The Capital Elle Business Impact Award: Funding the Unfunded, Fueling the Future of Women Entrepreneurs in Canada
In a world where women entrepreneurs still face overwhelming barriers to funding, one initiative is rewriting the script — and it’s doing it on their terms.
The Capital Elle Business Impact Award is more than a grant. It’s a bold movement led by Erin Sisko, the founder of The Elleiance Network, and one of the most exciting funding opportunities currently available to Canadian women in business.
With $50,000 in cash and services being awarded to 10 visionary women in 2025, this isn’t just a prize — it’s a chance to be seen, supported, and funded in a system that rarely offers that trifecta.
Why Erin Sisko, Founder of The Elleiance Network, Created the Capital Elle Business Impact Award
After a decade working in commercial banking, Erin Sisko noticed a disturbing trend: she was only funding men.
At first, she wondered if it was a coincidence. But the deeper she looked, the clearer it became — the funding system was never designed for women. Especially not for women running service-based, creative, or social impact businesses.
These industries are often undervalued by traditional investors because they lack physical assets, scale differently, or prioritize mission over margin. But that doesn’t make them any less viable. In fact, these are often the businesses creating the most impact in local communities and economies.
So Erin left the bank and built something better.
Through her work with The Elleiance Network, a strategic business mastermind community for Canadian women entrepreneurs, Erin began helping women grow their ventures with confidence, clarity, and community. But she knew funding was still a missing piece.
That’s why she launched the Capital Elle Business Impact Award — a national funding initiative designed to flip the narrative on who gets funded and why.
What Makes This Award Different?
The Capital Elle Business Impact Award is one of the few Canadian funding programs that:
Specifically supports creative, service-based, and social impact businesses
Recognizes that “fundability” is often rooted in bias
Offers a non-repayable, non-dilutive grant — no strings attached
Prioritizes impact, vision, and lived experience over polished pitch decks
Is free to apply and open to all Canadian women entrepreneurs who meet the criteria
The application process is straightforward and designed to empower, not intimidate.
Applicants share the story of their business, who they serve, and what winning would unlock.
A judging panel selects the Top 10 recipients, with prize packages ranging from $1,300 to $25,000.
Even better — 4 of those 10 seats are reserved exclusively for members of The Elleiance Network, reaffirming the community’s commitment to action, not just talk.
Why “Unfundable” Businesses Are Being Centered
The Capital Elle Business Impact Award centers around a powerful idea: that the businesses most often denied capital are often the ones most worth funding.
Many women have been told their model is “too niche,” “too emotional,” or “too hard to scale.” Others have been denied loans unless they agreed to use their home as collateral or asked a male partner to co-sign.
These barriers don’t speak to the quality of their business — they speak to the flaws in the system.
By spotlighting “unfundable” industries and removing the typical gatekeeping, this award gives power back to the women building income and impact their own way.
Who Is Eligible to Apply?
You can apply for the Capital Elle Business Impact Award if you:
Are a Canadian resident
Identify as a woman and own 50% or more of your business
Are running a registered business in Canada
Operate in a creative, service-based, or social impact industry — or have been previously denied funding
Are available for a finalist interview and agree to public recognition if selected
Applications open on September 2, 2025 and close on October 28, 2025.
Winners will be announced on November 27, 2025.
The Power of Social Capital and Community
The Capital Elle Business Impact Award is made possible by a coalition of 29 partners — 27 of them women-owned — and is deeply rooted in the values of The Elleiance Network.
At its core, this initiative is about more than money. It’s about building new pathways to power. It’s about relationships, visibility, and rewriting what leadership in business looks like.
As Erin Sisko says, “We’re not waiting for permission. We’re building our own table.”
How to Apply or Nominate Someone
If you or someone you know is a visionary founder building a business in one of the most underfunded sectors — this is your moment.
Apply or Nominate Yourself or a Fellow Founder here: https://www.elleiance.ca/impact-award-2025
You don’t need a perfect pitch.
You need purpose.
You need persistence.
And you need to be ready to claim what’s yours.
This is your chance to be funded not in spite of your vision — but because of it.
