Grant
Provincial
Active
Ontario Creates — Screen Marketing and Discoverability Program (SMD)
Ontario Creates
Maximum Funding
Interactive content: $15,000–$50,000 non-repayable contribution...
Continuous; closes December 16, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET
Difficulty
Hard
Payment
Varies
Trend
New Program
First-Timers
—
Co-Funding
75%
Ontario Creates — Screen Marketing and Discoverability Program (SMD) provides up to Interactive content: $15,000–$50,000 non-repayable contribution (up to 75% of eligible expenses). Offers non-repayable contributions of $15,000–$50,000 (up to 75% of eligible expenses) for interactive digital media projects that previously received Ontario Creates Production investments. The program covers up to 75% of eligible costs. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
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Eligibility & Details
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Program Description
Offers non-repayable contributions of $15,000–$50,000 (up to 75% of eligible expenses) for interactive digital media projects that previously received Ontario Creates Production investments.
Eligibility Requirements
- Company corporate information must be registered with the Ontario Creates Online Application Portal
- Project must be interactive digital media content
- Project must previously have received Ontario Creates Production investment
- Marketing activity must aim to increase audiences and revenues for the screen content project
- Minimum request $15,000; maximum request $50,000
- Must obtain approval from a Program Consultant before submitting
- Application must be submitted via OAP by December 16, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET
Provinces
Industries
Business Stage
Quick Assessment
Difficulty
Hard
Competition
Moderate
First-Timer
Not rated
Funding Details
- Amount
- Interactive content: $15,000–$50,000 non-repayable contribution (up to 75% of eligible expenses)
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Provincial
- Co-Funding
- Up to 75% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- Continuous; closes December 16, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Competition
Moderate
Deadline
Dec 16, 2026
Approval
Varies
Accessibility
--/5
Competition
--/5
Approval Rate
--%
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How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
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Insider TipConfirm eligibility and get approval from your Ontario Creates Program Consultant before starting the application; the window closes December 16, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET.
Rejection Pitfalls 6
- The project never received a Production investment from Ontario Creates
+5 more pitfalls
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Success Profile
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Evaluation Criteria
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All 6 pitfalls, the checklist and the reviewer notes are in the Playbook below. See what it includes ↓
What's in this Playbook
Everything you need to win SMD
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 6 rejection pitfalls reviewers flag — so you catch them first
- 6-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- Your Application Game Plan — the print-ready PDF the preview below describes
- 5-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what reviewers score on
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Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
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5 steps
6 docs
Application Steps
1
Send an Applicant Inquiry on your Production project Before applying you must provide an update on the status of your Production project by sending an Applicant Inquiry from that project's page in the Online Application Portal.
Required Documents 6
✓ Company corporate information registered on the Ontario Creates Online Application Portal
✓ Applicant Inquiry status update on the underlying Production project
Eligible Expenses 1
Intake Periods
Deadline Notes
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Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
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Combined Funding Potential
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Clawback Risk
Low Risk
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How SMD Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
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| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario Creates — Screen Marketing an... | Interactive content:... | Hard | Varies | Continuous; closes... |
| Strategic Response Fund (formerly Str... | Minimum $10 million contribution | Hard | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Ongoing — continuous... |
| CanExport SMEs | Up to $50,000 | Moderate | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Between intakes — the... |
| Innovative Solutions Canada | up to $150,000 | Hard | Milestone-Based | Challenge-specific — new... |
| Ocean Supercluster | Up to $5 million | Hard | Reimbursement | Call-specific — no open... |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about SMD
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Who can apply to the Screen Marketing and Discoverability Program?
Ontario screen companies whose screen content project received a Production investment from Ontario Creates. The program supports both linear content funded through the Film Fund, the IDM Fund Linear stream or the IP Fund Linear stream, and interactive content funded through the IDM Fund Non-Linear stream or the IP Fund Interactive stream.
How much can I request?
For linear content, a minimum of $5,000 and a maximum of $25,000. For interactive content, a minimum of $15,000 and a maximum of $50,000. In both cases the non repayable contribution covers up to 75% of eligible expenses.
Do I have to pay part of the cost myself?
Yes. The contribution covers up to 75% of eligible expenses, so the remaining share is yours.
What is the deadline?
Intake is continuous and closes December 16, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET.
How do I apply?
Send an Applicant Inquiry from your Production project page in the Online Application Portal, get approval to apply from your Program Consultant, make sure your company's corporate information is registered at apply.ontariocreates.ca, then start and submit the application in the portal.
Is this a loan?
No. It is a non repayable contribution toward eligible expenses.
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Full Playbook: SMD
5 steps · 6 docs · reviewer insights