What is Alberta Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) — Loans and Advisory?
Alberta Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) — Loans and Advisory is delivered by Alberta Women Entrepreneurs as a loan. Funding is typically loans up to $150,000 (larger amounts via lending partners). This page covers eligibility, intake status, and what an application actually requires.
At a glance
| Funding amount | Loans up to $150,000 (larger amounts via lending partners) |
|---|---|
| Cost share | N/A (loan) |
| Level | Provincial |
| Program type | Loan |
| Delivered by | Alberta Women Entrepreneurs |
| Available in | AB |
| Intake status | Open - continuous, no deadline |
| Last verified | 2026-08-24 |
Who qualifies
- Eligible industries: All sectors
- Eligible activities: Business startup; expansion; working capital; equipment
Watch out for
Less than 51% women-owned; outside Alberta
Deadlines & how to apply
Open continuously with no deadline. Loans up to $150,000 directly, larger amounts through lending partners. Rates Prime +2% to Prime +4%, terms up to five years, flexible repayment. Eligibility: at least 50.1% women-owned, registered and operating in Alberta, all shareholders Alberta residents. IMPORTANT: AWE is a non-profit lender, not a government grant program. This is repayable debt, not free money, and should be positioned that way alongside advisory and mentorship services which are the stronger draw for early-stage applicants.
How NorthGrants helps with Alberta Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) — Loans and Advisory
Most business owners read about Alberta Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) — Loans and Advisory, see the funding amount, and stop. The hard part isn't finding the grant. It's building a complete application that answers what the program asks for.
NorthGrants builds the full application framework for you: a tailored project narrative aligned to this program's evaluation criteria, a budget structure that maps to eligible costs, and the supporting documentation checklist. You review it, refine the parts only you can write, and submit.