About the Rural Alberta Entrepreneurs
with Disabilities Program (EDP)
What is EDP?
The Rural Alberta Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Program (EDP) is an online free, confidential initiative that helps individuals in rural Alberta start, grow, or maintain a small business when they experience a disability, long-term health condition, neurodivergence, or another health-related barrier.
Delivered by the Community Futures Network of Alberta and funded by PrairiesCan, Government of Canada, the program is designed to make entrepreneurship more inclusive and accessible — no matter your starting point.
If you live outside Edmonton or Calgary and have a self-declared health barrier that affects your ability to build or run a business, EDP is here to support you.
What You Get
As a participant in the EDP, you’ll receive:
- Packages of free and online professional one-on-one business coaching tailored to your needs and valued at $600 per package.
- Help with business planning, problem solving, or focus on the next steps for launching, maintaining, pivoting, or selling your business
- A safe, inclusive space to explore your business goals including neurodivergent coaches for those who would prefer them
- Access to further training, workshops, and financing opportunities through your local Community Futures office
Whether you're just getting started, looking to expand, or preparing to sell, we’re here to help you move forward with confidence.
Coaching Packages - A Closer Look
Coaching Packages are built around common questions and challenges our Coaches hear all the time. They don’t deliver cookie cutter advice, but are built around your unique needs, mindset, physical capability, and business goals. Once approved for the Program, your EDP Coach and Coordinator can assist you pick the one that is most helpful for your business stage.
PACKAGE 1
Business Discovery
If you don’t have a business yet, and want to explore the possibility.
- Identify the best business idea for you
- Explore how to manage your business day to day while navigating your health condition.
- Pinpoint the practical steps to get your business started.
PACKAGE 2
Business Planning
If you already have a business idea and want to get into the detail.
- Explore how to create a Business Plan for yourself or a Lender. Includes: Business Idea development, Marketing strategy, Operations approach, Financial analysis.
- Identify business financing options, if you need them.
PACKAGE 3
Business Sustainability
If you have a business and want to problem-solve or navigate your long-term success.
- Identify and resolve individual challenges
- Explore new strategies to expand your reach.
- Implement workflow efficiency.
- Prepare to pivot or sell your business.
Want to get started?
There are two easy ways to get started:
Find Your Local Community Futures Office
Use our Community Futures Office Locator and tell them you are interested in applying for the Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Program and the other services they have on offer. They will take it from there.
Contact Us Directly
Not sure where to start? Fill out our contact form, and we’ll connect you with the right office.
