Can you stack Alberta Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) Business Loan and WEOC National Loan Program?
Yes. Alberta Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) Business Loan and WEOC National Loan Program can be combined. They fund different things, so the trick is simple: apply to each separately and never claim the same dollar twice. Together they reach up to $200K+ in potential value.
Alberta Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) Business Loan
Alberta Women Entrepreneurs is the provincial delivery partner of the federal Women Entrepreneurship Strategy. It provides term loans of up to $150,000 to majority women-led Alberta businesses for equipment, inventory, marketing, technology, leasehold improvements, and working capital. Applicants need a credit score of at least 650, a minimum 25% owner equity on project costs, and the ability to pledge security. Advisory, mentoring, and training are available alongside the loan.
WEOC National Loan Program
A national microloan of up to $50,000 for women and non-binary entrepreneurs, funded by the federal Women Entrepreneurship Strategy and delivered through regional Loan Fund Partners. It targets start-ups, sole proprietors and underrepresented owners who have trouble getting bank financing, with no minimum credit score. A regional partner advisor helps you prepare and submit the application.
How to stack them
- 01Confirm you meet each program's eligibility on its own. Alberta Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) Business Loan and WEOC National Loan Program are assessed separately.
- 02Apply to each program through its own application. There is no combined form.
- 03Allocate distinct costs to each program. You cannot claim the same dollar of expense under both, but you can fund different parts of the same project.
- 04Track both deadlines and keep the paperwork separated, so each claim stands on its own.
Stacking rules vary by program and change over time. Confirm the current rules with each program, or take the quiz and we will flag the combinations you qualify for.