Announcements & Programs
APPLICATIONS ARE REOPENED FOR THE CANADA UNITED SMALL BUSINESS RELIEF FUND
Applications for the Canada United Small Business Relief Fund are open once again. Grants of up to $5,000 are available.

Created by RBC, Canada United is a movement to support local businesses in communities across the country. The Canada United Small Business Relief Fund (CUSBRF) was established to help small businesses offset the cost of expenses to reopen safely or adopt digital technologies to move more of their business online.

Over $14 million has been contributed by the Federal Government, RBC, and Canada United partners to support recovery efforts due to COVID-19. We are now able to extend relief grants to more small businesses and restart accepting grant applications from small businesses across all Provinces for expenses incurred no earlier than March 15, 2020. Click here to apply. 
WOMEN, WORK, AND THE ECONOMY
The University of Waterloo researchers are seeking to connect with immigrant women entrepreneurs in Kitchener-Waterloo. Eligible participants will receive a $50 honorarium. To get involved and learn more about the study, click here. For more information about Women, Work, and the Economy, visit the website here.
EXPANDED ELIGIBILITY FOR MAIN STREET RELIEF GRANT
The Ontario government is expanding the number of small businesses that can apply for the Main Street Relief Grant to help offset the costs of purchasing personal protective equipment (PPE). Small businesses with 2 to 19 employees in all eligible sectors - expanded from 2-9 employees - including those in the arts, entertainment, and recreation sector, can now apply for up to $1,000 in financial support.

This one-time grant reimburses main street businesses for up to $1,000 in PPE costs incurred since March 17, 2020. Eligible businesses for the Main Street Relief Grant now include those with 2 to 19 employees in the following sectors:
  • retail trade;
  • accommodation and food services;
  • repair and maintenance;
  • personal and laundry services;
  • gyms and yoga studios; and
  • arts, entertainment, and recreation.
GETTING STARTED WITH IMPACT MEASUREMENT: WEBINARS
You can take control of the data you collect and how to communicate the value of your organization. As leaders of social purpose organizations it critical: 
  • to measure and monitor the things that will help your organization to flourish, AND
  • you must also communicate the progress you’re making towards your mission to funders and community members. 

Say goodbye to giant, unwieldy and one-off impact reporting projects that start collecting dust as soon as they land on funders’ desks. Likewise, you can do better than stretching whatever data is easily available into hasty charts and anecdotes that don’t really tell the story of the impact you have. For more information on this pair of webinars, click here.  
Webinars & Workshops
Feb 23 | 10:00 – 12:00 pm | CRA Tax Obligations - Cambridge
The seminar is mainly designed for owners of small unincorporated businesses, however, if you are incorporated you may also learn something new! Presented by the WRSBC
 
A step by step practical guide showing you exactly how to gather what you need, organize it all and save both time and money in 2021. Presented by the WRSBC
 
Do you currently feel stressed, overwhelmed, or uncertain about yourself and your small business? If you're feeling this way and need some advice or support, join us for a panel discussion with Experts in the fields of managing stress, anxiety and loss, and leading others during change and challenging times. Presented by the WRSBC
 
Calling all brick-and-mortar businesses! Join small business technology expert, Dr. Ada Barlatt, as she provides you with the resources you need to create an entirely new revenue stream for your business this winter. In this two-part workshop series, she will help you identify the right new online revenue stream for your business and provide you with a tangible action plan. Presented by the WRSBC
Article of the Week
Here are five ideas and examples of how small businesses are supporting each other during the pandemic.
Resources & Tools
Trying to stay organized? Check out these essential tools for business