses with concepts solely or unproven merchandise and providers are usually not eligible.
• Has business normal legal responsibility insurance coverage with a restrict of not lower than $2 million ($2,000,000) for the enterprise.
• Demonstrates want for and meant use of the grant funding.
• Nature of the enterprise is authorized below relevant legal guidelines in Ontario and Canada.
• Be in compliance with submitting, reporting and different necessities below the federal Income Tax Act or as established by the Canada Revenue Agency.
• Attests that it’s in compliance with the Ontario Human Rights Code and hate-associated legal guidelines below the Criminal Code.
• Is not a:
  • Business or applicant that participated within the RAISE grant program in earlier years.
  • Early improvement enterprise (i.e., enterprise thought solely, not but registered with the Canada Revenue Agency).
  • Mature enterprise planning for exit by way of sale.
  • Franchise, together with these individually owned and operated.
  • Not-for-profit group or charity.
  • Crown company, authorities company, public administration or political group.
  • Business that includes unlawful, dangerous or sexually exploitive actions.
  • Business that processes or sells tobacco, firearms, different weapons and associated gear. An exemption exists for companies that course of or promote tobacco for conventional Indigenous cultural or non secular functions.
  • Property rental together with residential, business and pupil housing.
  • Quasi-financial establishment or cash service and cash switch enterprise (together with insurance coverage corporations and monetary providers corporations).
  • Cryptocurrency (e.g., Bitcoin) enterprise and merchants.
  • Business brokering funds or taking over a fiduciary obligation dealing with funds for shoppers (together with funding, insurance coverage, and actual property brokers who deal with funds in belief for shoppers).
  • Collection company.
  • Business that raises funding capital for different companies.
  • Business with shares provided for public sale.
  • Business that limits memberships for functions aside from capability or rules.
  • Businesses with social media historical past or different exercise that’s inconsistent with the needs and mandate of the RAISE Grant Program and Ontario’s Anti-Racism Strategy could also be decided to be ineligible on a case-by-case foundation.

The proprietor of the enterprise have to be:

• Indigenous, Black or different racialized particular person (self-identification is required within the application).
• 18 years of age or older.
• Legally permitted to function a enterprise in Canada.
• Currently residing and working their enterprise in Ontario.
• Be (a) the only real proprietor of the enterprise whether it is operated as a sole proprietorship, (b) have possession of at the least 50% of the enterprise if it’s a company, or (c) be lively within the enterprise and have an entitlement to at the least 50% of proceeds if the enterprise is a partnership.
• Committed to collaborating within the coaching, teaching and networking, elements of this system (minimal complete time requirement of 10 hours), in addition to growing a Business Action Plan to scale their enterprise.

Application

Applications for this system have to be submitted on or earlier than October 1, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. EST. Business homeowners that participated in this system in earlier years are usually not eligible. Business homeowners that beforehand utilized however weren’t accepted into this system are inspired to reapply this 12 months.

Complete purposes are processed on a primary come, first served foundation till this system’s capability is reached.

Click here to apply

For extra data, go to RAISE Grant Program.