Digital Modernization and Adoption Plan
Get 50% back, up to $15,000, on an expert-built digital adoption plan for your B2B product company. The consultant must come from OCI's approved roster, you fund the other half, and funding is discretionary, so a strong application matters. Applications are open.
“Receive up to $15K in support to develop a custom DMAP with a Digital Adoption Consultant tailored specifically to your organization’s digital needs.”
From the official program page
Before you spend any money
Costs count only after OCI approval. Expenses incurred before approval are at your own risk.
At a glance
Subject to program rules, available funding, and approval. Confirm current details with the official program administrator.
Is this for you?
- You run an incorporated, for-profit B2B product company in Ontario (software products count) with 1 to 499 full-time staff.
- You have at least $750,000 in annual revenue and have been operating for multiple years.
- You can fund half the planning project yourself (a $30,000 plan gets the full $15,000) and wait for reimbursement.
Probably not the right fit if
- You run a consumer-facing retail store or an e-commerce business. Look at the Retail Modernization Project Grant instead.
- Your business sells professional services (legal, accounting, consulting, marketing, real estate and similar).
- You want funding for a website, SEO, or advertising. This program does not fund marketing work.
How much you'd realistically get
For example, on a $10,000 eligible project, that's up to about $5,000 back.
Up to $15,000. To get the full $15,000, your planning project must cost $30,000, and you pay the other half.
What may be supported
- Development of a Digital Modernization and Adoption Plan (DMAP) with a Digital Adoption Consultant from the DCC roster
- Technology needs assessment and digital transformation roadmap to guide adoption decisions and optimize technology investments
What's excluded or restricted
- Marketing and promotional activities are not supported: advertising and promotional campaigns
- Search Engine Optimization (as a standalone activity)
- Website development
- Market research
- Development of marketing materials (digital advertisements, landing pages, online presence support, content creation)
- Product development (software companies)
- Consumer-facing retail and e-commerce businesses are ineligible applicants
- Professional business services (legal, accounting, management/business advisory, marketing, PR, financial/insurance advisory, recruitment, real estate, brokerages)
- Corporate chains, franchises, registered charities, multi-level marketing representatives, not-for-profits
- Any cost not related to the consultant (sub-contractor) - working capital, infrastructure, and tangible capital costs such as land, buildings, and vehicles
How applying works
Effort: moderateExpect the intake form, an OCI-initiated AccessOCI application with CVs and a consultant letter of support, an endorsement step, and a completed plan submitted for reimbursement.
- 01Submit OCI's Client Intake Form to be connected with a Business Development Manager or Digital Adoption Advisor (this is not yet the application).
- 02Once the BDM/DAA confirms fit, they initiate your application in AccessOCI and you receive login details.
- 03Complete the application and upload team CVs plus a letter of support from a Digital Adoption Consultant on the DCC roster.
- 04Request the BDM/DAA endorsement, then submit; OCI reviews internally (about one week) before an external expert committee decides.
- 05Sign OCI's standard (non-negotiable) funding agreement, develop the plan with your consultant, and submit the completed plan for reimbursement.
Who to ask: pmagnien@oc-innovation.ca (Patrick Magnien, Digital Adoption Advisor); jmartino@oc-innovation.ca (Jaclyn Martino, Digital Adoption Advisor); vsadr@oc-innovation.ca (Vahid Sadr, Program Manager)
Documents commonly required
- Resumes/CVs from relevant team members.
- Letter of support from an external Digital Adoption Consultant on the DCC roster.
- Proof of federal or provincial incorporation with a valid Business Number.
- Financial records showing at least $750,000 in annual revenue.
What to know before you count on it
- It is a 1:1 cost share: the full $15,000 needs a $30,000 planning project, you pay first, and OCI reimburses after your completed plan is submitted.
- The consultant must come from the DCC roster of approved vendors (or qualify for it) and be approved by OCI before work starts.
- This grant pays for the plan only, not for putting the technology in place.
- Funding is discretionary and limited; not all eligible applications are approved. Grants are generally taxable income; ask your accountant.
What are your odds?
Approval is not automatic. OCI reviews each application first, then an outside expert committee scores it on how clearly you show the need, your capacity to invest in and sustain the technology, and the quality of your project plan and budget.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to repay the grant?
No. It is a non-repayable cost share. It pays back 50% after the plan is done, so you pay the consultant first.
Can I use my own consultant?
Only if they are on the DCC roster of approved vendors, or they apply and qualify for the roster.
Does this pay for a website, SEO, or ads?
No. The program explicitly does not support marketing activities. It funds the consultant who builds your digital adoption plan.
What pays for the actual technology?
The separate Technology Demonstration Program reimburses up to $50,000 of implementation costs. You need a completed DMAP to apply for it.
More funding by what it pays for
What you can combine it with
DCC funding cannot be combined with other public funds for the same project activities, and past DMAP recipients are not eligible for the Retail Modernization Project Grant.
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Worth reading before you apply
Get alerted when this changes
Programs open and close, budgets run out, rules change. We send one short email when something changes that matters for this program.
Page last updated ; status and deadline checked . Source: official program page.