7/27/2022

$100,000 funding from Desjardins Ontario

~3 min read
Dejardins providing Business Sisters with $100,000

Big news! We are so happy to announce that Business Sisters has received $100,000 from Desjardins Ontario Credit Union’s Community Development Fund to launch a new Centre for Rural Women Entrepreneurs which will deliver entrepreneurial training, mentorship and events, in both official languages, in the five counties of Eastern Ontario.

The announcement was made last night at our networking “5 à 7″ event at Tuque de Broue, where 45 women gathered to hear the wonderful news. (Check out photos of the event on our Facebook page!)

“We are delighted to work with the Desjardins team in making this innovative project a reality for our region. The pandemic disproportionally affected women and women-owned businesses. Desjardins’ contribution from their Community Development Fund helps us significantly reduce, and even eliminate, the barriers for women to start and grow a business. This will create much needed business activity in our villages and small towns throughout the region,” said Doreen Ashton Wagner, our Founder and Executive Director.

“Creating this hub for women brings together aspects of entrepreneurship and the development of our local and  regional economy. Therefore, investing in this project came as a very natural fit for Desjardins and we are thrilled to  be part of this journey,” said Karine Foster, Regional Vice-President, Eastern Ontario.

The funding will support activities over the next five years, including events, advisory services, and mentorship. Many of these activities will take place at the new Centre, which will be in Alexandria, though networking events and conferences will continue to happen throughout Stormont, Dundas, Glengarry, Prescott, and  Russell.

This funding opens enormous opportunities for Business Sisters. We will continue to collaborate with area economic agencies and municipalities as we formulate our programming. At the same time we are committed to being 100% transparent with you on how we use this funding to better the community and help dismantle barriers for women business owners. Our goals are to educate, facilitate and support women-led enterprises, and with this funding, Desjardins has made it possible!

About the Desjardins Ontario Credit Union

Lastly, one of the reasons why we applied to Desjardins Ontario Credit Union for funding is that we had been banking with them from our inception. As a cooperative, they are committed to helping social enterprises. They also happen to have a very progressive policy to foster community development. This aligned very well with our own values. Read more about Desjardins here.

What Do You Think?

Thanks for reading and feel free to leave your feedback!

Big news! We are so happy to announce that Business Sisters has received $100,000 from Desjardins Ontario Credit Union’s Community Development Fund to launch a new Centre for Rural Women Entrepreneurs which will deliver entrepreneurial training, mentorship and events, in both official languages, in the five counties of Eastern Ontario.

The announcement was made last night at our networking “5 à 7″ event at Tuque de Broue, where 45 women gathered to hear the wonderful news. (Check out photos of the event on our Facebook page!)

“We are delighted to work with the Desjardins team in making this innovative project a reality for our region. The pandemic disproportionally affected women and women-owned businesses. Desjardins’ contribution from their Community Development Fund helps us significantly reduce, and even eliminate, the barriers for women to start and grow a business. This will create much needed business activity in our villages and small towns throughout the region,” said Doreen Ashton Wagner, our Founder and Executive Director.

“Creating this hub for women brings together aspects of entrepreneurship and the development of our local and  regional economy. Therefore, investing in this project came as a very natural fit for Desjardins and we are thrilled to  be part of this journey,” said Karine Foster, Regional Vice-President, Eastern Ontario.

The funding will support activities over the next five years, including events, advisory services, and mentorship. Many of these activities will take place at the new Centre, which will be in Alexandria, though networking events and conferences will continue to happen throughout Stormont, Dundas, Glengarry, Prescott, and  Russell.

This funding opens enormous opportunities for Business Sisters. We will continue to collaborate with area economic agencies and municipalities as we formulate our programming. At the same time we are committed to being 100% transparent with you on how we use this funding to better the community and help dismantle barriers for women business owners. Our goals are to educate, facilitate and support women-led enterprises, and with this funding, Desjardins has made it possible!

About the Desjardins Ontario Credit Union

Lastly, one of the reasons why we applied to Desjardins Ontario Credit Union for funding is that we had been banking with them from our inception. As a cooperative, they are committed to helping social enterprises. They also happen to have a very progressive policy to foster community development. This aligned very well with our own values. Read more about Desjardins here.

What Do You Think?

Thanks for reading and feel free to leave your feedback!

Community Manager | Gestionnaire de la communauté
Community Manager | Gestionnaire de la communauté
Community Manager | Gestionnaire de la communauté
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hr-challenges-how-not-to-feel-like-a-bitch
Denise Sukkau
1723132740137
We are entering a time when women need to take our place, fill up our space and be who we are without apology. I have difficulty with this and thus I try to keep expanding, keep learning, keep letting go of those past experiences that have kept me small(er). Our culture and past societal 'norms' in a patriarchal time have diminished our voice in addition to other past traumas to women. In supporting each other we can rise together without guilt or shame for being a b*tch or any other shadow expression of our soul, to embrace our power that is within. (Please note I have recently come off of a feminine empowerment retreat called Rise Sister Rise.)
navigating-networking-real-talk-for-business-sisters
Moumie
1712533017881
Bonjour Doreen, J'aime cet article, c'est bien dit... !!😄 Je rajoute, tu es aussi pour ma part, dans ton rôle, de pouvoir encadrer les choses autant que tu peux car, gérer les êtres humains est une tâche énorme pour n'importe quelle occasion. Je viens d'apprendre aussi une chose intéressante, la philosophie de Ted Lasso, je ne connaissais pas cette série, je vais la regarder. Merci de partager cela. Donc, en un mot, tout ca est intéressant moi, je te trouve en tout cas authentique :)!! Bravo pour ton leadership👍
meet-the-business-sisters-results-of-the-first-ever-census-of-our-community
Lexine
1710194161296
Huh - ma première réaction - 41% ont plus de 6 employés. Il serait intéressant de voir combien sont des sous-contractants VS part-time VS full-time, et les liens aux revenus bruts?
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