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TEF provides Workshops, Coaching, Accelerators and Grants to support the start-up of new employment social enterprises. 

Workshops

Employment Social Enterprise 101 - A one-hour webinar that will provide you with an overview of the employment social enterprise model, including: key features, outcomes, best practices and more. ESE 101 is well-suited to entrepreneurs, agencies, educators, policy makers, funders and others interested in social enterprises.

• TEF's ESE 101 webinar is available as a pre-recorded 45 minute webinar. 
  
• View a pre-recorded webinar here. 

Employment Social Enterprise 201 - A three-hour, interactive workshop that will provide you with an opportunity to explore your readiness to launch an employment social enterprise, and begin to generate business ideas. The workshop is well-suited for entrepreneurs and agencies in Peel, Toronto or York Region interested in exploring ESE business development. 

• TEF is hosting an ESE 201 webinar on Thursday, September 29 from 1:00. to 3:45 p.m. - register here. 

Coaching

TEF staff offers virtual coaching to support early-stage entrepreneurs to think through their employment social enterprise idea, ask questions, and get feedback. Interested in speaking with a TEF coach? Contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to schedule a time. 

Accelerators

TEF operates Employment Social Enterprise Idea Accelerators to support individuals and organizations to develop early-stage employment social enterprise ideas. Participants in the Accelerator programs will have an opportunity to pitch for a Catalyzing Grant of approximately $7,500 to conduct a feasibility study and develop a business plan to advance their ESE idea. For more information on the ESE idea Accelerator program, please visit this page.  

Catalyzing Grants

TEF offers Catalyzing Grants to support entrepreneurs with strong employment social enterprise ideas to access the support they need to complete a feasibility study and business plan to test the market and employment demand for their employment social enterprise idea.

Catalyzing grants can be used to cover human resources costs, coach/consulting costs, costs to participate in entrepreneurship support programs and administrative costs incurred to develop the feasibility study and business plan. Grants are not intended to cover all costs related to the development of a feasibility study and business plan. Grants up to $7,500 are disbursed in two parts. 

Graduates of the ESE Idea Accelerator program have the option of applying for a Catalyzing Grant. Entrepreneurs who have not completed an Accelerator program can also apply for a Catalyzing Grant, if they have a sufficiently strong ESE idea. If you are interested in applying for Catalyzing Grant funding but have not participated in an Accelerator, please reach out to Paul Chamberlain (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) for application details. 

Start Up Grants

TEF offers Start-Up Grants to support social entrepreneurs who have a strong Feasibility Study and Business Plan to launch their employment social enterprise (ESE). Start-Up Grants provide a maximum of $100,000 over a three-year period and are used to support the costs required to launch and establish a new ESE. Most applicants for Start-Up Grants will have completed their Feasibility Study and Business Plan with the support of TEF’s Catalyzing Grants, however this is not required. Applications are accepted at specific deadlines based on requests for proposals that are broadly published through this website, social media, and through the TEF mailing list. More details about Start Up Grants can be found here.