Canadian Digital Adoption Plan (CDAP Grant)

No, there is no catch.  The Government of Canada recognizes that there is a real need for Canadian SMEs to enhance their digital maturity.  SMEs are in a Catch 22.  They know they need to invest in digital maturity, but do not have the time, expertise or the cash flow to justify research and analysis into what they should be doing.  Therefore, they remain stuck.  With this grant of up to $15,000, SMEs can get the analysis they need to have a custom plan prepared for them, and they can act with confidence as they grow their business.

Once they have their plan, they can apply for a further $7,300 to hire a post secondary student to work on the implementation of their plan, and up to $100,000 in an interest free loan from to cover the cost of new technologies.

The exact composition of each digital adoption plan will vary according to the SME's business operations. In general, these are mandatory and optional elements.

Mandatory elements

01 Executive summary

Provide a high-level summary of the key elements of this plan for the SME, and how adopting new technologies will help the SME meet the SME's client's requirements, business imperatives and goals.

02 SME business and technology current state analyses

Key business information (e.g., sector, corporate structure, operations, value proposition, etc.).

Overview of the SME's current business strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

SME's external issues (market, competition, business model) and future key business goals.

Key IS/IT information (infrastructure, applications, security and privacy compliance practises, technology staff and partners, integration between exiting IS and IT solutions, etc.) and how these current technologies are efficient at helping the business deliver value to the SME clients and to the SME itself.

03 Digital adoption analysis and recommendations

Identify a minimum of three potential digital/technology solutions for the SME to consider including how each of those solutions will benefit the SME's business. Also align the prioritized digital solutions to the benefits it will bring to the SME.

04 Implementation roadmap

Identify the key elements to implement the recommended options including timeline, dependencies, costs to acquire the technology, etc.

Optional elements

Since every SME has different needs, the digital adoption plan can be tailored to their specific needs. Possible additional elements could include, but is not limited to:

01 Skill requirements

Identify the skills and competencies that the SME will need to possess to implement the top three digital solutions.

02 Key digital solution characteristics

Identify the high-level requirements to implement the top three solutions. High-level financial requirements, degrees of implementation complexity and change management these technologies will require of the SME.

This is for Canadian Small and Medium Sized businesses. They must:

• Be incorporated federally or provincially, or be a Canadian resident sole proprietor
• Be a for-profit, privately owned business
• Have between 1 – 499 full time equivalent employees
• Have at least $500,000 of annual revenues in one of the previous three tax years

Up to $15,000 is available to hire a Digital Advisor to prepare a Digital Action Plan for you. The amount you get will be up to 90% of the eligible costs, including taxes.

Here are two examples to explain how your grant is calculated.

Example 1: Katarina is the owner of a small auto parts manufacturing business. She applies for a grant under the Boost Your Business Technology stream. Katarina retains a Digital Advisor, and the advisor produces a Digital Adoption Plan at a total cost (inclusive of taxes) of $10,000. CDAP will pay Katarina's business a grant of $9,000. Katarina's business must cover the remaining $1,000.

Example 2: Mohammed owns a food processing business. He applies and is determined to be eligible for a grant under the Boost Your Business Technology stream. Mohammed retains a Digital Advisor, and the advisor produces a Digital Adoption Plan at a total cost (inclusive of taxes) of $20,000. CDAP will pay a grant of $15,000. Mohammed's business must cover the remaining $5,000.

You are pre-approved for funding. When a project is completed, you submit the necessary documentation, including an invoice to the Government.

The government will cover the final cost of the Digital Adoption Plan developed by a Digital Advisor listed on the Digital Advisor Marketplace.

Grant payments will be made to you when you provide the government with the necessary documents. This includes uploading a copy of the Digital Action Plan and an invoice of eligible costs.

The Government will determine the size of the grant payment on the basis of an invoice containing the final cost of the Digital Adoption Plan developed by a Digital Advisor listed on the Digital Advisor Marketplace.

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