Canada Media Fund (CMF) Loan for Interactive & Innovative Digital Media Projects
The Canada Media Fund (CMF) is a funding initiative that provides loans for small business who are involved in innovative and cutting-edge Canadian interactive digital media content. For 2013-2014, CMF has $360.7 million in funding to support the Canadian television and digital media industries through two streams of funding: the Experimental Stream and the Convergent Stream.
Canada Media Fund Experimental Stream
The Experimental Stream encourages the development of innovative, interactive digital media content and software applications. The expected outcomes of the Experimental Stream are:
- Canadian digital cultural content is created and consumed, and leading-edge content and applications are created and integrated into the mainstream.
- Projects funded in the Experimental Stream are being developed for commercial potential or public use.
- Projects funded in the Experimental Stream are subject to uptake by the Canadian media industry or Canadians.
- Projects funded in the Experimental Stream are targeted to Canadian and international marketplaces.
- Projects funded in the Experimental Stream contribute to the creation of jobs.
Canada Media Fund Government Funding for Small Business Details
The CMF funding program will offer up to a $1 Million business loan for a single project under the following streams:
- Development Stream: up to 75% of eligible costs to a max of $400,000
- Production Stream: up to 75% of eligible costs to a max of $1,000,000
- Marketing and Promotion Stream: up to 75% of eligible costs to a max of $400,000
Note: International Co-Production: maximum contribution calculated on the Canadian portion. There are special criteria for this type of project.
Canada Media Fund Experimental Stream: Application
Funding is allocated according to a selective process using an evaluation matrix, and not all projects submitted for funding are chosen. Eligible Applicants, or a related party, may apply with a maximum of two eligible projects per fiscal year.
The projects must be innovative and interactive, meaning the end result will provide a participatory experience between the user and a product/technology or the user and other users as enabled by the product. Furthermore, the project must have its underlying rights owned and developed in Canada.
Please keep in mind that applicants must have a letter of support from a third party channel that will be distributing the digital media product (ie. Apple App Store, Google Play Store). The digital media can also be self-distributed through your own website and server.
Canada Media Fund Government Funding and Incentives: Eligible Applicants
In order to be eligible for this small business loan applicants are either:
- A For-profit company which is Canadian controlled and has a head office in Canada
- A Canadian broadcaster, public or private, that is licensed to operate as such by the Canadian Radio-television & Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).
Canada Media Fund Small Business Funding and Incentives: Eligible Projects
The following expenses will be eligible for coverage through the CMF business loan:
- Research and preparation of content;
- Salaries and benefits/wages/contracts for project teams (global project management, preparation, digitization, development of interpretive materials, editing and proofreading;
- Technology infrastructure (hardware and software);
- Expenses to put content online, including copyright clearance, documentation, design and development, translation costs;
- Travel and accommodation;
- Project audit fees;
- Other technical and administrative expenses; and
- Marketing and promotion.
Core business operations or capital expenditures of the applicants, such as rent, purchase of real estate, and maintenance costs, are not Eligible Costs.
Learn More About the Canada Media Fund: Experimental Stream
Get Started    Eligibility Criteria   Program Update
Mentor Works is your one-stop location for finding relevant information on the most popular Canadian small business grants and loans for digital media. Sign up for our Canadian government funding weekly e-newsletter and be sure to follow us on Google+ and LinkedIn.