Immigrant Entrepreneur Grants
DIVERSEcity Immigrant Entrepreneur Grants
Applications are now closed for the 2021 Immigrant Entrepreneur Grants
Becoming an entrepreneur is a brave path, much like immigration itself, and we want to celebrate the achievements of the newcomers who have gone through our TD Bank-sponsored Immigrant Entrepreneur Program and started their own business.
As part of our DIVERSEcity Entrepreneur & Small Business Fair, DIVERSEcity awards three Immigrant Entrepreneur Grants (valued at $1,000 each) annually to recognize and celebrate the achievements of such inspiring immigrants who have started their own business in a new country.
The grants are awarded annually to three exceptional immigrant entrepreneurs who have:
1. Demonstrated strong skills/willingness to pursue and realize their business ideas.
2. Presented the ability to network and embrace new ideas/feedback.
3. Coordinated and organized possible resources to implement their business plan.
The grants are available to businesses at any stage of operations, but preference will be given to new businesses under three years of operations and to startup companies that are just preparing to launch. The winners are chosen by a third-party selection committee organized by DIVERSEcity.
Award Application Guidelines
1. The Grant is meant to be awarded to businesses; so the Grant will be presented to a business entity for partnership and cooperation, or it could be presented to an individual operating a sole proprietorship.
2. The Grant recipient and their guests will be asked to attend the presentation ceremony to be held at the DIVERSEcity Entrepreneur & Small Business Fair on October 20, 2021 (5–7 pm) in Surrey, BC.
3. All applicants will be invited to present their business in person or virtually at the October 20 event. The presentation will be done in a small group setting using PowerPoint, or video or poster. Applicants need to bring their own laptop if they are planning a PowerPoint presentation. A shared display booth will be assigned to every applicant.
4. Please type responses directly into the application form below, respecting the response limits provided.
5. You may nominate yourself or someone else. The “Applicant” refers to the person nominating themselves for the Grant. The “Nominator” refers to the person who is nominating someone else. Please identify the person you want us to communicate with regarding the application (referred to as the “Contact Person”).
6. Along with filling out the application form, you will be required to email three (3) business products or services images with captions, and at least one (1) presentation document to selfemployment@dcrs.ca.
- Three (3) business products or services images, high-resolution format, with captions for showcase on social media.
- One (1) of the following presentation documents: PowerPoint presentation (maximum 10 slides; video (maximum five minutes); one (1) page poster, high-resolution format
Presentation documents need to cover four (4) components:
- Business mission and vision
- Products/services description and pictures
- Who are the target customers, their interests and needs
- Why people want to buy from you? Your unique selling proposition and/or competitive advantages
Please note the following suggestions before starting the application form:
- Prepare answers in advance and copy and paste final responses into the form
- Ensure stable access to a strong Wi-Fi connection
Past Immigrant Entrepreneur Grant Winners
2021 winners
The 2021 Immigrant Entrepreneur Grant Winners were:
2019 winners
The 2019 Immigrant Entrepreneur Grant Winners were:
2018 winners
Read about the 2018 Immigrant Entrepreneur Grant recipients here.