H2O Digital has been selected as an approved advisor for the Canadian Digital Adoption Program (CDAP). CDAP is a federal grant program helping small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) adopt digital technologies to increase their competitiveness. Eligible businesses can receive a $15,000 grant to build their digital plan, followed by a 0% interest loan of up to $100,000 and other resources to help execute that plan.
Whether your business is looking to accelerate your online marketing efforts, streamline and automate your sales process, better engage with existing customers, connect your workforce or provide better data insights about your business, H2O can help you get there faster.
The registration process starts with an online digital needs assessment (DNA) that identifies the SME’s business and digital strengths and weaknesses across several parameters, such as strategy, business model, products and services, customer experience, operations, technology, organization and cybersecurity. This DNA will allow SMEs to obtain their current perceived overall level of digital maturity. Once completed, SMEs will be able to move to the next step in their application.
Reach out to find out how H2O Digital can help your SME apply for the CDAP program and build your digital transformation path.
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FAQ’s
The Government of Canada will reimburse you for up to 90 percent of eligible expenses, up to $15,000. Once we’ve completed work on your digital adoption plan you will submit the relevant invoices to receive your grant payment.
No. The Boost Your Business Technology grant is intended to assess your digital maturity and opportunities to increase your competitiveness through digital transformation. Eligible costs are limited to those involved with creating your digital adoption plan.
Your digital adoption plan is a comprehensive assessment of the opportunities to improve your business by leveraging modern hardware and platforms. Specific deliverables you will receive from Marketing Guardians include:
- Current state analysis
- Post transformation capability report
- Summary of proposed digital solutions, including a cost/benefit analysis of your top three options and high-level requirements
- Near- and long-term digital strategy
Absolutely! While you can have your plan implemented by any vendor you choose, by the time you have completed your plan with us, we will have an intimate awareness of the needs of your business. Having already formed a deep understanding of your transformation needs, engaging our creative team will make for a seamless transition from planning to execution.
When CDAP was launched in March 2022, it was scheduled to support SMEs for 4 years. However, all grants are first come, first served and can be changed or removed at any time. Reach out to get started and secure your $15,000 digital adoption grant asap. And access to a 0% loan for up to $100,000.
H2O Digital will help you apply for the grant at no cost. Once your application is approved, however, if you choose us as your digital advisor, we will charge a fee to your business to help you develop your Digital Adoption Plan. Our fees are reimbursed at 90% by CDAP up to $15,000 to cover these activities. Meaning that whatever the final cost of working with us to create your plan, once you’re been reimbursed, you would have only paid 10% of this value out of pocket (a maximum of $1,666).
The Canada Digital Adoption Program – Grow Your Business Online will be open to any businesses that meet the following requirements:
- A for-profit business (including for-profit social enterprises and cooperatives);
- A registered or incorporated business;
- A consumer-facing business;
- A business that can be accessed by customers or provides in-person services to customers;
- A business with a minimum of one employee
＊Recipients must commit to maintain digital adoption strategy for six months post-intervention.
＊A business will be required to consent to participate in follow-up surveys, having their information shared with the Government of Canada (ISED and Statistics Canada), and having the name of their business published as a recipient of funding.
What businesses are ineligible:
The following types of small businesses are ineligible:
- Corporate chains, franchises or registered charities
- Representatives of multi-level marketing companies
- Real estate brokerages
- Non-profit organizations
The registration process starts with an online digital needs assessment (DNA) that identifies the SME’s business and digital strengths and weaknesses across several parameters, such as strategy, business model, products and services, customer experience, operations, technology, organization and cybersecurity. This DNA will allow SMEs to obtain their current perceived overall level of digital maturity. Once completed, SMEs will be able to move to the next step in their application.
- For eligible SMEs that have successfully completed the DNA, CDAP will pre-approve them for a grant covering up to 90% of the cost of the digital adoption plan evaluated at a maximum of $15,000.
- Eligible SMEs will then have access to an online marketplace of qualified digital advisors called the digital advisor marketplace in order to retain the services of a digital advisor to produce a digital adoption plan.
- During their search, SMEs may contact as many digital advisors as they would like. When making initial contact with prospective digital advisors, SMEs are encouraged to share the results of their DNA as well as an overview of their business and objectives.
- It is important for an SME and digital advisor to agree on the terms of work, including objectives, timing and associated costs before they begin working together.
- When the SME finds a digital advisor who they consider to be the right match for their business, the parties will sign an agreement to develop a digital adoption plan.
- The SME and the digital advisor will work together to develop a digital adoption plan that meets the CDAP requirements. Upon completion, the SME will upload their completed digital adoption plan and invoice to the CDAP portal. Once accepted, the grant will be issued to the SME.
- With a digital adoption plan in hand, the SME is now eligible to access a zero-interest loan from the BDC as well as a subsidized youth work placement to implement their plan and adopt new digital tools for their business.