Commercial Projects Program

Overview of the Commercial Projects Program program:

The Commercial Projects Program is part of CMF’s Interactive Digital Media (IDM) funding suite, designed to help Canadian creators produce commercially viable interactive content. This program focuses on digital projects—particularly those beyond the prototype stage—that demonstrate clear market demand, solid business models, and strong commercialization strategies. Funding is aimed at projects ready for final production, including localization and marketing. The program supports a wide variety of digital formats, including video games, XR experiences, apps, and interactive platforms. Applicants must be Canadian companies with a track record of publicly released IDM projects. Each project is evaluated using a comprehensive grid that examines team qualifications, commercial viability, marketing strategy, diversity and gender balance in staffing, community engagement, and sustainability. The program is competitive and selective, with only one project submission allowed per company per spring or fall intake. At least 25–50% of the production budget’s B + C categories must be allocated to marketing and promotion.

Benefits of the Commercial Projects Program program:

• Supports the final development and commercialization of digital media projects
• Enables localization, marketing, and distribution efforts
• Encourages gender parity and diverse community representation through bonus evaluation points
• Provides detailed evaluation criteria to guide project planning and submission
• Offers competitive advantage to well-positioned teams with viable monetization models

Eligibility criteria of the Commercial Projects Program program:

• Eligible Applicants Must:
• Be a Canadian company eligible under CMFs IDM Core Guidelines
• Have previously produced and publicly released a similar IDM project
• Limit submissions to one project per intake and hold no more than two open production contracts
• Eligible Projects Must:
• Be at the production-ready stage (post-ideation and prototype)
• Demonstrate commercial potential, with clear monetization and distribution strategies
• Be available in Canada upon completion
• Include detailed marketing and financial plans
• Have not been rejected twice previously from this program (if so, ineligible to reapply)
• Distribution Plan Must Include:
• Proof of audience engagement (wishlists, beta testing results, Discord community, etc.)
• Self-distribution plan with strong marketing or a letter of intent from a third-party publisher