CDAP Grant + Our Digital Marketing Agency = Your Online Success
Get That Sweet $$$ Today
In today’s digital age, it’s more important than ever for businesses to have a strong online presence. However, many small and medium-sized businesses in Canada struggle to keep up with the latest digital technologies and tools. That’s where the Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP) comes in. The CDAP is a government-funded program that provides financial assistance to eligible businesses to help them adopt digital technologies and improve their online presence.
In this blog post, we’ll be focusing on the $2400 grant that businesses can receive through the CDAP program.
And we know you will have questions. We’ve got you covered in an extremely extensive FAQs below that will answer all your questions around this grant!
What is the CDAP program?
The Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP) is an initiative that was launched by the Canadian government to help businesses adopt digital technologies and improve their online presence.
The program is designed to assist small and medium-sized businesses that have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. CDAP provides funding to eligible businesses to help them cover the costs of digital adoption, including website development, e-commerce platforms, digital marketing, and cybersecurity.
How can businesses benefit from the CDAP grant?
One of the key benefits of the CDAP program is the $2400 grant that eligible businesses can receive. This grant can be used to cover the costs of digital adoption, including the development of a new website, the implementation of e-commerce platforms, the creation of digital marketing campaigns, and the implementation of cybersecurity measures.
By using the CDAP grant, businesses can significantly improve their online presence and reach a wider audience, which can ultimately help them grow their customer base and increase sales.
How Grow Faster Marketing Can Help
If you’re a business that has been approved for the Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP) grant and are looking for a digital marketing agency to help you use the grant money to improve your online presence, you can get in touch with us. Our agency specializes in digital marketing, website development, e-commerce, and cybersecurity, and we have extensive experience working with businesses of all sizes to help them achieve their digital goals.
To get in touch with us, you can visit our website and fill out our contact form or call us directly. Once we receive your inquiry, we’ll schedule a consultation to discuss your business goals, digital needs, and how we can help you make the most of your CDAP grant.
During the consultation, we’ll work with you to develop a comprehensive digital strategy that takes into account your business objectives and the requirements of the CDAP program. We’ll also provide you with a detailed proposal that outlines the services we can offer, the costs involved, and the expected timeline for completion.
If you decide to work with us, we’ll assign a dedicated team of digital experts to your project, who will work with you every step of the way to ensure that your digital needs are met. We’ll also provide you with regular progress updates and detailed reports on the performance of your digital campaigns.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP) is a valuable resource for small and medium-sized businesses that are looking to improve their online presence.
If you’re looking to use the CDAP grant money (and you absolutely should given it’s free money) to improve your online presence, get in touch with us today to schedule a consultation and learn more about how we can help you achieve your digital goals.
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Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP) - Frequently Asked Questions
With Canadian consumers moving online at a rapid pace, the Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP) can help get your business online, grow your e-commerce presence, or help digitalize your business’ operations.
The Grow Your Business Online program is designed to help small businesses take advantage of e-commerce opportunities and reach more customers online.
It consists of 3 separate programs:
The Grow your Business Online program helps small businesses take advantage of e-commerce opportunities.
- You can access a network of e-commerce advisors for advice and support
- You can get up to $2,400 to buy new e-commerce tools
The Boost Your Business Technology grant helps small and medium-sized businesses adopt new digital technologies.
- Use a free digital assessment tool to evaluate your own digital readiness
- Get up $15,000 to consult a digital expert and develop a digital adoption plan for your business
- Get up to $100,000 in interest-free loans from BDC to implement your digital adoption plan
- Leverage a subsidized work placement to bring on a recent graduate or student to help with your digital transformation.
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
Your Business is NOT Eligible if it is:
- A corporate chain, franchise, or registered charity
- AÂ 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)
Businesses eligible for the Grow Your Business Online Grant will receive a micro-grant of up to $2,400 before taxes to help with costs relating to adopting digital technologies. 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.
As part of your grant application, you will be asked to submit a spending plan. Spending plans will be pre-approved. You may submit more than one expense and receipt; however, you may only submit one claim package. Multiple claim packages will not be accepted.
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)
- Â Plan cannot be used solely for website search optimization, it needs to be tied to overall e-commerce implementation plan, and not a standalone item
- 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)
- Redesign of an existing site is not eligible
- 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
- Hardware and accompanying software up to 20% of total grant amount
- As for examples of limited coverage for software, it would be any software that is bought with equipment that is required to support an e-commerce strategy. For instance, if a small business buys a new e-commerce integrated point of sale (POS) system that costs $1,300, CDAP will cover 20% or $260.
Please Note: all eligible costs must be directly tied to the sale of goods and services online (i.e. online reservations/ordering or chat bot function on website), and you will need to clearly outline this in your application.
At Grow Faster Marketing, we understand the qualifying criteria for the $2400 Micro-Grant and will ensure that all expenses will qualify and help you grow your business faster.
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
- Non-arm’s length transactions (see eligibility FAQs for further details)
Applications for the Grow Your Business Online Grant are submitted through our grant partner, Digital Main Street.
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
- BCÂ Business registration number
- Articles of incorporation document for upload.Â
Example 1, Example 2 (Sole Prop) - Industry type and NAICS code
Unsure of what you need? Feel free to get in touch with Grow Faster Marketing and we will help you for free!Â
Your proof of payment should include the following information:
Date
The dates(s) of the proof(s) of payment must not be earlier than your approved Spending Plan date.
Description of Products/Services Purchased
The proof of payment should clearly indicate the products/services purchased from the supplier. These listed items should be approved products and services under the Canada Digital Adoption Program (see Grant Expense Eligibility section of this page).
Total of the Products and Services
The total spent on approved products and services on the proof of payment may be greater than $2,400. However, reimbursement will only total up to $2,400.
Tax Charges
Tax Charges (GST/PST/HST) will NOT be reimbursed. Grant payments will be issued based on the cost of the expense before taxes.
Supplier’s Information
The proof of payment should clearly indicate the supplier’s:
- Business Name
- Business Address
- Business GST (if applicable)
- Business PST (if applicable)
Applicant’s Information
The proof of payment should clearly indicate the applicant’s:
- Business Name
- Business Address (business must be based in BC)
Payment
Please note that receipts paid by cash are NOT an accepted payment method for this grant as verification of the payment cannot be substantiated. Also, no handwritten receipts will be accepted. The receipt must show a method of payment. Some forms of payment include:
A consumer-facing business is a business that sells directly to customers (B2C). Businesses can be a bricks and mortar business, or an online business.
Grant applications will be processed and adjudicated by the Canadian Digital Adoption Program team at Small Business BC, using the application portal available on the Digital Main Street website.
Should you have questions, please contact Small Business BC’s Canada Digital Adoption Program team at: [email protected]
At this time, there is no deadline for grant applications.
No. Grant applications must be submitted by the business owner. Grant intake forms and applications submitted by third parties will be denied.
Yes. As long as your business is registered or incorporated, and you meet the other eligibility requirements, new businesses are welcome to apply.
If you do not have at least one employee (other than the business owner), then you must have made at least $30,000 in annual revenue in the most recent tax year.
In other words, if you are a sole proprietor or owner of the business with no employees, you can apply for the grant as long as your business had at least $30,000 in annual revenue in the most recent tax year.
Businesses should have a government document that confirms the payment of Payroll Source Deductions paid. The employee must have been working at the business for at least three months.
Yes. Businesses will be required to declare that funding received from other programs is not being used to pay the same expense twice.
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The Grow Your Business Online grant is being offered by both Small Business BC and Alacrity Academy.
B.C. based businesses can choose to apply for the grant through either organization, but you can only apply for the grant once. As part of the grant application, you’ll be asked to confirm that you’ve only applied once.
Yes, so long as the programs are not used to pay for the same expense twice.
A non-arm’s length transaction is defined as follows:
A transaction made between related parties as described in Section 251 of the Income Tax Act, which defines related persons as individuals connected by blood relationship, marriage, or adoption, and any situation involving different degrees of control by these persons or corporations.
Our electronic fund transfer payments are handled via SparcPay, a division of SparcBlock. Our partnership ensures you receive your payments securely and quickly. In order to initiate payments and receive funds grant applicants will be required to register an account on SparcPay.
To register, you must have a copy of a void cheque available in an image or .pdf format, or a bank form from your business financial institution. This void cheque must match the name of the applicant’s business. Personal bank accounts are not accepted.
Yes. Any expense incurred in US dollars will be exchanged based on the rate of the bank or credit card used to process the transaction on the date of processing. A copy of your credit card or bank charge will be required, in addition to the receipt or proof of payment.
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The grant will be provided as a reimbursement. Grant applicants will be required to submit an expense report, coinciding with their pre-approved spending plan and copies of any associated receipts and proof of payment documents.
Your grant reimbursement claim will be submitted through the application portal. You will receive information when you create an account and grant application, and instructions will be provided.
As part of your grant application, you will be asked to submit a spending plan. Spending plans will be pre-approved.
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No. Tax charges will not be reimbursed. Grant payments will be issued based on the cost of the expense before taxes.
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Yes. You may submit more than one expense and receipt; however, you may only submit one claim package. Multiple claim packages will not be accepted. The grant will reimburse a maximum of $2,400 before taxes.
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As part of the Grow Your Business Online Program, eligible businesses are paired with an E-commerce Advisor who will review business digital assessments, consult on business grant spending plans, recommend digital marketing strategies and help implement new technologies.
As one of the first steps of the CDAP program, small businesses will be paired with an E-commerce Advisor to assess your digital needs and help develop your e-commerce strategies and deploy new digital technologies. All E-commerce Advisors receive training, developed, and delivered in partnership with Digital Main Street.
After an initial meeting, businesses may opt-out from working with an E-commerce Advisor as part of the Grow Your Business Online program and proceed solely with the grant application. It is highly recommended however that businesses take advantage of the expertise of an E-commerce Advisor to support digitization.
The CDAP Boost Your Business Technology grant helps SMEs:
- reduce overhead costs
- speed up transactions
- respond to clients more quickly
- manage inventory more efficiently
- improve supply chain logistics
This grant covers up to 90 per cent of the eligible cost of retaining the services of a digital advisor—up to a maximum of $15,000 per SME—to develop a digital adoption plan.
Businesses can secure a 0 per cent interest loan from the Business Development Bank of Canada to facilitate the acquisition of new technology. You must apply within 6 months of receiving the grant payment for the digital advisor.
Applicants can leverage the help of talented post-secondary students and recent graduates through subsidized work placements.
You’re ready to apply if:
- you’re an owner or director
- your business:
is Canadian-owned
is for-profit
has 1 to 499 employees
has had at least $500,000 in annual revenue in 1 of the last 3 years
How will you pay for new technology?
If you’re ready to move forward on your digital adoption plan but you don’t have the necessary cashflow, BDC can help with a 0% interest loan of up to $100,000.
Eligibility
You’re eligible if you have completed a digital adoption plan:
- as part of CDAP and have received your grant OR
- under another recognized digital adoption program and submitted it to CDAP
Loan amounts
- Business revenues of $500,000 to $5 million: loans between $25,000 and $50,000
- Business revenues over $5 million: loans between $25,000 and $100,000
Terms
- The loan has a 5-year term with 12-month capital postponement (total of 6 years).
- There are no fees.
- You have 6 months from the completion of your approved plan to make a loan request.
- You must meet BDC credit worthiness requirements.