CDAP GRANT
ARE YOU A 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?
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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
Please note that Olive Grey has clients who are starting brand new businesses and did not meet this requirement and were still approved, so just apply! “At least one employee (other than the business owner) or had at least $30,000 in annual revenue in the most recent tax year (2023)”
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
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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
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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
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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
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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.