PARO Centre for Women’s Enterprise invites you to become a PARO woman, or to be a supporting Network member.  You, also, can support our programs as a charitable donor or sponsor, and/ or support our program to provide grants to women through our Peer Circle program. If you believe in empowering women, youth and communities through entrepreneurship, we would welcome your support.

As ‘one of the strongest Peer Lenders of small business loans in North America’, PARO decided to act quickly on research findings of Financial Growth for Women 2012, where women sited they needed increased access to grants and loans to start and grow businesses.  

Since the beginnings of PARO, we have helped over 4000 women and families move forward financially. Loans have been disbursed through partnerships with CFDC’s from across Ontario. 

Now, here is an opportunity for community members, organizations, and other women to give back and help other Northern women and their families.  Yes.  Other family members, community partners, corporations, and yes that does mean MEN can help too!!!  PARO remains dedicated to supporting financial growth of women in Northern Ontario.

To this end:

PARO started to raise funds to expand its Peer Lending Circle Initiative in 2013 to include a grant/loan component for its first and second stage loans of $1000 and $2000.  Already, PARO has raised sufficient funds to provide the grants/loans approved to date.  This is very encouraging!  

Women who are ‘eligible beneficiaries’ will receive a:

• $500 non-repayable portion towards payback of the $1000 loan
• $1000 non-repayable portion towards payback of the $2000 loan

So, you too can keep Northern Women Moving Forward:

Simple, do the math!

• $500 dollars from 500 Women (and Men!) will move 500 women forward.   
• $50 dollars from 500 Women (and Men!) will move   50 women forward.