CDAP - The Ultimate Guide for Business Owners
The Canadian Digital Adoption Program (CDAP) is fully subscribed and is no longer accepting new applications. If you have a valid CDAP grant agreement, Red Pill Labs can and will continue to work with you to get funded.
If you don't have a valid CDAP agreement, we welcome the opportunity to speak with you about how we can solve your business problems or technology problems that are holding you back.
The following article will stay online as a resource for businesses with a valid CDAP agreement.
How to apply for the CDAP “Boost Your Business” grant, receive your up-to $100k interest-free loan from the BDC, and apply for the Youth Subsidy Wage: The Ultimate Guide to the Canadian Digital Adoption Program.
What is the Canadian Digital Adoption Program?
For those of you who are unaware of the Canadian Digital Adoption Program (CDAP), and are unsure if you’re eligible, you can check out the requirements here.
In this Canadian Digital Adoption Program (CDAP) guide, we’ve simplified how to apply and receive your CDAP Grant, the overall scope of the program, the role of your CDAP advisor, and more.
Have questions? Contact us here. You can also check out our 4-minute intro video:
An Introduction to the Canadian Digital Adoption Program with CDAP Advisor James Bradley (Red Pill Labs)
Step 1: Applying for CDAP
Applying for the CDAP “Boost Your Business” grant.
Before you apply for CDAP, specifically the “Boost Your Business” grant, ensure that you meet the requirements here.
When applying for the CDAP Grant, you need to be the owner of the organization.
As an approved CDAP Advisor, we recommend that you have the following information on hand to speed up the process:
Company name (Doing Business As)
Select the NAICS codes that represent your business.
How many employees (Full-Time and/or Part-Time) do you have
What year was your business founded?
Please provide your business registration number
Please provide your business's GST/HST number
What is your business's annual revenue?
Approximate Square Footage of Location
Step 2: The “Digital Needs Assessment”
How does your company rank in 8 different areas compared to your competition?
The Digital Needs Assessment (DNA) is a questionnaire that must be filled out to receive your grant.
The purpose of the Digital Needs Assessment is to measure your organizations needs in various areas by benchmarking your business against the standard within your industry.
It serves as the first step in identifying what your business is lacking compared to your competitors.
Based on these results, and a few workshops with your CDAP Advisor, areas that require improvement will be addressed on a roadmap called the Digital Adoption Plan.
The DNA is not required to be completed along with your initial application; however, we recommend that you complete it sooner rather than later, especially if you are looking to receive your digital adoption plan as soon as possible.
The Digital Adoption Plan & Your CDAP Advisor
The Digital Adoption Plan is created by your CDAP Advisor, and is a way to help SMEs inexpensively strengthen their technology, processes, automations, and more, by being funded to receive help from industry experts.
As you may be aware, CDAP consists of three different parts.
What are the 3 parts to CDAP?
1. $15,000 “Boost Your Business” Grant
The first part of the Canadian Digital Adoption Program is the “Boost Your Business” grant, which is an up-to $15,000 grant to hire an approved CDAP advisor. You can choose your advisor after being accepted into the program.
Your CDAP advisor works with you to create a Digital Adoption Plan, which is a strategic roadmap for your business.
The purpose of this roadmap, or Digital Adoption Plan, is to have a strategy mapped out for various areas of your business that either lacks digitization, needs process improvement, or is simply not yet tended to within your organization’s current business strategy.
2. 0% loan up to $100,000
This is the only mandatory portion of the program.
To apply for the up-to $100,000 loan from the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC).
Keep reading or scroll down below for more.
3. $7,300 Youth Subsidy Wage
Keep reading to find out how to leverage the Youth Subsidy Wage.
Read More: “How to Delegate Your CDAP Application”
Receiving Your Grant
How long does it take to receive your CDAP grant once your Digital Adoption Plan is approved?
To receive your CDAP Grant, you will need to submit your Digital Adoption plan to the government. Once approved, you will receive your grant money within 30 days.
Up-to $100K Interest-Free Loan
Once you have an approved Digital Adoption Plan, if you’re opting to receive an interest-free loan from the BDC, you can now do so by applying directly with the BDC here.
The loan from the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) is on a 5-year term, with a 12-month postponement period.
Your up-to $100,000 loan must be used to implement anything on your Digital Adoption Plan.
If you have questions about what is eligible to use your loan money on, you can contact us here.
Also Read: "Maximize Your Business Potential with the CDAP Loan: A Comprehensive Guide”
Youth Wage Subsidy
Similarly to the loan from the BDC, the Youth Wage Subsidy can not be applied for until you have an approved Digital Adoption Plan.
The Youth Wage Subsidy (up-to $7,300) allows you to hire a recent grad from university or college to help implement anything on your digital adoption plan.
If you have questions on the limitations of the wage subsidy program, feel free to contact us here.
The requirements for who is eligible to be hired using the Youth Wage Subsidy can be found here:
Be aged between 18-30.
Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or refugees with the right to work in Canada.
Currently enrolled in a post-secondary program of study in college, university, CEGEP, Polytechnic institute, or a private training institution in relevant fields; or
Recent graduates from college, university, CEGEP, Polytechnic institute, or a private training institution (digital skills programs).
For greater certainty, a recent graduate is a youth who has graduated from a post-secondary institution (in Canada or an international school) within the past two years. Participating youth must be:
Canadian citizens,
permanent residents, or
refugees with the right to work in Canada.
The Youth must not have previously benefited from a completed CDAP “Boost Your Business Technology” Work Placement. Youth having previously participated in “Grow Your Business Online” placements are eligible.
Learn More
As an approved CDAP advisor, we’re happy to schedule a quick call to better understand your business’ needs.
If you have already applied for CDAP, you can find us on the dropdown list of “CDAP Advisors” by filtering the list by British Columbia advisors, and then searching “Red Pill Labs” in the search bar.
Contact us here to meet your future CDAP Advisors.
