The Downtown Association has partnered with Digital Main Street and the Millworks to create a Digital Service Squad here in Sault Ste. Marie. As of August 2023, over $100,000 in grant funds have been invested in our community through the Digital Main Street program.
The Digital Service Squad (DSS) is a free digital resource to help you grow your business by adopting and implementing digital tools and technologies.
What is a Digital Service Squad?
As part of the Digital Main Street Grant program, funded by the Province of Ontario, partnered with the Toronto Association of BIAs (TABIA), and administered by the Ontario BIA Association (OBIAA), Digital Service Squads (DSS) are a free resource of trained digital technology specialists situated throughout Ontario who will deliver personalized, one-on-one assistance designed to help brick-and-mortar small businesses navigate new tools and maximize their return on investment.
These trained support specialists meet with small businesses, at no cost, to help entrepreneurs complete an online assessment that will introduce them to online training modules to build knowledge and skills. Digital Service Squad members can also assist with developing their Digital Transformation Plan (DTP) and then help them apply for a one-time $2,500 grant to implement it. This in-person (or virtual), one-on-one DSS assistance also includes support for basic website set-up, Google Business Profiles, 360° photos, digital storefront set-up with e-commerce (basic information on/referral to the ShopHERE program), creation or enhancement of social media presence, and much more.
Read more about the program on SooToday
Our Digital Service Squad can provide outreach and one-on-one support in-person or remotely, through phone calls and video-based (Zoom) calls. Email dms.dta@gmail.com.
Digital Main Street currently offers three programs small businesses can access outside of the Digital Service Squad services:
● Digital Transformation Grant is: A program that provides businesses with grant funding for digital transformation. Good for any business that meets the eligibility criteria and is looking for financial support to implement transformation. This grant window closes on January 31st, 2024.
● Canadian Digital Adoption Program (CDAP or Grow Your Business Online) is A program that provides eligible businesses with a micro-grant of up to $2,400 to help with the costs related to adopting e-commerce as well as support from a network of e-commerce advisors. This grant program will run until 2025
● ShopHERE powered by Google is: A program that provides independent small businesses and artists with a quick, easy, and no-cost way to get selling online right away. This program is a good fit if a business is looking for a transactional website and selling on an e-commerce platform. This program currently has no end date.
IMPORTANT TO NOTE: All programs are independent of each other, albeit very complementary. Nothing prohibits a business from going through all three programs if they qualify and there is no specific order in which a business needs to approach the programs.