Entrepreneur Mothers with Lived Experiences Fund
Supporting resilient mothers who are shaping the future
Mothers with lived experiences are strong, creative, and determined to forge a better future for their families and communities.
They have faced and overcome many challenges, but they are still often blocked from getting the business capital they need.
Conventional financing systems often do not support their entrepreneurial dreams, keeping mothers across Canada from reaching their full potential.
What if 34,000, or 10% of the single mothers currently living in poverty, became successful entrepreneurs?
We would reach $340 million capital demand, $1.36 billion added to Canada's economy, and $1.19 billion in annual savings.
Source: New Power Labs analysis
We are building a fund to bridge the gap for entrepreneur mothers.
Unlocking the potential of entrepreneur mothers
Entrepreneur mothers who have faced life-changing traumas possess incredible resilience, creativity, and determination. Their lived and living experiences – such as housing instability, substance use, and violence – have made them resilient and innovative entrepreneurs. Yet, they continue to face systemic discrimination based on their backgrounds, gender, and ethnicity.
Bridging the gap via holistic support
Our fund aims to combine flexible financing with partner programs offering mentorship, business training, and family support services. This integrated approach ensures that entrepreneur mothers have the opportunities they need to succeed in their ventures while caring for their families.
Co-designing a solution for growth
We are working with Urban Matters and community leaders to finalize our impact and support design. This initiative kicked off in January 2024, aiming to support entrepreneurial mothers across Canada. By demonstrating why investing in their futures is a "good deal," we hope to drive systemic change that recognizes the value and potential of these often overlooked and undervalued members of our society.
Through Spring and Summer 2024, we met with entrepreneur mothers in Vancouver, BC, Edmonton, AB, and London, ON, as well as funders and investors online. These meetings provided valuable insights that are shaping our fund’s approach to supporting entrepreneur mothers and ensuring their success.
There are more than 340,000 mother-led families currently living in poverty or deep income insecurity.
Lone mothers had the lowest average adjusted income at $25,300, significantly less than lone fathers, and women generally receive a smaller share of their personal income from employment compared to men.
$25,300
(Statistics Canada, 2016)
Female lone-parent households had the highest rate of food insecurity at 41.2%.
41.2%
PROOF, University of Toronto, 2022)
30.4% of single mother and their children are in low-income households.
30.4%
(Statistics Canada, 2016)
Statistics Canada, Canadian Income Survey, 2022; Table 17-10-0061-01
Entrepreneur mothers possess unique strengths and motivations to build businesses for their families' futures.
What if 34,000, or 10% of the single mothers currently living in poverty, became successful entrepreneurs?
$340 million capital demand
From 34,000 entrepreneur mothers who gain the capacity to start their small businesses, at an average microloan per business of $10,000.
$1.36 billion added to Canada's economy
By 34,000 new small businesses started by entrepreneur mothers that generate ~$40K each.
$1.19 billion in annual savings
Because 34,000 entrepreneur mothers transition from social assistance to financial self-sufficiency.
Source: New Power Labs’ analysis
Unlocking the potential of entrepreneurs mothers with lived experiences.
The Fund aims to close the gap between social assistance and low-income entrepreneur mothers’ first $100k in revenue. We provide the flexible, catalytic capital that traditional lenders cannot offer, while integrating with local partners to deliver business training, mentorship, family and health services.
We unlock the potential of Canada's 34,000 'missing' entrepreneurs, improve their odds of building viable businesses, and exiting poverty.
Increasing access to capital for entrepreneur mothers
We are designing the fund based on three principles: patient and integrated financing, gender-lens investing, and a trust-based approach.
A "ladder" of capital: We meet mothers where they are by offering a mix of non-repayable grants for initial setup (e.g., equipment, certification) and flexible, low-interest microloans for growth.
Trust-based underwriting: Instead of relying on credit scores or collateral that many mothers lack, we use "character-based lending." We assess creditworthiness based on community trust, business viability, and resilience, ensuring that a lack of assets doesn't block access to opportunity.
Flexible repayment: We structure loans with patience in mind, offering options like revenue-based financing where repayment fluctuates with business income, reducing the pressure on family finances during leaner months.
Enhancing business and financial skills
Together with partner organizations, we are helping mothers access business and financial support across Canada more easily.
Hub-and-spoke delivery: We are building a network of local community "spokes" in key regions (like Vancouver, Edmonton, and London) that connect mothers to a central "hub" of specialized expertise.
Tailored training: Rather than generic business courses, we fund participation in partner programs that offer mentorship, financial literacy, and skills training specifically adapted for the schedules and realities of parenting.
Mentorship that matters: We pair entrepreneur mothers with experienced mentors and business coaches who understand their unique challenges, helping them navigate everything from digital marketing to supply chain management.
Uplifting families and strengthening communities for lasting change
We will collaborate with partners to help mothers access the family support they need and to grow their community connections. We will provide mothers and their families with well-being workshops, community networking, family coaching, and other resources.
Wraparound family support: Recognizing that a business cannot thrive if the family is in crisis, we partner with local agencies to facilitate access to essential services like childcare, emergency funds, and mental health support.
Building social capital: We create dedicated peer networks where mothers can trade knowledge, share resources, and support one another, breaking the isolation often felt by solo entrepreneurs.
Holistic well-being: Beyond business, we connect families with resources for health, housing stability, and education, ensuring that the benefits of entrepreneurship translate into long-term family security.
Join us!
Support the Entrepreneur Mothers Fund!
Help unlock opportunities for resilient entrepreneurial mothers by investing, partnering, or advocating for their growth. Together, we can bridge the gap and create a more inclusive future.
Want to learn more? Reach out to us.
New Power Labs is a mission-oriented nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to capital for underfunded and overlooked communities through research and collective action. New Power Labs collaborates with capital deployers across the full capital spectrum — from philanthropy to impact investing to venture capital and bank financing — leveraging research and data benchmarks to shift their policies and practices, and to catalyze system-wide change.
About us
Urban Matters CCC works with municipalities, communities, cities, governments, NPOs, First Nations, social entrepreneurs, and socially conscious business leaders to identify, introduce, and scale innovations that address complex social issues, so that people can live happier and healthier lives.