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THE CHANGE MAKE-HER PROGRAM 

Empowering Women & Gender-Diverse People through Entrepreneurial Development Workshops, Community Support, Resources, and Opportunities.

This program is created by and for communities that are often excluded from traditional entrepreneurship spaces. CMH centres and is shaped by lived experience as an asset, recognizes systemic barriers, and approaches learning with compassion, accessibility, and feminist values.

THE CHANGE MAKE-HER ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM

The Change Make-Her Program (CMH) is a free, empowering, interactive virtual program for women, non-binary, and gender-diverse people who have launched or are building a small business, freelance project, or creative venture in Canada.

Rooted in equity, inclusivity, and care, CMH helps participants build foundational business and leadership skills through values-aligned workshops, mentorship, and community connection.  

We believe entrepreneurship can be a meaningful pathway toward economic and social justice—especially for those who face systemic barriers to participation. Whether you’re in the early planning stages, piloting a small offering, or already building something meaningful and seek support to take your next step, CMH offers the fundamentals, tools, and support to move forward with a strengthened entrepreneurial mindset, leadership skills, and confidence—and on your terms. 

Change Make-Her is a starting point for building a business, your way!

To learn more about our programs and who we serve, visit the General Helpful Information section. 

ALERT: APPLICATION FOR COHORT 6 IS CLOSED. JOIN OUR MONTHLY NEWSLETTER TO GET NOTIFIED ABOUT COHORT 7.

What CMH Program Offers:

Over 10 weeks, participants engage in:

  • 1 orientation 
  • 6 live workshops (2 hrs each) with guest mentors and facilitators 
  • 1 celebration session 
  • Mentorship-based learning and presentations from experienced women entrepreneurs and facilitators who get it 
  • Practical business tools on topics like branding, finances, marketing, audience growth, operational planning, and growing leadership skills 
  • Community and peer support, including optional drop-in sessions and shared reflections
  • Up to $250 micro-grant for eligible participants for business and professional development 
  • A curated resource guide, digital materials and tools, and session summaries
  • Wraparound supports like child care, sensory tools, tech help, and accessibility accommodations
  • Opportunities for continued connection, platform exposure, alumni engagement, and paid roles

Each workshop is hosted in a supportive and inclusive environment, where you’ll connect with experienced entrepreneurs, guest mentors, and peers who share similar lived experiences and champion your journey. Together, we build a space rooted in equality and care—where learning is interactive and participants are encouraged to show up as they are.

Through CMH, Participants Will:
1. Build foundational entrepreneurship and leadership skills that reflect their values and lived experiences

2. Explore core business tools and concepts such as planning, branding, finances, and marketing in accessible, real-world ways

3. Strengthen self-confidence, connection, and social inclusion in a space rooted in community care and peer support

4. Foster both independence and interdependence, developing their capacity to lead, collaborate, and thrive on their own terms

Who The Program is For:
CMH prioritizes those who identify as women, non-binary, Two-Spirit, or gender-diverse and: 

  • 18+ and living in Canada (Canadian Citizen, Permanent Resident, or Temporary Resident)

  • Are in the early stages of building a small business, creative project, self-directed venture, or freelance/gig work 
    (e.g., selling handmade products, offering services like tutoring, consulting, or hair styling, starting a community-based offering, building an e-commerce or personal brand, piloting a local business)

  • Facing [systemic] barriers to traditional business entrepreneurship 
    (e.g., due to racism, gender-based violence, poverty, migration, ableism, or transphobia)

  • Want to grow their ventures with support in a safer, inclusive, and community-rooted space

  • Can commit to the full program and cohort guidelines — including six live workshops, a short orientation, optional community sessions, and email communications (accommodations provided as needed) 

    Our program is short; we ask you to join only if you can attend key dates and at least 90% of sessions.

  • Can engage in a virtual group-based setting with camera & mic use

  • Have access to a device and internet connection to support Zoom video sessions (tech supports available) 

We strongly encourage applications from folks who hold multiple intersecting identities, including but not limited to Black, Indigenous, racialized, 2SLGBTQIA+, disabled, low-income, and newcomer communities. Our programs are built with you in mind.

Access & Participation:
CMH is offered entirely online via Zoom, delivered in English. To ensure inclusive and equitable access, we offer a range of wraparound supports, such as:

  • Internet/data stipends (limited availability)
  • ASL interpretation (upon request)
  • Loaner tablets (limited availability)
  • Childcare activity kits (limited availability) 
  • Plain-language workshop summaries and glossaries
  • Sensory comfort tools (e.g., fidget items)
  • Live tech support during sessions

Participants are asked to attend all six core workshops, a short orientation session, and stay connected via email. We do our best to meet everyone where they are.

Ready To Join?
Applications for Cohort 6 are now open!
APPLY HERE: forms.gle/umiYCCr3KLgSuviH6

To request the form in a different format or ask about accessibility needs, contact us. 

Program Contact:
Aramí Galeano, Manager of Support Services
Email: [email protected]

Our Approach:
CMH is rooted in trauma-informed, anti-oppressive, intersectional, and equity-driven practices. Each session blends real-world business tools with values-based learning grounded in lived experience as expertise, care, community, and self-determination.

We know that traditional entrepreneurship spaces have not been made for everyone. That’s why our program centres lived experiences and diverse ways of building—affirming that participants deserve to grow their ventures in spaces that honour belonging and inclusion. Our goal isn’t just business growth—it’s economic justice, empowerment, and connection. Each session is thoughtfully designed to reflect the values and principles of GOOD TO BE GOOD.

Who We Serve:
As a nonprofit committed to equity and justice, we recognize how systemic discrimination continues to impact access to opportunities—especially for those with multiple identities. That’s why our programs are intentionally designed to support women, non-binary, and gender-diverse individuals from underserved, under-resourced, and underrepresented communities.

Our goal is to help remove barriers to economic participation and equitable access to resources.

Program Accessibility:
We are committed to making our programs as accessible as possible. Most of our programming is delivered virtually to support flexibility and reduce barriers.

  • Closed captioning is available for all programs, meetings, and webinars. Translators may be provided for specific sessions, where applicable.

  • We continue to improve accessibility through ongoing initiatives, partnerships, and adaptive approaches.

  • Technical assistance is available to support participants with diverse access needs, including those who are neurodiverse.

 

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