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BC Helps Small Businesses Launch Online with a New Grant Program
The government of British Columbia is aiding business owners with their Launch Online Grant program, which they rolled out to help move businesses online. E-commerce sales show a continuous upward trend, and the pandemic has encouraged consumers to spend online rather than in-store. If you’ve been thinking about expanding your business online, now is the time to do so.
What Is the Launch Online Grant Program?
The Launch Online Grant program aims to provide small and medium-sized business owners with funding to help them create or improve their online shops and booking systems. BC’s funding for this program was $12 million when initially released. The amount has gone up to $42 million after the government invested an additional $30 million into the program. The grant will pay you up to $7,500, and you’ll be given up to 12 weeks to start and finish your online shop or booking system.
Check if You’re Eligible
The grant eligibility criteria have also been expanded, but still cover all of the original eligibility criteria. For a detailed list of the criteria, you can visit the program’s website, but here’s a short version for you:
- You’re a BC resident whose business is currently operating in BC, employs up to 149 BC residents, and pays BC taxes.
- Your business generated sales of more than $30,000 in the year preceding your application.
- Your business falls under one of these categories:
- There’s no online store, or that store doesn’t have many features optimized.
- There’s no online booking system, or that booking system doesn’t have many features optimized.
Basically, if you’re a business owner in BC lacking a sufficient online store or booking system, you’ll likely be eligible for the grant.
How to Apply
If you’re eligible, you’ll have until September 30th — or until funding runs out — to apply. Funding is given out on a first-come, first-served basis, so it would be best to apply as soon as you can! The application process is done in 3 steps:
- Write up a grant proposal explaining how much money you need and what you need it for.
- Complete the online application and submit the proposal.
- Wait to hear about your results, which will take up to 3 weeks.
Digital Marketing to Attract Customers
Online stores are far more effective when they use digital marketing trends and in-depth knowledge of SEO. It’s important to keep this in mind when working on your new online store or booking system. Luckily, you don’t need to take on all the work yourself. This is something that we can easily help you with! Contact us today for more information on how we can help increase traffic to your store.
