SODEC — Assistance for businesses in the arts and crafts sector — Stream 1

• The financial aid is provided in the form of a grant, covering up to 50% of eligible project expenses, with a maximum amount of $35,000.
• Funds are not available for projects that have been completed prior to the application deadline. Only expenses incurred after the deadline will be considered.
• An initial 70% of the financial aid is disbursed upon signing a financial assistance agreement.
• The remaining 30% is disbursed upon completion of the project activities, contingent upon submission and approval of a final report.
• All payments are subject to the availability of funds and the adequate and sufficient approvals from the National Assembly.
• SODEC retains the right to modify the disbursement terms.

• The company must be a Quebec-based business, either an individual company or a legally constituted organization (corporation, non-profit, cooperative, or partnership) working in the field of arts and crafts or specializing in marketing Quebec arts and crafts products.
• The business must have its headquarters and main establishment in Quebec with 100% ownership control by Canadian citizens or permanent residents with fiscal residence in Quebec.
• The company must have been active for at least three years or demonstrate relevant professional experience of the owner or manager.
• The business must be committed to investing an amount in the project that is equal to or greater than the aid received.
• The company can only submit one application per 12-month period.
• For arts and crafts enterprises, activities must originate from an artisanal conception related to material transformation, with creation and production stages primarily carried out locally by artisans active in the company.
• The intellectual property rights for the designed products must be held by the company.
• The company's cultural products must stand out for their quality, originality, and distinctiveness.
• The company must have a workshop in Quebec (specialized dissemination companies in arts and crafts are exempt).
• The company's primary mission should be the development and maintenance of artisanal expertise.

Who is eligible?

• Quebec-based individual businesses or legally constituted companies, including corporations, non-profit organizations, cooperatives, and partnerships, operating in the arts and crafts sector.
• Companies specializing in the commercialization of Quebec's arts and crafts products.

Who is not eligible

• Projects involving full-scale factory production.
• Production of prefabricated assembly kits.
• Production using molds not designed by artisans.
• Production of ephemeral products such as soap, candles, and cosmetics.

Eligible expenses

• Purchase and modernization of equipment, including delivery and installation costs.
• Integration of technologies in the design and production of artworks.
• Occupational health and safety installations, such as ventilation systems and dust extractors.
• Raw materials.
• Labor and subcontracting related to production stages, limited to 25% of the project budget.
• Design and fabrication of exhibition stands and displays.
• Fees and expenses for developing physical and digital promotional tools, such as photos, videos, and websites.
• Advertising fees and expenses for traditional and digital media.
• Expenses related to product discoverability, such as web page indexing optimization, metadata structuring, and SEO.

Eligible geographic areas

• Quebec

• Quality of the overall creation and product.
• Compliance with the program's objectives.
• Justification and relevance of the project for the enterprise's development.
• Realism of costs and financial capacity.
• Clarity, conformity, and precision of the application.

• Financial aid is paid in two stages: a first payment of 70% upon the signing of an aid agreement and a second payment of 30% at the end of the activities.
• The submission of a final report is necessary to receive the final payment of the aid.
• Projects cannot include expenses incurred before the application submission deadline.
• GST and QST taxes are not eligible and must be excluded from the submitted budget.
• Granted subsidies cannot be retroactive and will not cover projects that have already been completed.
• Grants are limited to a maximum of 50% of eligible expenses not exceeding $35,000 per project.
• SODEC's decisions are subject to the availability of funds and budgetary provisions approved by the National Assembly.