Canada Periodical Fund — Business Innovation
Canada
Funding for innovation in periodical publishing
grant_single|update March 17, 2025
grant_single_labels|summary
grant_single|eligibleFinancing
- grant_single|maxCount
- grant_single|projectCostPercent
grant_single|deadlines
- grant_single|openingDateJuly 27, 2023
- grant_single|closingDateSeptember 15, 2023
- grant_single|grantStatusClosed
grant_single|financingType
Grant and Funding
grant_single|eligibleIndustries
- Information and cultural industries
grant_single|grantors
- Canadian Heritage
- Government of Canada
grant_single|status
grant_card_status|closed
grant_single_labels|preview
Financial assistance of up to $500,000 or 75% of the total eligible project-related cost, whichever is less, for business innovation projects. For start-up projects, you can get funds up to 50% of total eligible project-related costs to a maximum of $10,000.
grant_single_labels|terms_and_conditions
This grant provides financial assistance to Canadian periodical publishers under specific conditions to encourage innovation and technological advancement. The funding is aimed at enhancing financial viability and market access for periodicals while promoting diversity and new professional developments in the publishing sector.
- Funding up to 75% of total eligible project-related costs for general projects, with a maximum annual limit of $500,000, whichever is less.
- For start-up projects, funding is available for up to 50% of total eligible project-related costs, capped at a maximum of $10,000 per project.
- The grant is competitive, and demand often exceeds available resources, meaning not all eligible applications will receive funding.
- Single-year project applications only are accepted, covering activities between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025.
- Interim and final reports are required for funded projects, with additional audited financial statements needed for contributions of $250,000 or more.
- Total government assistance from the Business Innovation component and other levels of government must not exceed 75% of total project-related costs.
grant_single_labels|projects
The Business Innovation component under the Canada Periodical Fund is designed to encourage innovation within the periodical publishing sector. Eligible projects are those which introduce new technologies, models, or practices to enhance productivity, expand market access, and diversify content.
- New or improved business models, methods, or processes.
- New or improved products or services.
- New or improved systems or tools.
- Digitization of back issues.
- Rebranding or redesign initiatives.
- Special issues outside the regular publishing schedule.
- Adoption or use of new media.
- Development of mobile applications.
- Web design and development projects.
- Expansion into new markets.
- Advertising and promotional campaigns.
grant_single|admissibleProjectsExample
$ 75,000
Rebrand a tech magazine to attract a younger demographic
$ 33,750
Launch a special issue of a local community newspaper focused on sustainability
$ 45,000
Develop a mobile app for e-commerce magazine subscriptions
$ 39,750
Digitize back issues for an online periodical archive
$ 52,500
Develop a web platform for community-generated news content
$ 93,750
Create an advertising campaign to expand into new markets
grant_single_labels|admissibility
Eligibility for the Business Innovation component of the Canada Periodical Fund is determined by specific criteria related to the ownership, control, and operation of the publishing firm and the periodicals they produce.
- Your publishing firm must be a private-sector entity, including corporations, not-for-profit organizations, partnerships, or sole proprietorships.
- The firm must be majority owned and controlled by Canadians.
- The principal place of business must be in Canada.
- Your firm must have published one or more eligible periodicals by the application deadline.
grant_eligibility_criteria|who_can_apply
Publishing firms producing magazines, in print or digital formats, can apply. The eligible publishing firms must be private-sector entities (corporations, not-for-profit organizations, partnerships, or sole proprietorships), majority owned and controlled by Canadians, have their principal place of business in Canada, and have published one or more eligible periodicals by the application deadline.
grant_eligibility_criteria|who_cannot_apply
This grant excludes certain types of magazines and digital periodicals due to their main activities or specific attributes. The restrictions ensure that funding is directed towards innovative projects that align with the Fund's objectives.
- Daily newspapers in print or digital formats.
- Periodicals branded to an individual, such as blogs or personal websites.
- Non-revenue generating free print magazines.
- Publications produced by or for organizations to primarily report their own activities.
- Magazines or periodicals linked to product or service promotion.
- Periodicals produced by non-Canadian entities on behalf of Canadian customers.
- Publications repeating more than 50% of their content from past issues.
- Content aggregating listings, directories, or schedules beyond 50% of editorial content.
- Publications with material designated as offensive, including hate propaganda or material denigrating identifiable groups.
grant_eligibility_criteria|eligible_expenses
The Business Innovation component of the Canada Periodical Fund supports projects that enhance innovation and diversify editorial content among Canadian magazines and digital periodicals. Eligible projects should introduce new elements to publishing operations and achieve specific goals within a defined timeframe.
- Development of new or improved business models, methods, or processes.
- Creation of new or enhanced products or services.
- Implementation of new or improved systems or tools.
- Digitization of back issues of periodicals.
- Rebranding or redesign of existing publications.
- Publication of special issues outside the regular schedule.
- Adoption or use of new media formats.
- Design and development of mobile applications.
- Web design and development initiatives.
- Expansion into new market segments.
- Execution of advertising and promotional campaigns.
grant_eligibility_criteria|zone
This grant is designed for Canadian print and digital periodical publishers. Eligible publishers must be based primarily in Canada to access the funding.
- Canadian Provinces and Territories.
grant_single_labels|criteria
The evaluation and selection of projects under the Business Innovation component of the Canada Periodical Fund are based on several criteria to ensure they meet the program's objectives and demonstrate capacity and viability.
- How the project meets the objectives of the Canada Periodical Fund, as well as the Business Innovation component.
- Applicant financial need for the project.
- Suitability of total project costs to the publisher’s scale of operations.
- Innovation involved in the project.
- How the project can demonstrate short-term results, measurable improvement, added value from previous projects or activities, and/or a sustainable strategy.
- Involvement and assistance or financial commitment from other sources.
- Demonstrated capacity of the organization to undertake the project.
- Suitability of the budget to the scale of the project.
- Clarity and relevance of expected results and performance measures, including indicators that will be used to assess the success of the project.
grant_single_labels|register
- Step 1: Review Guidelines
- Read all application guidelines carefully to understand eligibility and requirements.
- Ensure your organization and project meet all necessary criteria.
- Step 2: Gather Supporting Documents
- Collect proof of legal status if you are a first-time applicant.
- Obtain quotes from consultants, if applicable.
- Provide written confirmation of in-kind contributions and other funding sources.
- For not-for-profits, prepare a Board of Directors resolution in support of the project.
- Step 3: Prepare Periodical Documents
- For print magazines, have a digital copy of the last issue and relevant circulation documents ready.
- For digital magazines, ensure unlimited access and required web analytics are available.
- Step 4: Online Submission
- Create an account or log into the Canadian Heritage Funding Portal.
- Fill out the online application form, attaching all necessary documents.
- Submit the complete application package by the deadline.
- Step 5: Confirmation and Follow-up
- Receive an automatic email confirmation of your application submission.
- Keep the confirmation for your records.
grant_single_labels|otherInfo
Here are additional relevant details for this grant:
- The deadline for applications is July 12, 2024, 11:59 pm local time, with extensions available if it falls on a weekend or holiday.
- Eligible projects must seek new activities distinct from previous ones to achieve specific goals with measurable results.
- The Business Innovation component is a competitive process with a funding limit of 75% of eligible project-related costs from government sources.
grant_single_labels|contact
1-866-811-0055
