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Social finance

Get funding and support to start or expand your business with our social finance programs.

Support to reach your goals

Our Créavenir Youth Entrepreneurship and Desjardins Microcredit programs can help you start a business by providing:

  • Personalized guidance
  • Financing tailored to your needs

See the eligibility requirements for each program to find out which one is best for you.

About the Créavenir Youth Entrepreneurship Program

If you're a young entrepreneur, this program can help you get a grant, line of credit and credit card to help build your credit history as you start your business.

Eligibility requirements    for Créavenir

  • Be between the ages of 18 and 39
  • Have a new business that's no more than 3 years old
  • Not be eligible for traditional financing or enough financing to reach your goals
  • Have the business’s main corporate account with Desjardins

How it works du programme Créavenir

  1. Submit your business project (including your business model, business plan and financial forecasts) to one of the program's partner organizations in your area. You can find the list of partner organizations below.

    If your business project is strong but you don't have enough capital or collateral for traditional financing, your local partner organization can submit your project to Créavenir’s selection committee.

  2. If you're selected, you'll get:

    • Support to get your business off the ground
    • A credit package of up to $16,000 at the prime rate + 0.5% for 5 years, which includes a line of credit and a credit card, with a credit limit of up to $30,000 following 6 months of good financial behaviour
    • A grant of $3,000 (conditions apply), or up to $5,000 for innovative projects, which you can use to qualify for other sources of funding

About the Desjardins Microcredit program 

If you’re an entrepreneur with modest financing needs to launch or solidify your business, this program can help you get a personalized loan.

Eligibility requirements  for Desjardins Microcredit.

  • Have a viable plan to start a new business or grow an existing one
  • Not be eligible for traditional financing
  • Be a member of a Desjardins caisse or credit union and have the business’s main corporate account with Desjardins

How it works du programme Microcrédit Desjardins

  1. Submit your business project (including your business model, business plan and financial forecasts) to one of the program's partner microcredit organizations in your area. You can find the list of partner organizations below.

    If your business project is strong but you don't have enough capital or collateral to finance it with a conventional loan, your project might be reviewed by the organization's committee.

  2. If you're selected, you'll get:

    • Coaching to help you reach your goals
    • A loan of up to $20,000

Contact a partner organization in your area

FAQ

What is social finance?

Social finance, or solidarity finance, is about investing to make a positive social impact while also making money. It involves funding projects that benefit society and support sustainable development, even if they aren't immediately profitable. It's part of the social and solidarity economy, which values community well-being over short-term profits.

What is microcredit?

Microcredit is a form of social finance designed to help self-employed workers and small business owners who don't have access to traditional financing. It lets them get small loans to start or grow their business.