Digital Museums Canada (DMC) funds accessible online projects for Canadian museums and heritage, cultural and Indigenous organizations. The program offers two distinct investment streams: custom-built digital projects developed with web agencies, and platform-based projects using DMC's website-building tool. All projects must tell a story to a specific audience, be presented in English and French, and meet web accessibility standards.
Stream 1: Digital Projects
Develop an online project from the ground up with the support of a web development agency. Projects typically take 2-3 years to complete.
Investment Amount: Up to $250,000 (based on project scope)
Eligible Projects:
Virtual exhibitions
Virtual tours of heritage sites
Online games
Progressive web apps
Educational resources
Immersive digital experiences
Projects must be accessible through a web browser at no cost, viewable anywhere without specialized equipment, and built as a brand-new online product with distinct user experience.
Stream 2: Community Stories
Create a digital storytelling project using DMC's user-friendly WordPress website-building platform. Projects typically take 18-24 months to complete.
Investment Amount: $25,000 for bilingual projects (English and French). Projects featuring a third language receive $25,000 plus actual translation costs and a $2,000 stipend.
Organizations receive access to DMC's platform and user guide upon signing an agreement. Projects are hosted on the Community Stories platform and appear on DMC and Community Stories websites.
Key Program Requirements
Digital Storytelling Focus: Projects must be structured around key messages, themes, or audience takeaways. Content should be selected to reinforce a chosen narrative rather than functioning as a searchable database or archive.
Mandatory Criteria:
Bilingual production (English and French) with professional translation
Compliance with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and DMC Technical Requirements
Distinct, standalone online product (not a replica of existing exhibitions or catalogues)
No cost to users; accessible globally without specialized equipment
Cannot be used for political, ideological, religious, commercial, or fundraising purposes
Must acknowledge DMC in credits and communications materials
