Canadian Heritage: Creative Export Canada - Export Development Stream

Wanting to develop internal capacity to capitalize on international markets for your organization's work? Check out this interesting Canadian Heritage program, with a July 26th deadline.

The Export Development Stream (EDS) of the Creative Export Canada program enables companies and organizations in the creative industries with little to no experience in export to expand their sales into international markets. It also enables seasoned exporters to enter international markets where they currently have little to no sales and to develop new or existing international business networks.

Creative Export Canada offers funding for projects that forecast generating export revenues and help Canadian creative industries reach more people around the world. Ultimately, the program aims to increase export profitability for Canada’s creative industries.

Key Things To Know:

• Application deadline is July 26, 2023 (projects with expenses starting between April 1, 2023, and March 31, 2024; may request funding for a project spanning up to 24 months but ending no later than March 31, 2025).

• Eligible project must: be market-ready at the project start date; allow creative industries to expand their sales into international markets and/or develop international business networks; expect to generate export revenues; support one or more of the following creative industries: artistic craft, audiovisual, design (limited to exhibit design, fashion design, artistic product design, public art design, urban design), music, performing arts, publishing (books and periodicals), visual art, interactive digital media (in combination with at least one of the industries listed above).

• Applicant must hold the intellectual property rights for the content within the scope of the project, if applicable. This requirement does not apply to applicants who wish to organize projects on behalf of others, for example, an association who organizes a collective project on behalf of its members.

• Have a minimum total cost of $15K & be funded at a minimum of 25% by private sources (which can include applicant’s own contribution or a loan from a financial institution); program offers a maximum possible funding of $90K.

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Who can apply:

To be eligible for funding, a company/organization must meet all of the following requirements:

• be incorporated under the laws of Canada, a province or a territory

• be a for-profit company or not-for-profit organization

• be Canadian-owned and -controlled

• have a maximum of $10 million in annual revenues in the current or previous fiscal year

• have a minimum of 1 full-time employee

Reserved Funding: A percentage of Creative Export Canada – Export Development Stream funding will be reserved for companies/organizations whereby at least 50% of the owners and/or board members self-identify as Indigenous peoples and/or members of equity-deserving communities. As such, the program encourages applicants from these communities to self-identify through the voluntary self-identification questionnaire to be eligible for this reserved funding. Only those who complete the self-identification questionnaire will be considered for this reserved funding.

Eligible expenses:

Only project-related cash expenses are eligible; these may include:

• export planning activities, limited to a maximum of $30,000 of the total requested amount, such as:

  • development of an export plan or market entry strategy;

  • international marketing plan;

  • export pricing strategy;

  • market research on target export markets;

  • planning of distribution and logistics;

  • help to find a broker or distributor, including international distribution channels;

  • business services and advice;

  • legal services (e.g., contract support, intellectual property);

  • tariffs, certification requirements, regulations and insurance advice;

  • e-business or online strategy (this may include an online international plan, sales or online security advice); and

  • other export planning expenses.

• export training and mentorship activities, such as:

  • export training;

  • networking activities;

  • matchmaking services;

  • international business advisory services;

  • mentoring; and

  • other training and mentorship activities that support exporting.

Applicants requesting funding for training and mentorship activities must clearly demonstrate how the project aligns with the program’s objectives. Training and mentorship activities must be offered to Canadian companies/organizations operating in the creative industries. Training and mentorship activities must be directed by recognized professionals in the creative industry in which training is provided (you are required to provide a copy of the diploma, biography and/or curriculum vitae for each of the principal teaching staff involved in the delivery of training and mentorship activities relating to the project). A minimum of 30 hours of training must be offered to participants for export training expenses. Applicants must demonstrate how the proposed training and mentorship activities respond to industry needs (for example, studies, surveying members, letter of support).

• international market readiness activities, such as:

  • versioning expenses;

  • dubbing expenses;

  • translation and interpretation expenses;

  • fees relating to intellectual property protection (e.g., copyright licensing, patents, trademarks, industrial design, geographical indications);

  • shipping and handling expenses;

  • insurance expenses;

  • website development, including software and programming expenses and search engine optimization;

  • product photography and videography, including product styling;

  • initial e-commerce platform development; and

  • other international market readiness expenses.

• market development activities, limited to a maximum of $40,000 of the total requested amount, such as:

  • travel-related expenses, which must not exceed the rates permitted for travel on government business. Travel-related expenses may include:

    • bringing delegations of international buyers to events in Canada; and

    • bringing delegations of Canadian buyers to international events.

  • structured activities designed to develop and maintain international business-to-business relationships (i.e., one-on-one meetings, facilitated meet-and-greets and other networking activities);

  • purchase or rental of trade show or exhibition space/floor;

  • venue rentals and related expenses;

  • conference registration or participation fees;

  • marketing material (e.g., pamphlets, business cards, samples), including printing and digital marketing costs;

  • advertising costs; and

  • other market development expenses.

Applicants requesting funding for travel-related expenses to bring delegations of international buyers to events in Canada must demonstrate a benefit to multiple Canadian creative companies/organizations.

Applicants requesting funding for travel-related expenses may apply for single or several destinations within one (1) trip and for multiple trips within one (1) application, within costing limitations.

Applicants whose projects demonstrate strong business partnerships for creative industries, or the potential to develop and/or expand business partnerships for creative industries, will be prioritized for market development activities.

Project-related administrative costs (e.g., general office supplies, mailing, and cloud storage costs) are limited to a maximum of 15% of the total eligible expenses.

Project-related translation and interpretation expenses are limited to a maximum of 10% of the total amount of funding requested from the program.

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