Digital Generator
Please note that the Digital Generator components of the Strategic Innovation Fund are now closed and we are no longer accepting applications.
What is Digital Generator?
Digital Generator is a short-term initiative to support Canadian arts groups, collectives, and organizations to build their digital capacity and transform their business model and operations.
A digital approach can transform the way you operate and offers the opportunity to:
- deepen your relationship with your public and engage new audiences and markets
- collect and analyse data to gain insights into your public and understand your impact
- improve specific areas of business with digital technology to lower costs and increase efficiency
- generate new revenue streams
- collaborate and connect with others
- build new partnerships and networks to improve digital capacity
- transform your business model for long-term sustainability.
Digital Generator supports digital capacity building for Canadian arts groups and organizations. This initiative offers 2 streams.
Stream 1 supports hiring external consultants or experts.
Stream 2 supports implementing recommendations from external consultants or experts.
Looking for opportunities to address broader sectoral and digital challenges? Check out the Digital Greenhouse.
A toolkit to help you get started on a Digital Generator project
- Digital maturity assessment tool
(To determine your digital strengths and opportunities) - Digital needs assessment tool
(To set digital goals for your organization) - Digital strategy tool
(To build a digital strategy for your organization) - Service provider guide
(To help you find, meet and collaborate with a consultant)
Apply on the portal
Create an account and submit one or more profile(s) for validation at least 30 days before you want to apply
Digital Generator – Stream 1
This video includes ASL interpretation and captions.
Activities: What is eligible?
Hire external resources such as a consultant, expert or training provider to:
- measure the digital readiness of your group or organization (for example, digital maturity assessment)
- identify digital gaps and possibilities for your group or organization (for example, digital needs assessment, digital security assessment, technical audit)
- create a plan for leveraging digital opportunities for your group or organization (for example, digital strategic plan, discoverability plan, business model redesign)
- create a plan for increasing the digital public accessibility of your group or organization and work (for example, accessibility audit, plan for WCAG compliance)
- increase the digital skills of your staff (e.g. workshops, training)
- conduct research or undertake planning for the creation and governance of shared digital resources (for example, consultation, business model design, governance plan).
While projects can benefit single applicants, projects aimed at the creation and governance of shared digital resources that benefit multiple groups and organizations are also eligible.
Aren’t sure where to start? Consult our toolkit for 4 practical tools aimed at helping guide your work with a consultant, expert or training provider.
You can’t apply for activities that occur before your project start date, those that receive funding from another Canada Council program or those on the general list of ineligible activities.
Candidates: Who can apply?
Types of potential applicants to this initiative include:
- artistic groups and collectives
- artistic organizations
- First Nations, Inuit and Métis groups, collectives and organizations
Organizations presently receiving core grants are eligible to apply to this initiative.
Your eligibility to apply to this initiative is determined by the validated profile created in the portal.
Targeted funding will be in place to ensure equitable support for applicants who have self-identified using the checkboxes in the Canada Council’s portal as belonging to one of the Council’s designated priority groups, which include applicants from culturally diverse, Deaf and disability, official language minority, and Indigenous communities.
Your eligibility to apply is determined based on the profile created in the Canada Council portal and approved by the Council.
Deadline and Grant Amount - Stream 1
Resources - Stream 1
Guidelines and application form
Budget
Digital Generator – Stream 2
This video includes ASL interpretation and captions.
Activities: What is eligible?
You can receive funding to implement recommendations resulting from a digital assessment, audit or plan designed to transform your operations and increase your digital capacity. Eligible activities include implementing tools, solutions and strategies related to transforming your operations and/or business model. These include, but are not limited to, projects aimed at improving:
- online discoverability, digital marketing and user analytics
- data analytics and business intelligence
- digital collaboration and team productivity
- information management, including cloud computing
- the capacity for digital creation and production
- e-commerce and digital distribution solutions
- digital accessibility and standards compliance
- cyber security
- the ability to implement new business models.
Larger grants between $50,000 and $100,000 are available for collaborative projects that develop shared resources that benefit more than one group or organization.
If you are applying for a collaborative project with a requested amount above $50,000, you must demonstrate that the project will have a concrete impact beyond your own group or organization and significantly transform the operations of your partners. In addition to the activities listed above, eligible implementation activities include, but are not limited to:
- enabling System Interoperability and API (Application Programming Interface) development
- implementing new digital solutions and/or business models in response to digital opportunities, including resource sharing and shared governance
- activities related to customization and solution development of shared tools and resources
- developing collaborative networks and communities of practices to support digital transformation.
You can’t apply for activities that occur before your project start date, those that receive funding from another Canada Council program or those on the general list of ineligible activities.
Candidates: Who can apply?
Types of potential applicants to this initiative include:
- artistic groups and collectives
- artistic organizations
- First Nations, Inuit and Métis groups, collectives and organizations
Arts organizations currently receiving core grants are eligible to apply under this initiative.
Your eligibility to apply to this initiative is determined by the validated profile created in the portal.
Your eligibility to apply is determined based on the profile created in the Canada Council portal and approved by the Council.
Targeted funding will be in place to ensure equitable support for applicants who have self-identified using the checkboxes in the Council’s portal as belonging to one of the Council’s designated priority groups, which include applicants from culturally diverse, Deaf and disability, official language minority, and Indigenous communities.
Are you new to the Canada Council? Create a profile on the portal and review the application guidelines.
Deadline and Grant Amount - Stream 2
Please see the Deadlines and Notification of Results page.
- Up to $50 000 for projects that benefit a single group or organization
- Up to $100 000 for collaborative projects that benefit multiple groups or organizations
Resources - Stream 2
For more information:
If you have any questions or need advice, write to us at digitalgenerator@canadacouncil.ca before submitting your application.