Interactive Digital Media (IDM) Fund: 2020 Deadlines

The Interactive Digital Media (IDM) Fund provides provincial government funding to assist with the conceptualization and development of interactive digital media projects. These Ontario business grants support innovative projects that focus on products and/or services that will educate and entertain end users. Funded projects should offer original interactive digital media content that provides positive impacts to Ontario’s economy.

Through the IDM Fund, applicants may receive up $50,000 for concept definition projects, or $250,000 for digital media production projects.

The Interactive Digital Media Fund has a periodic call for proposals and the next application deadlines are April 6, 2020 and August 24, 2020. Projects must begin within 90 days of approval and should be completed within two years of Ontario Creates’ decision on funding commitments.

About the Interactive Digital Media (IDM) Fund

Administered by Ontario Creates, the Interactive Digital Media Fund supports Canada’s growing digital media industry by funding the creation of new, innovative content. The program provides research and development grants to reduce the costs of conceptualizing and developing interactive digital media projects.

The program is currently accepting applications for two of its funding streams, which include:

1. Concept Definition Projects

The Concept Definition stream supports early-stage project activities that will help businesses accelerate the production of market-ready digital media content. Ontario government funding can be used to offset conceptualization and planning activities, including prototyping and pre-production tasks.

Eligible businesses may receive up to 50% of project expenses to a maximum $50,000 in Ontario government grants.

2. Production Projects

The Production stream provides Ontario small business grants to companies producing original, market-ready digital media content. Ideal projects include the development of mobile content, web series, applications, and video games that will be released to end-users once the project concludes.

Eligible businesses may receive up to 50% of project expenses to a maximum $250,000 in Ontario small business grants.

Applicant Eligibility for IDM Grants

The Interactive Digital Media Fund provides small business grants to companies executing an interactive digital media project in Ontario. To qualify for funding, applicants must:

• Be an Ontario-based, Canadian-owned business;
• Be federally or provincially incorporated; and
• Possess a minimum of three years of experience in digital media products and services.

All applicants of the Interactive Digital Media Fund must meet at least one of the following conditions:

• At least 25% of company revenue in the last two fiscal years has come from the creation of complete screen-based content products;
• At least 50% of company revenue in the last two fiscal years has come from publishing activities and other brand extensions (trade shows, website development, television); or
• At least 50% of company expenses in the last two fiscal years have come from the production of interactive digital media content projects that would have been eligible for the IDM Fund.

Project Eligibility for IDM Funding

To receive Interactive Digital Media Fund grants, eligible projects’ digital media content must:

• Be original and unique;
• Include cultural connections;
• Provide a source of information, education, and/or entertainment to end-users;
• Combine text, sound, and images (content must incorporate a minimum of two elements);
• Target consumers, groups of consumers, or educational institutions;
• Generate new revenues for the company; and
• Be validated and ready for release on interactive digital media platforms, such as online app stores.

Apply for the Upcoming Interactive Digital Media Fund Deadline

The next Interactive Digital Media Fund intake ends April 6, 2020. The following deadline will be August 24, 2020.

Interested businesses can get started by registering the company’s corporate information with Ontario Creates’ online application portal. Eligible applicants must submit an application package (40+ pages) that includes project budgets, timelines, and company financial statements. On average, it can take up to 12-14 weeks for submissions to be reviewed and approved.

To learn more about your project’s eligibility for the Interactive Digital Media Fund and ensure your business submits its competitive application before the intake deadline, please contact Mentor Works.  

Updated: March 20, 2020