Digital Advisory -FAQ

1. Which business can qualify for the Boost Your Business Technology Program?

Boost Your Business Technology is available to businesses that meet these requirements defined by the Government of Canada:

• A provincial or federal corporation, or a Canadian resident-owned sole proprietorship
• Be privately-owned and for-profit
• Have a maximum of 499 employees
• Earned a gross revenue of $500,000 to $100 million in 1 of the 3 previous years

2. How do I access the $15,000 free grant?

The $15,000 Canada Digital Adoption Program funding can be claimed as eligible expenses. The Government of Canada will reimburse businesses for up to 90% of eligible digital adoption costs, for up to $15,000. Once your Pinpoint CDAP advisor has delivered your digital adoption plan, you can submit the relevant invoices to claim the grant amount directly from the Canadian government.

3. Is my business eligible for a CDAP if we are already part of another digital adoption program?

The $15,000 Boost Your Business Technology grant is not available if you have a digital adoption plan developed through any of the following initiatives in the past year:

• Programme Audit Industry 4.0
• Digital Boost 2.0
• Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency: Digital Acceleration Pilot

But, keep in mind that the $15,000 grant isn’t the only available funding through the CDAP. If you meet all other eligibility criteria, you may still apply for a $100,000 interest-free loan through the BDC.

4. Can I choose any company that offers digital advisory services to work on my CDAP plan?

The Canada Digital Adoption Program website has an official list of certified digital advisors. Head over to the Digital Advisor Marketplace to find approved CDAP advisors, including Pinpoint and make sure you only appoint a certified advisor.

5. Who will work with my business to develop a digital adoption plan?

Pinpoint has a team of certified digital advisors and enablement experts. As your dedicated CDAP advisors, we will bring all the necessary industry expertise and experience and will work in close consultation with your team through the lifecycle of the project.

You will be assigned a dedicated account manager as a primary point of contact who will provide regular reports on milestones achieved and ensure that you are on solid footing to implement your tailored digital adoption plan.

6. Can a digital advisor apply for CDAP on my behalf?

The Canadian government and CDAP policies require that apply for the Boost Your Business Technology grant directly. As part of the our service, Pinpoint can provide CDAP eligibility assessment and grant application guidance and support to boost your chances of approval but by law cannot complete or submit the application on your organisations behalf.

7. Can Pinpoint help me answer the digital maturity assessment?

Yes! As a registered CDAP advisor, we know exactly how difficult it may be to complete application components like this. We can provide more information on the assessment, answer any questions, and improve your understanding of digital maturity, so you can answer accurately.

8. How long does it take to develop my digital adoption plan?

Once you select Pinpoint as your CDAP advisor, we can begin helping you with your application and conducting your needs assessment, so we can develop your digital adoption plan. The kick-off typically happens within a first week of signing your engagement contract. Our goal is to complete and have approved the CDAP plan within 2 months of funding approval; in that timeframe, you will need to submit your digital adoption plan and relevant invoices to the federal government.

9. What can I expect from my digital adoption plan?

Your digital adoption plan is a comprehensive roadmap to identifying current challenges and opportunities for your business’s digital transformation. This roadmap is tailored to your needs, complete with expert recommendations, a cost-benefit analysis of industry-standard tools and platforms, and a robust pathway to implementation through a longer partnership with Pinpoint.

10. Can I utilize the grant to purchase new hardware or software?

No. The Boost Your Business Technology grant specifically provides funding for laying down the groundwork—assessing your business’ digital maturity and developing your digital adoption plan in partnership with a CDAP advisor. Eligible costs include advisory fees, associated charges, and applicable sales taxes.

However, keep in mind that BDC offers an optional $100,000 interest-free loan, which you can use to implement your digital adoption plan—including purchasing new equipment.

11. Will Pinpoint implement my digital adoption plan?

At the end of our role as your CDAP advisor, we’re more than happy to continue our work and apply our subject matter expertise and industry knowledge of your digital adoption needs to implement your tailored plan. You may choose to hire Pinpoint for the implementation portion of your project.

12. Can I also apply for funded work placement programs under CDAP?

The funded work placement program provides a $7,300 wage subsidy for hiring a student or recent graduate as part of your digital transformation and adoption initiatives. The funded work placement subsidy falls under the Boost Your Business Technology CDAP track, so you would need to maintain the same eligibility criteria to access funding.

As a note, we recommend applying for this subsidy once you are ready to implement your digital adoption strategy, since the $15,000 funding already provides for expert advisory services.