OCI Digitalization Competence Centre (DCC)
Compared with the 242 other application forms we have read
- Scored mainly on what it puts back into the local economy. 19 lead with that.
- States real length limits, about 50 words in total. Only 63 tell you how long to write.
- Most rejections here are settled before you write a word: they turn on who you are, not how well you argue.
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Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
Program Description
Primary source of grants and consulting to help Ontario SMEs plan and implement digital upgrades. Accelerates digital transformation across the province.
Eligibility Requirements
- Must be an SME operating in Ontario
- Must be in growth or expansion stage
- Seeking to plan or implement digital upgrades or transformation
- Available grants range from $5,000 (RMPG) to $50,000 (TDP) depending on stream
- DMAP and TDP: at least $750,000 in annual revenue (TDP: in one of the previous three tax years); DMAP is for product companies selling B2B that have operated for several years
- Retail Modernization Program Grant (RMPG): in business at a physical location for at least 1 year, with at least $100,000 in annual revenue in one of the previous three tax years, and no prior or current DMAP grant
Quick Assessment
Funding Details
- Amount
- Up to $15,000 (DMAP, 50% reimbursement) or up to $50,000 (TDP, 50% reimbursement); RMPG up to $5,000 for retailers
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Provincial
- Co-Funding
- Up to 50% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- DMAP and RMPG OPEN — first-come, first-served while funds last. TDP closed (its intake ran to August 10, 2026).
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Accessible — straightforward requirements
Below average competition
Easy — minimal documentation
How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Insider TipThe DMAP-to-TDP pathway is the intended journey and the highest-value route (up to $15,000 plus up to $50,000).
Rejection Pitfalls 12
- Applying to TDP outside an OCI intake (DMAP accepts applications on a rolling basis)
Success Profile
How Ontario Centre of Innovation judges your application
What the reviewer scores, what gets applications rejected, and what to write.
Distilled from 6+ source documents, condensed into one brief. Sources as of 2026-09-10.
6 of the sources
- Digital Competence Centre programme page oc-innovation.ca
- DCC - Digital Modernization and Adoption Program dropbox.com
- DCC-Digital Modernization and Adoption Plan - Proposal Questions dropbox.com
- Eligible Expenditures Guide - DCC DMAP dropbox.com
- DMAP DAC Letter of Support Template dropbox.com
- DCC Digital Adoption Consultant dropbox.com
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What Ontario Centre of Innovation favours
Accelerate digital transformation with high business impact◦
“The project should significantly accelerate the SMEs digital transformation, on their commercialized technologies, and have a high impact on the business”
The form
Intake form (DMAP and TDP)
- 1OCI Company Intake Form - contactshort answerno limit
- 2OCI Company Intake Form - business descriptionwritten answerno limit
In one to two sentences, describe your company's business
- 3OCI Company Intake Form - existing OCI contactyes/no + writtenno limit
Have you previously spoken to an OCI Business Development and Commercialization Manager?
- 4OCI Company Intake Form - programme interestcheckboxno limit
- 5OCI Company Intake Form - company informationshort answerno limit
RMPG Expression of Interest
- 6RMPG Expression of Interest - business and contactshort answerno limit
- 7RMPG Expression of Interest - what you sellshort answer · 150 characters
- 8RMPG Expression of Interest - technology to buyshort answer · 150 characters
- 9RMPG Expression of Interest - anything elsewritten answerno limit
- 10RMPG Expression of Interest - sourceshort answerno limit
DMAP proposal
- 111: SME and current digital tool - company and commercialization stagewritten answerno limit
- 121: SME and current digital tool - digital readinesswritten answerno limit
- 132: Digital needs - limited areaswritten answerno limit
- 142: Digital needs - how a DMAP helpswritten answerno limit
- 153: Digital Adoption Consultant - expertisewritten answerno limit
- 163: Digital Adoption Consultant - why this DACwritten answerno limit
- 44: Project plan and teamwritten answerno limit
- 185: Outcomes and impact - key outcomes and implementationwritten answerno limit
- 195: Outcomes and impact - return on investmentwritten answerno limit
- 205: Outcomes and impact - benefits to Ontariowritten answerno limit
- 216: Previous and current OCI projectswritten answerno limit
- 227: BDC Digital Maturity Reportcheckboxno limit
TDP proposal
- 231: SME and current tools - company and commercialization stagewritten answerno limit
- 241: SME and current tools - digital readinesswritten answerno limit
- 1.C1: SME and current tools - digital gaps from the DMAPwritten answerno limit
- 262: Digital solution and platform use - the solutionwritten answerno limit
- 272: Digital solution and platform use - intended usewritten answerno limit
- 2.C2: Digital solution and platform use - rationalewritten answerno limit
- 2.D2: Digital solution and platform use - impact without itwritten answerno limit
- 303: Project plan and team - planwritten answerno limit
- 313: Project plan and team - implementationwritten answerno limit
- 3.C3: Project plan and team - riskswritten answerno limit
- 3.D3: Project plan and team - diagram (optional)uploadno limit
- 4.C4: Digital technology vendor - expertise and selectionwritten answerno limit
- 355: Outcomes and impact - growth and key outcomeswritten answerno limit
- 365: Outcomes and impact - return on investmentwritten answerno limit
- 375: Outcomes and impact - benefits to Ontariowritten answerno limit
- 386: Previous and current OCE projectswritten answerno limit
- 397: BDC Digital Maturity Reportcheckboxno limit
RMPG proposal
- 401: SME and current digital tools - company historywritten answerno limit
- 411: SME and current digital tools - readiness and gapswritten answerno limit
- 422: Digital solution - what and howwritten answerno limit
- 432: Digital solution - rationale and impactwritten answerno limit
- 443: Retail technology vendor - competitive advantageswritten answerno limit
- 453: Retail technology vendor - why this vendorwritten answerno limit
- 4.A4: Project plan and team - implementation planwritten answerno limit
- 4.B4: Project plan and team - riskswritten answerno limit
- 485: Outcomes and impact - key outcomeswritten answerno limit
- 495: Outcomes and impact - quantified impactwritten answerno limit
- 505: Outcomes and impact - benefits to Ontariowritten answerno limit
- 6.A6: Previous and current OCI projectswritten answerno limit
- 6.B6: Other federal or provincial funding for the same line itemsyes/no + writtenno limit
AccessOCI portal screens
- 53AccessOCI - application titleshort answerno limit
- 54AccessOCI - summary of proposal for public releasewritten answerno limit
- 55AccessOCI - classifications and keywordsshort answerno limit
- 56AccessOCI - team expertise and qualificationtableno limit
- 57AccessOCI - company profiletableno limit
- 58AccessOCI - program milestones and durationtableno limit
- 59AccessOCI - use of funds (budget table)spreadsheetno limit
- 60AccessOCI - budget justificationwritten answerno limit
AccessOCI budget screens (DMAP/TDP)
- 61AccessOCI - DMAP/TDP budget and profile screensspreadsheetno limit
bar = length the funder allows, from its stated limits
Judged against
- 1
How digitally mature is this business?
Show them Inventory every system you run today and name the specific gaps that cost you hours, errors or sales.◦
In the funder’s words · 1
- Evaluation of digital maturity, where the DCC client is at in terms of digital advancement and current capabilities
- 2
What is the need, and will this fix it?
What to show, and the funder’s 4 criteria behind it in Premium
- 3
Can this team and plan deliver?
What to show, and the funder’s 5 criteria behind it in Premium
- 4
What does Ontario get for the money?
What to show, and the funder’s 5 criteria behind it in Premium
Where applicants fail
“Please note completion of this form does not constitute an application for funding.”
“Do not make any purchases until your project is officially approved by the program. Purchases made before approval will not be reimbursed.”
Premium · the rest of this brief
See all 36 rules that can reject you and every criterion you are judged on. Then we draft your application for you.
34 more rules that can reject you · 14 more criteria · 58 more prompts
Do you pass?
Each one can rule you out. Tick the ones you meet.
Your business
Incorporated with a valid Business Number
Be incorporated federally or provincially with a valid Business Number
Your organisation
OCI approval above $500K lifetime
Organizations who, in their lifetime, receive greater than $500,000 in direct funding from OCI administered programs
1 thing this funder says you do NOT need, in Premium.
Documents to attach
Ticks are kept on this device.
The money
DMAP maximumUp to $15,000
50 per cent (maximum) of total eligible project costs, up to $15,000
TDP maximumUp to $50,000
50 per cent (maximum) of total eligible project costs, up to $50,000
RMPG maximumUp to $5,000
50% of eligible costs up to $5,000
RMPG minimum projectMinimum project costs $6,000
Minimum total project costs $6,000 (OCI contribution of $3000)
Your shareMinimum 50% of eligible costs
50 per cent (minimum) of total eligible project costs (i.e., minimum 1:1 match to OCI contribution)
Cash onlyCash, not in-kind
Please Note: Types of funds should always be indicated as “Cash.” Do not list any funds under “In-Kind.”
Payment timingReimbursement model
Funding will be released directly to the SME following a reimbursement model
Payment on claimAfter claim report approved
Paid only after the project completion claim report is approved
Your shareMinimum 50%, at least 1:1 match
50 per cent (minimum) of total eligible project costs (i.e., minimum 1:1 match to OCI contribution)
StackingPrivate sources only; no other public funds
Matching contributions from partners must be from private sources. DCC’s funding and/or partners’ project contributions cannot be used to leverage other public funds (at the municipal, provincial, and federal level, including directly controlled entities) to support the same project activities and milestones.
Costs before approvalOnly expenses after approval date count
OCI will acknowledge expenses after the approval date. In cases where an application is not approved and activated, expenses are incurred at the risk of the Applicant.
What it pays for · 11
- Actual Digital Adoption Consultant (sub-contractor) costs directly attributable to and necessary for the completion of the project
- Technology Demonstration Project costs related to the adoption of the digital technology outlined in the DMAP
- installation incl. subscription fees
- back-office solutions
- customer databases
- development of new technology
- one-time technical staff salaries
- software
- hardware and accompanying software up to 20% of total grant amount
- Upfront hardware or software costs
- External cost to install or setup solution
What it does not pay for · 12
- Any cost not related to sub-contractor expenses
- Renewal of digital services such as domain name, software subscription etc.
- Purchases made prior to grant approval
- Signage and printing
- Logo redesign and rebranding
- founder salaries without technical contribution and/or over $5000 per month
- Software subscriptions, new or existing
- Consultancy
- All staff costs, including salary, benefits, bonuses
- Marketing, website costs and SEO including signage, printing, logo redesign and rebranding
- The DCC program does not support activities that are primarily related to marketing or promotional efforts.
- Costs incurred outside Ontario are ineligible.
From application to money
- Talk to OCI firstInitiate in AccessOCI by OCI BDM
- Submit your applicationSubmit interest form then application
- Internal reviewOCI review in about one week
- Sign the agreementSign and return agreement
- Buy and implement30 days to buy and implement
- Final report and claimReimbursement after approved claim
In the funder’s words · 6
- Talk to OCI first
- Applications MUST be initiated in AccessOCI by an OCI Business Development Manager (BDM) or an OCI DAA.
- Submit your application
- Send the interest form first, then the AccessOCI application, which your OCI BDM or Digital Adoption Advisor must endorse before submission.
- Internal review
- OCI will internally review the application within approximately one week for eligibility, completeness and financial compliance.
- Sign the agreement
- This funding agreement must be signed, via OCI’s online electronic signature function, by the applicant and returned to OCI.
- Buy and implement
- Upon successful execution of the Funding Agreement and project completion, clients have 30 days to purchase and implement the technology.
- Final report and claim
- Funding will be released directly to the SME following a reimbursement model
Quoted lines are word for word from the source documents; lines marked ◦ are our reading of them.
Everything you need to win DCC
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 12 rejection pitfalls reviewers flag — so you catch them first
- 8-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- Your Application Game Plan — the print-ready PDF the preview below describes
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- 4-program stacking strategy to combine with compatible funding
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what reviewers score on
Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
Application steps not yet documented.
Required Documents 8
Deadline Notes
Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
Compatible Programs
Clawback Risk
Unknown RiskHow DCC Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| OCI Digitalization Competence Centre ... | Up to $15,000 | Easy | Varies | DMAP and RMPG OPEN —... |
| OCI Critical Industrial Technologies ... | up to $10,000 | Moderate | Reimbursement | Per stream — Future... |
| NRC IRAP Clean Technology Program | $100,000–$500,000 | Hard | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Ongoing |
| Ontario Job Grant (formerly Canada-On... | Up to $10,000 per employee | Easy | Varies | Ongoing — year-round... |
| Ontario Innovation Tax Credit | Up to 8% tax credit | Moderate | Tax Credit Offset | Ongoing |
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