For small businesses, breaking into digital marketing, including creating, distributing, and monitoring email newsletters, paid advertising, and social media posts, can seem like a daunting process. Your available time may be limited, your team may be small, and you may have budgetary constraints that make outsourcing feel out of reach.
Thankfully, the Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP) offers the Grow Your Business Online grant to help you get started on making digital strides. It’s a great way to grow your company and take advantage of working with a marketing agency on digital services and strategies.
Keep scrolling to learn more about the CDAP grant and where and how to apply. While you’re here, you can also read up on some of the services we offer, which can be covered by the grant.
What is the CDAP Grant?
Gaining a digital edge over the competition is a great way to keep ahead of the curve, increase profit, and grow your purpose-driven business. To help small businesses break into the digital side of operations, the CDAP offers a $2,400 grant.
The Grow Your Business Online grant can help cover the costs of hiring digital marketing strategy consultants to assist with tasks like website search optimization (SEO) and social media advertising; developing a new e-commerce website or adding functionality to an existing site (redesigning an existing site is not eligible for coverage); installing an e-commerce platform, including subscription fees; bolstering your cybersecurity measures; and more!
Just a note that the CDAP grant can’t be used solely for SEO marketing or social media advertising but can help cover these costs if they’re part of a larger implementation plan.
There are some other costs that are ineligible for grant coverage, such as any purchases made before grant approval and internet connectivity. It’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the full list of ineligible costs, which can be found here.
By providing this financial assistance to businesses breaking into the e-commerce market, the CDAP has helped a number of businesses flourish, including Toronto-based clean tech company, Suppli. You can browse through success stories on the CDAP website.
Is Your Business Eligible?
Before you dive into the application process, you should familiarize yourself with the Grow Your Business Online grant’s eligibility requirements.
To be eligible, your business must:
- Be a for-profit business, social enterprise, or co-operative
- Be incorporated or registered
- Be consumer-facing, selling services and/or goods directly to end consumers
- Have at least one employee apart from the business owner or have made a minimum of $30,000 in annual revenue during the most recent tax year
- Have a commitment to maintaining your digital adoption strategy for a period of six months
Additionally, to meet eligibility requirements, you must agree to have your business’s name published as a CDAP grant recipient, share information about your experience with the CDAP program, and complete a follow-up survey.
The Canada Digital Adoption Program has an assessment tool you can use to quickly determine your eligibility likelihood.
The Application Process
To apply for the Grow Your Business Online grant, visit the CDAP website and follow three steps: review eligibility criteria, work with a local service provider, then apply for the grant.
Once you hit “apply,” you’ll be directed to a service provider selection menu, which is organized by province and territory, and lists multiple providers you can connect with to apply.
Each provider has its own web portal for the application; some require you to create an account before you can begin, while others will permit you to begin filling out an application form right away.
Some local service providers, like Alacrity Canada, allow for grant registration from the business owner, an employee, or a third party.
Be sure to have the required documentation ready to upload and attach to your application. You’ll need to provide documents that prove your business is a registered business, such as a master business license, article or certificate of incorporation, certificate of registration, or a GST return from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
Sparx Publishing Group’s Digital Marketing Services
Sparx provides full-suite marketing solutions. So, which of our services are eligible for grant coverage, and what kind of packages do we offer?
At Sparx, we offer two service packages: fixed-term project and retainer. Our retainer package is great for long-term marketing support, while our fixed-term project model is ideal for anyone looking for help with a specific project or for kickstarting digital marketing strategies.
We can help you with website creation; social media account creation, management, and marketing; ad campaign creation, analytics, and management; marketing and advertising strategies, campaigns, and implementation; search engine and user experience optimization; and more. Plus, we can help you get started on your new digital marketing path by creating compelling content that tells your business’s unique story.
Check out our portfolio pages and social media for examples of our work.
Team Up with Sparx
Ready to start building a digital marketing strategy? The purpose-driven experts at Sparx can help. Contact us today for a free consultation.
