SMALL BUSINESS OWNER IN NEED OF DIGITAL FINANCIAL SUPPORT?

YOU COULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR $2,400.00 CAD

The Canadian Federal Government created CDAP to assist qualified small & medium-sized businesses in their online expansion and adoption of innovative digital technologies.

These funds provide support for enhancing online business growth, covering expenses such as a new website, a website audit and refresh, eCommerce platform fees, CRM software, chat widgets, online booking systems, cybersecurity, and much more.

Olive Grey’s services have been approved to use under the CDAP program.

ARE YOU ELIGIBLE?

  • The Grow Your Business Online Grant is offered in British Columbia through Small Business BC and is currently open for applications from businesses that meet all the following criteria:

    • Is a for-profit business (including for-profit social enterprises and co-operatives)

    • Is a registered or incorporated business

    • Is a consumer-facing business

    • Can be accessed by consumers or provides in-person services to consumers

    • Has at least one employee (other than the business owner) or had at least $30,000 in annual revenue in the most recent tax year (2021)

    • Must commit to maintaining a digital adoption strategy for six months after participating in the program

    • Must consent to participating in follow-up surveys, having this information shared with the Government of Canada (ISED and Statistics Canada) and having the name of their business published as a recipient of funding

    • A corporate chain, franchise, or registered charity

    • A  representative of a multi-level marketing company

    • A brokerage firm, real estate agents, investment advisors, insurance agents, etc.

    • A non-profit organization

    • A business that is engaged in online reselling or drop-shipping reliant on third-party suppliers

    • A wholesale or distribution business or manufacturer (unless you sell directly to consumers)

GRANT EXPENSE ELIGIBILITY

  • The $2,400 micro-grant is a reimbursement-style grant so funding will be issued after your spending plan is confirmed, grant agreement is received, and eligible receipts/proof of payments are submitted and approved.

    Eligible costs are those that relate to implementation of an e-commerce solution or the net new cost for improving an existing e-commerce plan, which include:

    • Costs related to the implementation or improvement of a digital e-commerce plan (e.g. online reservation/booking tools, online ordering systems, electronic payments)

    • Costs related to website search optimization (SEO)

    • Keyword Research and Metadata Optimization

    • SEO to enable mobile-friendly design

    • Page Speed Optimization

    • Linking – creating a clearly defined system of internal links  that directs users and search engines through the small business’ content effectively

    • Costs related to the installation of an e-commerce platform (including subscription fees/costs)

    • Costs of back-office solutions to support an e-commerce strategy

    • Costs of social media advertising (Plan cannot be strictly social media advertising, it needs to tie into overall e-commerce implementation plan)

    • Costs related to the creation of customer databases

    • Hiring a consultant/agency to execute Digital Marketing initiatives related to your e-commerce store

    • Development of new e-commerce website

    • Upgrading existing e-commerce site for added functionality (i.e., new plugins, or features)

    • E-commerce software including:

    • Software to track and manage product inventory, as well as fulfill and ship orders

    • Software for product databases

    • Software to track sales, market to customers, offer discounts, maintain a loyalty program

    • Software to simplify marketing

    • Cyber Security software or certifications

  • Ineligible costs include, but are not limited to the following:

    • Costs of connectivity

    • Costs related to the shipping of goods purchased through the e-commerce platform

    • Purchases made prior to grant approval

    • Renewal of digital services such as domain name, software subscription etc.

    • Signage and printing

    • Logo redesign and rebranding

    • Business Owner’s salary or current employee salary for executing the project

    • Costs of land, building or vehicle purchase

    • Costs of intangible assets such a goodwill, whether capitalized or expensed

    • Depreciation or amortization expenses

    • Interest on invested capital, bonds, or debentures

    • Bond discount

    • Monthly mortgage, loan and/or rent payments

    • Refinancing of an existing debt

    • Losses on investments, bad debts, and any other debts

    • Fines or penalties

    • Costs related to litigation

    • Fees for administrators including payments to any member or officer of the Recipient’s Board of Directors

    • Opportunity costs

    • Hospitality and entertainment costs

    • Franchise fees and/or franchise license costs

    • Lobbyist fees

    • New capital expenditure

    • Consulting fees for submission of CDAP application or any costs not related to the acquisition or set up of technology solution

GET READY TO APPLY

  • Getting Ready to Apply

    To ensure your business meets the eligibility requirements, please have the following information ready for the application:

    • Business name

    • Business owner’s name and contact information

    • Business structure

    • Number of years in business

    • BC Business registration number

    • Articles of incorporation document for upload. 
Example 1, Example 2 (Sole Prop) 

    • Industry type and NAICS code

Applications are submitted online through the Government of Canada.