GUELPH – Business Centre Guelph-Wellington has reached a milestone with the Digital Main Street program in awarding over 200 Digital Transformation Grants (DTG) to brick-and-mortar small businesses to help them enhance their online presence and better adapt to a rapidly changing environment.
The Business Centre’s Digital Service Squad (DSS) has been visiting small businesses across the City of Guelph and Wellington County, assisting them with the development of their Digital Transformation Plan (DTP) and then applying for the $2,500 grants to implement it.
“This is great news for Guelph and Wellington County,” said executive director Kristel Manes.
“The Digital Main Street program has made an enormous difference to small businesses over the past four years. With this new round of funding, we have seen an even greater impact on our local businesses, with over $500,000 being invested in our business community’s digital future.”
Manes said the digital service squad helps businesses access the grant, complete the application, and assist with digital needs.
“They have done an amazing job and will be continuing to work with small businesses over the next eight months,” she said.
With an investment from Ontario’s Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, and administered by the Ontario BIA Association (OBIAA), in partnership with the Toronto Association of BIAs (TABIA), the DTG program will continue to help small businesses across Ontario pivot their operations to include online business models, digital technologies for operational management, and automated processes to better enable businesses to become more resilient and more competitive.
Fundamental to the DMS program are the Digital Service Squads, trained specialists who meet with small businesses, at no cost, to help them improve their digital technologies by:
– developing a Google Business Profile;
– enhancing their social media presence; and
– providing advice for digital areas that may need improvement.
“The Digital Main Street Digital Transformation Grant program is a vitally important and immensely valuable resource for small businesses,” says OBIAA executive director Kay Matthews.
“We join the Business Centre Guelph-Wellington in celebrating the success of the program that continues to provide their local businesses with the knowledge, resources, and training to revitalize their operations with an expanded digital presence.”
The DMS Digital Transformation Grant is open to brick-and-mortar small businesses registered in Ontario that employ under 50 employees.
Other eligibility requirements and exceptions can be found on the Digital Main Street website. Businesses not eligible for the grant are still welcome to connect with the Business Centre Guelph-Wellington’s Digital Advisor for advisory support and digital assistance.
