Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurial Society Hub

What Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurial Society Hub does

Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurial Society Hub (F.L.E.S.H) is a Toronto-based nonprofit NGO founded in 2019 as the Black Awareness Movement Group and formally registered on July 27, 2023. The organization delivers financial literacy education, entrepreneurship programming, and community support services to equity-deserving communities in Canada, with a primary focus on BIPOC, 2SLGBTQIA+, women, persons with disabilities, and low-income or hard-to-employ individuals. Its core programmatic portfolio comprises three sub-brands: the FLEP (Financial Literacy & Entrepreneurship Program) with youth and creatives/small business tracks delivered at the Regent Park Community Centre of Excellence; the Financial Justice Program, a culturally responsive track for Black tenants, families, and underserved Toronto communities; and Mental Health Diversion Support, a by-referral initiative integrating financial literacy into criminal justice diversion. A supplementary FLESH Content Creation Studio provides participants with in-house content production resources.

The organization operates with no proprietary technology platform; delivery is conducted through in-person workshops at community locations alongside online sessions via WhatsApp and Zoom, with program registration handled through Google Forms and sign-up notifications via the organizer's website (financialliteracycanada.com). Its go-to-market motion is community-led and event-driven: programs are accessed via community partnerships, referrals, grassroots networking, peer-led storytelling, and events, with partnerships including Alterna Savings (funder and referral), Tropicana Community Services, Black Opportunity Fund, the Canada Revenue Agency for tax workshops, and MMF Canada for music industry outreach. Leadership consists of three Board members (Co-Founder and Chair Brandy Skinner, Co-Founder and Treasurer Gabrielle Rubaine, Secretary Jo'el "Julez" Douglas) supported by a four-person Advisory Committee.

FLESH is funded through grants, sponsorships, and donations, with all programs provided free of charge to participants. There is no publicly disclosed organizational revenue or full staff headcount; reported figures describe client outcomes rather than organizational inflows, including $45,030 in self-generating community dollars and $275,450 in combined successful grants facilitated for clients, alongside registration support for 32 businesses, 3 NGOs, and 2 charities, and 10 successful business credit facility openings. The organization operates from 300-585 Dundas Street East, Toronto, with stated Canada-wide outreach and a published 2024 Annual Report signaling continued governance formalization post-registration.

Name

Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurial Society Hub

Legal name

Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurial Society Hub

Website

https://financialliteracycanada.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurial Society Hub (F.L.E.S.H) is a Toronto-based nonprofit NGO providing financial literacy education, entrepreneurship programs, and community support free of charge to BIPOC, 2SLGBTQIA+, and other equity-deserving communities across Canada through workshops, mentorship, and partnerships with financial institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Financial Literacy Education

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education (EDAAAFAK)

Keywords

• Financial literacy education
• Entrepreneurship training programs
• Community financial empowerment
• Nonprofit mentorship services
• Youth financial coaching

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding and Donations: As a nonprofit organization, F.L.E.S.H operates primarily through grants, sponsorships, and donations to support program costs and participant outcomes. The organization receives funding from government sources and community foundations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

F.L.E.S.H is a nonprofit that provides free financial literacy workshops, entrepreneurship training, mentorship, and community support programs to BIPOC, 2SLGBTQIA+, women, persons with disabilities, and other equity-deserving communities in Toronto and across Canada. Programming is delivered through in-person sessions at community venues (including the Regent Park Community Centre of Excellence) and online via Zoom and WhatsApp, covering topics such as budgeting, credit management, tax preparation, business plan writing, content creation, and homeownership pathways.

Product overview

Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurial Society Hub (FLESH) operates as a multi-faceted nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of financial literacy and entrepreneurship programs. The core offerings include FLEP (Financial Literacy & Entrepreneurship Program) serving both youth and creatives/small businesses, the Financial Justice Program for Black tenants and families, and Mental Health Diversion Support integrating financial literacy with criminal justice diversion. The organization also provides access to a Content Creation Studio as a supplementary resource. Programs are delivered both in-person and online, targeting BIPOC, 2SLGBTQIA+, women, persons with disabilities, and other equity-deserving groups across Canada.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FLEP (Financial Literacy & Entrepreneurship Program): A 12-week program for youth and creatives/small businesses focusing on financial literacy, business planning, and entrepreneurship support for BIPOC and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.
• Financial Justice Program
• Mental Health Diversion Support

Products and services

• FLEP - Youth Financial Literacy & Entrepreneurship Program In-person youth financial literacy and entrepreneurship program delivered at the Regent Park Community Centre of Excellence, teaching budgeting, credit management, saving, and business startup skills to youth in Toronto, particularly in Regent Park and other underserved communities.
• FLEP - Financial Literacy & Entrepreneurship Program for Creatives and Small Businesses 12-week program for entrepreneurs, small businesses, and creatives who identify as Black, Indigenous, Women, Persons of Colour or 2SLGBTQIA+. Covers financial literacy essentials, business plan writing, content creation for business, and addressing financial lack, with 1-on-1 facilitator sessions and referral support to Alterna Savings funding.
• Financial Justice Program Culturally responsive financial empowerment programming targeting Black communities, low-income residents, people with disabilities, and tenants in Regent Park and underserved Toronto communities. Offers year-round workshops on tax filing, credit management, and budgeting; in-person financial coaching; education on homeownership pathways; peer-led storytelling; and mentorship/coaching.
• Mental Health Diversion Support Program providing diversion from the criminal justice system to mental health services for individuals with mental health challenges charged with low-risk criminal offences. Includes mental health assessment, recovery-centred court diversion plan development, financial literacy integration into diversion initiatives, and pre-sentencing, post-sentencing, and reintegration support. Access is by referral only.
• FLESH Content Creation Studio Supplementary in-house content creation studio providing program participants with access to create materials for their businesses.

Quantifiable outcome

• Self-generating community dollars earned and spent in own community: $45,030
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Alterna SavingscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunder and referral partner. Programs run in collaboration with Alterna Savings including the Financial Literacy & Entrepreneurship Program for creatives and small businesses. Referral support provided to clients to apply to Alterna Savings funding and other financial institutions.
• Tropicana Community ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunder and community partner supporting financial literacy and entrepreneurship programs for BIPOC communities.
• Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for tax filing education workshops as part of the Financial Justice Program. CRA supports financial literacy programming.
• MMF Canada (Music Managers Forum)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrandy Skinner facilitated Business Plan workshop series on behalf of MMF Canada, City of Toronto's Music Office. MMF Canada Outreach Director role held by Gabrielle Rubaine.
• Canadian International Black Women Excellence (CIBWE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization where Dr. Marlyn Morris serves as founder and managing director; aligned mission around Black women empowerment.
• UN-WOMEN CARIBBEANminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Marlyn Morris is a member of the pool of Expert Trainers and Researchers on the Prevalence of Domestic Violence on Women and Girls.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Black Business and Professional Association (BBPA): BBPA is a Canadian nonprofit supporting Black business owners and professionals through mentorship, networking, and entrepreneurship programming. It is directly comparable to FLESH's small business and creative entrepreneur programs for Black communities, and FLESH advisory member Princess Bouche is a recognized BBPA awardee.
• Pathways to Education Canada: Pathways to Education Canada is a national nonprofit providing academic and financial support to youth from low-income communities to help them complete high school and pursue post-secondary education. It directly compares to FLESH's FLEP youth program on beneficiary profile (low-income, urban youth) and educational capacity-building approach.
• YWCA Toronto: YWCA Toronto delivers employment, housing, and women's empowerment programming including financial literacy and entrepreneurship support for women and gender-marginalized communities in Toronto. It directly overlaps FLESH's target segments (women, BIPOC, 2SLGBTQIA+) and its combination of social services with economic empowerment programming.
• WoodGreen Community Services: WoodGreen Community Services is a large Toronto-based nonprofit offering employment, financial empowerment, newcomer settlement, and youth programming across underserved neighborhoods. It is a direct peer in the Toronto community-services ecosystem delivering comparable financial literacy and employment-readiness services.
• Black Opportunity Fund: Black Opportunity Fund is a Canadian charitable organization focused on investing in Black community-led organizations and initiatives across Canada. It is a core FLESH funder and operates in the same equity-driven funding ecosystem targeting Black communities, making it a directly comparable peer in mission and beneficiary base.
• Tropicana Community Services: Tropicana Community Services is a Toronto-based nonprofit serving BIPOC, immigrant, and low-income communities with settlement, employment, and youth programs. It is an active FLESH funder and community partner, and operates directly comparable community-based capacity-building and entrepreneurship-adjacent programming in the same geographic market.

Broad incumbents

• Toronto Community Foundation: Toronto Community Foundation is a major community grantmaker pooling donor funds to support Toronto-area nonprofits addressing poverty, equity, and inclusion. It is a comparable ecosystem peer in the same funding-and-equity landscape as FLESH, though it operates as a grantmaker rather than a direct service provider.
• United Way Greater Toronto: United Way Greater Toronto is a large, established funder and convenor of community services in the Toronto region addressing poverty, social inclusion, and economic empowerment. While not a direct program operator in FLESH's specific niche, it is a comparable community-impact nonprofit operating in the same funding and beneficiary ecosystem with much broader scope.
• Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH): CAMH is Canada's largest mental health teaching hospital and a key Toronto provider of mental health services, including justice-system diversion initiatives. It is a broad peer to FLESH's Mental Health Diversion Support program, providing the clinical and institutional infrastructure that FLESH's diversion work integrates with.

Emerging players

• Eva's Initiatives for Homeless Youth: Eva's Initiatives provides shelter, housing, employment, and life-skills programming for homeless and at-risk youth in Toronto. It overlaps with FLESH's youth-focused financial literacy and life-skills work, particularly for marginalized youth in Toronto, though Eva's is more housing-anchored and serves a higher-acuity population.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurial Society Hub