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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 or grow an existing one 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 line of credit 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 viable plan to start a new business or grow an existing business that's less than 3 years old
  • Not be eligible for traditional financing or enough financing to reach your goals
  • Be a member of a Desjardins caisse or credit union

How it works du programme Créavenir

  1. Submit your business plan to one of the program's partner organizations in your area. You can find the list of partner organizations below.

    If your business plan is strong but you don't have enough capital or collateral for traditional financing, your plan might be reviewed by a Créavenir selection committee.

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

    • Support to get your business off the ground
    • A line of credit of up to $15,000 at the prime rate + 0.5% for 5 years
    • A  Business credit card with a credit limit of $1,000 at the prime rate + 0.5%
    • A grant of up to $5,000 (conditions apply), which you can use to qualify for other sources of funding

About the Desjardins Microcredit program 

If you're a self-employed worker or small business owner—or if you want to become one—this program can help you get a loan tailored to your needs.

Eligibility requirements  for Desjardins Microcredit.

  • Be 18 or older
  • 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

How it works du programme Microcrédit Desjardins

  1. Submit your business plan to one of the program's partner microcredit organizations in your area. You can find the list of partner organizations below.

    If your business plan is strong but you don't have enough capital or collateral to get a conventional loan, your plan 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
    Learn more about the Desjardins Microcredit program Microcrédit Desjardins aux entreprises (in French only, PDF, 409 KB)

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.