How much funding can be received?

Funds up to 75% of admissible expenses, capped at $250000 per project.

What is the deadline to apply?

The program is accepting continuous intake

Who are the financial supporters of the CMF — Prototyping Program?

CMF — Prototyping Program is funded by Canada Media Fund (CMF)

What are CMF — Prototyping Program's eligibility criterias?

The applicant must comply with the criteria set in section 3.1 of the Interactive Digital Media Content Programs - Principal Module. The applicant can only receive funding for one prototyping cycle per project. The applicant must adhere to applicable privacy laws and regulations.

CMF — Prototyping Program

grant_single|update January 24, 2025

Canada

Early-stage product prototyping funding for Canadian digital projects

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grant_single|openingDate April 30, 2024
grant_single|closingDate May 16, 2024

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Grant and Funding

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Information and cultural industries

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Canada Media Fund (CMF)

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The Prototyping Program provides funding for early-stage interactive digital media projects in Canada to experiment, test, and validate concepts, offering a maximum contribution of 75% of eligible expenses or up to $250,000. Eligible activities include developing a solid concept and design, leading to a functional prototype, in preparation for a full production phase.

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The CMF Prototyping Program provides financial support tailored to early-stage projects, offering significant funding coverage to facilitate the development of functional prototypes. This support is designed to cover a broad range of expenses directly related to the project.

The maximum contribution from CMF is 75% of the eligible expenses or up to $250,000, whichever is less.
Eligible expenses include but are not limited to research, content preparation, salaries and benefits, technology infrastructure, content deployment costs, travel and accommodation, project auditing fees, marketing and promotion, as well as sustainable practices related expenses.

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The CMF Prototyping Program supports initiatives at the initial stages of product development. This funding is designated for activities focusing on demonstrating, testing, and validating product concepts to reach a functional prototype stage.

Development of a solid concept and design to initiate experimentation.
Testing of different product concepts and hypotheses.
Validation processes leading to the creation of a functional prototype.

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Eligibility for this grant is determined by specific requirements related to the applicant's profile and proposed projects.

The applicant must adhere to the criteria outlined in section 3.1 of the "MNI - Module principal."

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The Prototyping Program evaluates projects based on various criteria related to the project's team, parity, diversity, community engagement, originality, financial viability, and strategic positioning.

Team: Assessed based on studio track record, experience of team members, and capacity to deliver the project. (17 points)
Parity: Projects should have at least 40% of key roles occupied by individuals identifying as women. (2 points)
Diversity: Projects should have at least 40% of key roles occupied by members from diverse communities. (2 points)
Community and Sustainability Engagement: Commitment to responsible content creation and sustainability practices. (4 points)
Originality, Creativity, and Advancement: Evaluates the project's originality, design quality, user experience, innovative technology use, and commercial potential. (60 points)
Financial Viability: Assesses financial stability, risk, and revenue model. (14 points)
Strategic Positioning and Marketability: Includes market and audience analysis, competitive advantage. (5 points)

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The grant supports expenses directly tied to the early-stage development and prototyping of a project.

Research and preparation of content.
Salaries and benefits for project teams, including management, business development, coding, design, and system infrastructure.
Technological infrastructure, including hardware and software.
Expenses related to content deployment, such as rights clearance, documentation, design, development, and translation fees.
Travel and accommodation costs related to the project.
Project audit fees.
Other technical and administrative expenses.
Marketing and promotion expenses.
Reasonable costs related to environmental sustainability activities or hiring personnel for such activities.

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This grant does not specify any eligible geographical areas for companies applying based on the available information. Applicants are advised to check further details with the grant provider to ensure eligibility.

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The evaluation and selection of projects for this grant are based on specific criteria with allocated point scores to ensure alignment with the grant’s objectives.

Team (17 points): Includes the background and accomplishments of the studio and team members in the interactive digital media sector, collaboration history, capacity to deliver the project, and positioning related to the project.
Parity (2 points): Qualification as a Project achieving parity with 40% of eligible interactive digital media remunerated positions held by individuals publicly identifying as women.
Diversity (2 points): Qualification as a Project from a Community reflecting diversity, with 40% of eligible interactive digital media positions held by members of diverse communities.
Community and Sustainability (4 points): Commitment to community engagement and environmentally sustainable practices, with written confirmation at cost finalization.
Originality, Creativity and Advancement (60 points): Originality, quality, relevance of content and design; user experience; either innovation through technology or commercial potential, including cultural value.
Financial Viability (14 points): Appropriateness of the budget, financial stability of the applicant, risk level for the CMF and applicant, and revenue model.
Strategic Positioning and Marketing (5 points): Audience and market analysis, and competitive positioning.

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Here are the steps to submit an application for this grant:

Step 1: Check Eligibility
Ensure your project and organization meet the eligibility criteria outlined in the CMF guidelines.
Review definitions and policies specific to the Prototyping Program to confirm eligibility.
Step 2: Gather Required Information
Prepare documentation on project purpose, expected outcomes, and a solid concept design.
Prepare a budget that outlines eligible expenses consistent with the guidelines.
Collect team details, emphasizing diversity, parité, and past collaborations in digital media.
Step 3: Complete the Application Form
Access the CMF application portal on their website.
Fill in all sections of the application form, providing detailed information about the project.
Include a narrative statement outlining the positioning strategy of the project.
Step 4: Attach Supporting Documents
Upload relevant supporting documents such as budgets, team resumes, and market research.
Submit documentation supporting community engagement and sustainability plans.
Step 5: Submit Application
Review your application to ensure all information is accurate and complete.
Submit your application before the respective deadline—either May 16, 2024, or October 15, 2024.
Step 6: Confirmation of Submission
Receive a confirmation email acknowledging receipt of your application.
Retain this confirmation for future reference.

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Here are additional relevant details for this grant:

Applicants must conform to the main rules and requirements outlined in the "Programmes de contenu en médias numériques interactifs – Module principal des Principes directeurs".
The project will require a complete production phase after the prototyping phase for it to be distributed or sold.
This program may allocate up to 50% of its budget for applications submitted by the first application deadline.
The assessment criteria and weighting include team experience, diversity, community engagement, originality, and financial viability.
If a project is rejected more than twice since 2010-2011 for a specific program activity like prototyping, it can no longer apply for funding for that same activity.