Agri-Food Open for E-Business – Targeted Intake

Amount: Up to $5,000

This targeted application intake features two funding streams:

1. Bring Your Business Online: Provides a grant of up to $5,000 to eligible organizations/businesses to help establish an online presence.
2. Develop Online Business Opportunities: Provides cost-share funding for up to 90 per cent of eligible costs to a maximum of $75,000 to develop e-business opportunities on a larger scale.

Eligibility Criteria (for both streams)

• Be involved in the agriculture, agri-food and agri-products sectors;
• Be in compliance with all Requirements of Law and agree to remain in compliance with all requirements of Law for the duration of the project;
• Be a legal entity capable of entering into an agreement with the Province of Ontario;
• Provide a Canada Revenue Agency Business Number as part of the application process; and
• Be engaged in the project and be contributing cash towards the project.

Stream 1: Bring Your Business Online

Stream 1 Priorities

• Agri-food and agri-products businesses develop market channels to retain and/or expand sales with primary objective of bringing products to customers.

Eligible Cost

Costs Incurred on or after April 24, 2020 for the following:

• Development, enhancement and expansion of an online marketing/sales platform (e.g. e-business capability, website, online ordering, overall online presence)
• Initial or start-up licensing or subscription fees up to six months
• Domain acquisition
• Website design and graphic development
• Marketing (e.g. Search Engine Optimization, web ads, building social media presence)
• Distribution system/model development
• Training key personnel on processes
• Initial development and validation of new operational processes, including creating processes for logistics of delivery through new marketing channels, shipping, delivery, fulfillment, warehousing and related transactions
• Piloting sales practices and systems
• Minor facility modifications to address social distancing requirements that are directly related to the project (e.g. curb side pickup for online orders)

Stream 2: Develop Online Business Opportunities

Stream 2 Priorities

• Projects that create new, expand or enhance e-business capabilities, which includes marketing and sales platforms with the primary objective of bringing products to customers.
• Projects that create and/or expand new markets and revenue streams.
• Projects with results that meet broader business needs that are impactful across the sector (i.e. an online e-business platform for multiple sector businesses).
• Projects that involve partnerships and/or broader industry support are preferred.

Eligible Cost

Costs Incurred on or after April 24, 2020 for the following:

• Development, enhancement and expansion of an online marketing/sales platform (e.g. e-commerce capability, website, online ordering, overall web presence)
• Initial or start-up licensing or subscription fees up to six months
• Domain acquisition
• Website design and graphic development
• Marketing (e.g. search engine optimization, web ads, building social media presence)
• Distribution system/model development
• Training key personnel on processes
• Initial development and validation of new operational processes, including creating processes for logistics of delivery through new marketing channels, shipping, delivery, fulfillment, warehousing and related transactions
• Minor facility modifications to address social distancing requirements that are directly related to the project (e.g. curb side pickup for online orders)
• Piloting sales practices and systems