Project Summary

The 2SLGBTQI+ (Rainbow) Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (“REKH”)

Project Summary

 

The current body of entrepreneurship research focuses on identifying and developing opportunities to create wealth. Little, however, is understood about what constraints entrepreneurs from marginalized communities experience and how those constraints may be removed to enable greater freedom and success.

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The 2SLGBTQI+ (Rainbow) Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (“REKH”) aims to understand the systemic constraints and barriers to career pathways for 2SLGBTQI+ Canadians. We are committed to inclusivity nationwide while bolstering actionable community-led and community-engaged intervention programming to help 2SLGBTQIA+ businesses prosper and thrive. We will co-research and co-create resources, programming, and targeted supports based on community-identified and context-specific needs and opportunities. By conducting research and collecting data, our goal is to create a clearer picture of the entrepreneurship landscape for the 2SLGBTQI+ community and the challenges 2SLGBTQI+ entrepreneurs face. 

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Working with 2SLGBTQI+ entrepreneurs, service providers and lived-experience communities, as well as an interdisciplinary research network across Canada from September 2024 - March 2026, our deliverables in both official languages will include:

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1. Developing and maintaining a national, accessible, bilingual database and map of resources;

2. Identifying existing research and gaps through literature reviews;

3. Conducting research to improve data and enable social change; 

4. Publishing a minimum of 4 publications; and

5. Participating in knowledge mobilization using diverse tools, technologies, and formats. 

 

Principles of relationality, celebration, co-learning and creation guide our work. Throughout the project, we will develop our deliverables through six committees. These committees include: 

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1. Advisory and Governance - Provides project oversight of contracts, financials, personnel, and all deliverables, including conference planning, reports, external communications and intellectual property;

2. Research - Produces valid and reliable data documenting the current entrepreneurship landscape; 

3. Evaluation - Guides developmental evaluation using mixed methods; 

4. Knowledge mobilization - Translates research results into actionable, accessible tools and resources;

5. Database, Repository & Mapping - Develops resources for mentoring and training for cross-Canada clients/users; and

6. Website and Communication - (rekh.ca) Supports the website content development which transparently shares research, resources, and events with the public and funders. 

 

Supporting our value for co-learning and collaboration, as well as our commitment to pan-Canadian and interdisciplinary results, many grassroots community and academic partners will contribute to the success of REKH through the following groups:

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1. An Executive Leadership Committee led by Principal Investigators Dr. Glynnis Lieb and Dr. Michael Lounsbury; Community and research partners; and 

2. An Advisory Council that will advise the Executive Leadership Committee and ensure the perspectives of Indigenous Queer and Two-Spirit, 2SLGBTQI+ Francophone, Black and other racialized, rural, disabled persons, and women will be prioritized. Within the Advisory Council, representatives will be chosen for Canada’s North, Central, East and West regions.  We are currently recruiting for the Advisory Council and plan to have the first Advisory Council meeting in November 2024.

 

If you want to participate in this exciting project supporting 2SLGBTQI+ Canadians, please email rainbowhub@ualberta.ca. 

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Download the Project Summary

 

This initiative is made possible thanks to funding from CGLCC’s 2SLGBTQI+ Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub, with backing from the Government of Canada.