Digital Main Street Ontario Grants Program 3.0
Helping Small Businesses Grow by Adopting Digital Tools & Technologies
The Virtual Digital Service Squad (VDSS)
Digital Main Street is an active and progressive program focused on helping small businesses adopt digital tools and technologies and embrace digital marketing.
The program is based on three important pillars:
- Knowledge transfer through online training and assessments
- Resources including Digital Transformation Grants, and
- Support through Digital Service Squads, a team of trained digital technology specialists that provide businesses with the hands-on/virtual support and guidance needed to begin their digital transformation
Now, thanks to renewed funding of the Digital Main Street Ontario Grants Program (OPG) by the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade (MEDJCT) in partnership with the Toronto Association of BIAs and OBIAA, we are thrilled to offer $2,500 Digital Transformation Grants to qualified brick-and-mortar small businesses, along with the free service and support of our Virtual Digital Service Squad.
OUR VIRTUAL DIGITAL SERVICE SQUAD (VDSS) MEMBERS
Our Virtual Digital Service Squad is a FREE resource for your business, helping you build your online presence and promote and sell successfully online. There is no fee for this service.
Our VDSS members are trained specialists that help brick-and-mortar small businesses, like yours, adopt new technologies and embrace digital marketing. A VDSS member can provide you with one-on-one assistance for one or more of the following:
- a digital assessment of your business
- building a basic website
- improving your existing online presence through tools such as Google My Business and social media
- optimizing your website for search
- setting up a POS solution
- providing advice and recommendations to streamline your fundamental business operations (including back-office processes)
- finding local digital vendors for potential projects
- assisting with the $2,500 Digital Transformation Grant application
LET’S GET STARTED!
When you connect with one of our Virtual Digital Service Squad members you can choose one or all of these options:
Initial Consultation
Not sure where to start or what to do next? A 30-minute free discussion with a squad specialist will assess your business goals and identify where to start/continue with the digital transformation of your business.
Digital Audit
Work with a squad member to audit your digital footprint, a process that includes an extensive review of your online properties and recommendations on ways to enhance your website (if applicable), Google My Business listing, search ranking, social media presence, and more. The service includes additional consultation support to learn about and implement those recommendations.
Digital Transformation Grant
Squad members will assist qualified brick-and-mortar small businesses through the application process for a $2,500 Digital Transformation Grant, which includes an online assessment, online training modules, and the development of a Digital Transformation Plan (DTP).