Is your organization or community group working on a great idea for a Social Purpose Enterprise that would employ people who are homeless, at risk of homelessness or very low income?

The Toronto Enterprise Fund provides grants to social purpose enterprises -  revenue generating ventures founded by non-profit organizations or community groups to create jobs or training opportunities for very low-income individuals. If your organization or community group is interested in starting a social purpose enterprise in Toronto, you may want to apply for seed funding through our Business Plan Competition. To apply, you must meet our eligibility criteria, and enter our annual Business Plan Competition. The competition for 2009 is now closed.

The Toronto Enterprise Fund does not necessarily run a businesss plan competition each year. Please check back in early 2010 to see if the Toronto Enterprise Fund will hold a business plan competition in 2010.

How will the Business Plan Competition be judged?

Completed business plans will be reviewed by a selection committee which will identify up to six finalists based on the Phase 2 Selection Criteria.

These finalists will:

• Receive detailed feedback on their business plan
• Resubmit a revised plan based on the feedback
• Present their plan in person to a panel of volunteer judges

The judges’ panel, with representatives from business, funders, social enterprises and academia, will decide on seed funding awards based on how closely each finalists’ business plan & presentation meets the Phase 3 Selection Criteria.

What is the Eligibility Criteria?

Eligible Organizations

Organizations eligible for the Business Plan Competition must:

• Be located and operating in Toronto
• Be managed by a volunteer Board of Directors or Steering Committee
• Operate in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code
• Be an incorporated non-profit organization, or a charitable organization, or, if not incorporated, be sponsored by a charitable organization
• Not currently be in receipt of funding from the Toronto Enterprise Fund

Eligible Concepts

Enterprise concepts eligible for the Business Plan Competition must:

• Generate revenue through the sale of a product or service; and
• Provide transitional or permanent employment to people who are homeless, at-risk-of homelessness or low-income; and
• Be in the planning stages or have been operating for less than 12 months