Start preparing today to win a $7,500 grant for your business or apply for a $15,000 loan for your new business! Attend a Grants & Loans Information Session for details on eligibility requirements and how to apply. 

Win up to $7,500 to start your business.

Each spring, YES teams up with La Fondation du maire de Montréal pour la jeunesse to offer a grant to support young start-up entrepreneurs & artists.

Entrepreneurship Business Plan Contest
Each year, YES will award a $7,500 business start-up grant to a new entrepreneur in conjunction with La Fondation du maire de Montréal pour la jeunesse. Deadline to apply is February 2011 (exact date to be announced). For more information, please attend the Grants & Loans Information Session.

Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for these grants, you must:
 

• Be between 18 and 35 years of age
• Have a low income
• Must submit a completed Business Plan (for a sample of a Business Plan outline please click here)
• Must attend a YES Grants & Loans info session (every Wednesday, 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM)
• Must have met with a YES Business Coach at least 1-week prior to deadline
• Have a personal balance sheet equal to or below $25,000 
• Live and operate your business on the island of Montreal
• Have resided on the island of Montreal for at least three consecutive months
• Be able to start up a business on the island of Montreal in the twelve months following the project’s acceptance
• Have been in business for less than six months 
  

• Be between 18 and 34 years of age and be eligible to work in Canada.
   
• Demonstrate relevant knowledge and/or experience within the industry.
   
• Work in the business on a full-time basis.
   
• Present a business plan demonstrating the viability of your business.
   
• Be in business for less than 12 months (from the time of your first sale).

Grants and Loans Information Sessions
Cost: Free (Handouts $1)

Iris Unger, Executive Director of YES,  and Liette Lamonde, Executive Director of La fondation du maire, with this year's winner of the Entrepreneurship Business Plan Contest, Julian Ilson, Founder & CEO of Woodstream (www.woodstream.biz).	Julia Aynsley, Winner of the 2009 YES Entrepreneurship Business Plan Contest.
Iris Unger, Executive Director of YES Montreal, Liette Lamonde from La Fondation du Maire de Montréal pour la Jeunesse with the winner of  the 2008 YES Entrepreneurship Business Plan Contest Award,  Ali Emadzadeh from EON Academy	Rachel Dhawan (Brazen Design) winner of the 2007 YES Entrepreneurship Business Plan Contest Award.
Tyson Bodnarchuk & Angela Johnson (Headquarters Galerie & Boutique) winners of the 2006 YES Entrepreneurship Business Plan Contest.