Northern Ontario Women - NOW Program

09/01/2026

📍 FANTASTIC 🆓 OPPORTUNITY 📍

09/01/2026

📍🔎 SHARING 🔍📍

Community Futures Week 2026 is coming September 21-27!

This September, Community Futures organizations across Ontario are coming together to celebrate the people, businesses, partnerships, and communities that make rural Ontario strong.

Under this year’s theme of Locally Driven, Nationally Supported, Community Futures Week will highlight the local knowledge, leadership, and support that help entrepreneurs and rural communities grow.

Follow along as we celebrate Community Futures' impact across Ontario and take part in a series of free virtual sessions for entrepreneurs and small businesses featuring practical information, insights, and resources.

Learn more about Community Futures Week and register for the free webinar series:
https://buff.ly/LVZyIFO

08/30/2026

🆓⬇️🆓⬇️🆓

Discover the building blocks of childhood development with a free Contact North webinar.

Children’s Social, Emotional and Cognitive Development – What’s Happening and Why?

You’ll explore:
⭐️ How the changes children experience impact their behaviour
⭐️ Preschoolers’ procrastination behaviour
⭐️ The development of (dis)honesty across childhood
⭐️ Children’s ability to recognize parents and teachers..and more!

📞 1-877-999-9149
📬 [email protected]

Discover the building blocks of childhood development with the free webinar, Children’s Social, Emotional and Cognitive Development – What’s Happening and Why?

You’ll explore:
⭐️ How the changes children experience impact their behaviour
⭐️ Preschoolers’ procrastination behaviour
⭐️ The development of (dis)honesty across childhood
⭐️ Children’s ability to recognize parents and teachers..and more!

📞 1-877-999-9149
📬 [email protected]

08/28/2026

📌 FEEDBACK FRIDAY 📌

Another Friday, another appreciative NOW grant recipient ❤️

"This funding helped NorthStream support business by offsetting the cost of professional marketing mentorship through Sociable Thunder Bay Inc., allowing NorthStream to invest in a stronger marketing strategy, visibility, and business development while reducing the financial burden of those improvements.

Through the Northern Ontario Women Program and the funding amount provided, the program created an opportunity for us to strengthen how we communicate our services, reach clients more effectively, and continue building long-term sustainability and growth in the region, expanding our social marketing reach.

We thank you for the opportunity and are grateful for the assistance with our continued growth and advancement in the Occupational Health Industry as a woman-owned business."

Donna
NorthStream Safety + Rehab
Thunder Bay

NorthStream is a trusted provider of occupational health testing, safety training, and compliance solutions across Canada. Keep your workforce healthy, safe, and compliant.

08/27/2026

2️⃣ NOW Scholarships still up for grabs!

Info and details below ⬇️

The NOW Program is proud to once again offer scholarships for 4️⃣ Northern Ontario women to attend Venture For Canada's ETA Bootcamp in Toronto.

This bootcamp has only 1 in-person component (at the very start of the course) and the graduation will be online. Please note that the NOW scholarship covers tuition (a $2️⃣6️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ value) only.

For more information about this Bootcamp, please contact [email protected].

If you decide this opportunity might be for you, please contact Susan at [email protected]
••••••••
About The Program:

The Venture for Canada (VFC) ETA Academy Bootcamp is an intensive, hybrid program designed for mid-to-advanced career professionals aiming to acquire a business in Canada's lower middle market. The program provides a roadmap for evaluating, financing, and searching for businesses without requiring prior entrepreneurship through acquisition (ETA) or merger and acquisition (M&A) experience.

💻 Hybrid - One in-person day full of sessions in Toronto + Remote sessions on Zoom.
🗓️ Duration - Five Weeks | October 24th - November 28th, 2026
⏰ Time Commitment ~ 6-8 hours per week
💰: $2,600 CAD (early bird pricing $1,950 CAD)

08/25/2026

Very proud to have played a role in this trademark project 🇨🇦

I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who helped make our trademark a reality. The Sandbox System® is now an official registered trademark. This milestone was not achieved alone—it reflects the guidance, encouragement, expertise, and trust of an extraordinary community.

Thank you to The Business Centre Nipissing Parry Sound Inc., NECO Community Futures Development Corporation, the North Bay & District Chamber of Commerce, the Northern Ontario Women - NOW Program, PARO Centre and Réseau des Femmes d'affaires du Québec. I’m grateful at The Law Firm of Jonathan D'Agostino & Associates, Matt at Loopstra Nixon LLP, and the Trade Accelerator Program for valuable legal, business, and exporting guidance.

Speaking, training, and presenting the system has been greatly enhanced from my communities at , Canadian Association of Professional Speakers, NSA-NE, SHRM, Rhode Island SHRM, Strategic Coach, Lise Leblanc, and M. Thorpe & Associates Inc. Belonging to communities of professionals always inspires me along the way.

My work team makes this brand and our work look world class and I wouldn't be nearly as far along without them. Thank you Jhoni, Monica, Sopheia, and Mandy. Hubby Trent Theroux and my family's never-ending patience, belief, and steady support make it possible to keep building, learning, and serving to bring more peace into the world, one person - one department - one organization at a time.

And to every client who has trusted us: THANK YOU, Miigwetch, for inviting us into important workplace conversations and allowing us to bring a playful, practical approach to the serious challenge of turning workplace conflict into opportunities for growth.

A trademark is more than a legal registration—it helps protect the identity, reputation, and distinctiveness of a brand that has been built through years of work and trusted relationships. It gives clients and partners greater clarity about who they are working with, supports growth into new markets, and helps safeguard the ideas, tools, and approach that make an organization recognizable. For us, this trademark honours what we have created together and strengthens the foundation for what comes next.

08/21/2026

📌 FEEDBACK FRIDAY 📌

Another Friday, another appreciative NOW grant recipient ❤️

“The NOW funding has been extremely helpful in allowing me to properly relaunch and position Business Advisory by Marsh for its next stage of growth.

While I established the business in 2022, I had not yet developed the professional brand or digital presence needed to actively market my services and grow the business. Through the funding, I was able to work with Clark Marketing Communications to develop a strong visual identity, professional website and clearer messaging around the strategic planning, organizational change, project leadership and advisory services I provide.

Just as valuable was the guidance and mentorship I received throughout the process, which helped me think more strategically about how I position and promote the business. The result is a much stronger foundation from which to build my consulting practice, reach new clients and pursue opportunities across Northern Ontario and beyond.

I am very appreciative of the support provided through the NOW program.”

Tracie
Business Advisory by Marsh
North Bay
www.advisorybymarsh.ca

Tracie Marsh provides strategic planning, leadership, organizational transformation and executive advisory to help organizations move forward.

08/18/2026

The NOW Program is proud to once again offer scholarships for 4️⃣ Northern Ontario women to attend Venture For Canada's ETA Bootcamp in Toronto.

This bootcamp has only 1 in-person component (at the very start of the course) and the graduation will be online. Please note that the NOW scholarship covers tuition (a $2️⃣6️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ value) only.

For more information about this Bootcamp, please contact [email protected].

If you decide this opportunity might be for you, please contact Susan at [email protected]
••••••••
About The Program:

The Venture for Canada (VFC) ETA Academy Bootcamp is an intensive, hybrid program designed for mid-to-advanced career professionals aiming to acquire a business in Canada's lower middle market. The program provides a roadmap for evaluating, financing, and searching for businesses without requiring prior entrepreneurship through acquisition (ETA) or merger and acquisition (M&A) experience.

💻 Hybrid - One in-person day full of sessions in Toronto + Remote sessions on Zoom.
🗓️ Duration - Five Weeks | October 24th - November 28th, 2026
⏰ Time Commitment ~ 6-8 hours per week
💰: $2,600 CAD (early bird pricing $1,950 CAD)

08/17/2026

🌠✏️📍 NE MANQUEZ PAS CETTE OCCASION 📍✏️🌠

Le 31 juillet 2026, le programme NOW a annoncé avoir récupéré des fonds non réclamés, une excellente nouvelle pour les entrepreneures du Nord de l'Ontario !

Depuis sa réouverture il y a seulement deux semaines, nous avons reçu des dizaines de demandes, dont plusieurs ont été approuvées. En raison de l'affluence des quatorze derniers jours, nos fonds restants sont désormais très limités !

En bref, si vous souhaitez soumettre une demande pour un projet admissible (service professionnel ponctuel, programme de mentorat/coaching ou formation) pouvant être réalisé en trois mois, contactez Susan ([email protected]) dès aujourd'hui pour obtenir votre formulaire de demande.

Les demandes seront traitées par ordre d'arrivée (dans un délai de 5 jours ouvrables) jusqu'à épuisement des fonds.

08/17/2026

🌠✏️📍 DON'T MISS OUT ON THIS OPPORTUNITY 📍✏️🌠

On July 31, 2026 the NOW Program announced that we had some unclaimed dollars back in our account, which was great news for Northern Ontario women entrepreneurs!

Since reopening just TWO weeks ago we have had dozens of applications submitted, with many being approved. As a result of the craziness of the last fourteen days, the amount of funding we have remaining is now very limited!

Long story short, if you are interested in applying for an eligible project (one-time professional service, mentoring/coaching program, or an education course) which can be completed within three months' time, reach out to Susan ([email protected]) to obtain your application.

All submitted applications will be assessed on a first come, first served basis (within 5 business days) until the funds have been depleted.

Everyone