Social economy organizations take note: the application period for the sixth edition of the Bourses d’initiatives à l’entrepreneuriat collectif (BIEC) Montérégie is now open.
Over $139,000 in grants are available to social economy businesses and organizations operating in the Montérégie-Ouest, including a total of $32,500 in the MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent, $37,500 in the MRC des Jardins-de-Napierville, $28,500 in the MRC de Beauharnois-Salaberry, and at least $20,000 in both the MRC de Roussillon and the MRC de Vaudreuil-Soulanges.
The BIEC grants are designed to support the emergence and development of collective entrepreneurship initiatives and social economy projects. Organizations can submit their ideas to one of two categories. Smaller improvement projects may be funded up to $7,500, while organizations with large-scale projects in mind could access between $7,500 and $20,000.
The BIEC program generated close to three million dollars in investment across the Montérégie region last year. Of the 88 projects submitted, 42 were selected and received more than $320,000 in grants.
A virtual information session will take place on October 29, at 10 a.m. and an application support workshop will be held on November 18 by appointment at the office of the Pôle d’économie sociale Vallée-du-Haut-Saint-Laurent.
More information about the BIEC grants and the application process is now available at https://biec.quebec. The online application form will remain accessible until the call for projects closes on December 1.
The winners will be announced at a regional gala in March 2025. (SR)