Applications for Digital Main Street's $2,500 Digital Transformation Grants will be opening this month.
The Digital Transformation Grant program provides funding for training, advisory support, and grants to brick-and-mortar small businesses looking increase their capacity through digital transformations. The application portal will open in June, 2022 and applications will be accepted until October 31st, 2022.
Did You Know: Since 2020, the St. Catharines Digital Service Squad supported 620 local small businesses through Digital Main Street programs, including with 130 successful Digital Transformation Grant applications resulting in $325,000 in funding.
Learn more about support programs available to small businesses in St. Catharines
Digital Main Street is a program focused on assisting small businesses with their adoption of technologies. The program's main objectives are to provide small businesses with:
- a comprehensive plan to guide their digital transformation
- the digital literacy skills they need to execute their digital transformation either through a do-it-yourself approach and/or being a smart consumer when purchasing these services
Grants can be used to cover a number of eligible costs, including:
- Digital Marketing
- Hiring a consultant/agency/person to execute Digital Marketing initiatives
- Website
- Redesign, Improvement of existing website
- Development of new website
- Software
- Graphic design software
- Productivity Software (LastPass, Hootsuite, Dropbox, etc.)
- Social Media Software (Hootsuite, Buffer, etc.)
- Security Software
- Other software as evidenced in the DTP
- Digital Training
- Ongoing Digital Training courses (in-person & online)
- Hardware (maximum $1,000)
- Must be hardware deemed necessary (as determined by OBIAA in its sole discretion)
TeamSTC will also soon reintroducing its Digital Service Squad to help local brick-and-mortar small businesses in St. Catharines enhance their digital presence. While the portal for grant applications hasn't opened yet, small businesses can get started on digital transformations by create accounts on Digital Main Street's free platform and completing a digital assessment. Full details, including eligibility and requirements for the grant program, additional criteria and how to create an account are available on the Digital Main Street website.