Digital Game Development Grant Guidelines

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The Digital Game Development Grant supports eligible Saskatchewan applicants in the production of innovative and original digital games and eLearning properties with commercial intent.

The Guidelines were approved on April 1, 2026 for the 2026-27 Fiscal Year. Any amendments made after the fact will be posted here:

No changes to date.

Eligible Applicants

Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria defined in the General Guidelines.
Applicants may be an individual or a corporation – see the General Guidelines for definitions.
Applicants must be the owner or co-owner of the project, control copyright, and receive a share of revenue from sales of the project.
Applications must demonstrate a minimum 51% Saskatchewan ownership.

Eligible Projects and Expenses

This program supports expenses related to creating digital games and eLearning properties with commercial intent.
Applicants may apply at any stage of development.
eLearning projects must include gamification (game mechanics that add interactivity, engagement, and motivate the user in learning).
Eligible development expenses occurring up to 12 months before the application date can be included in the application. Applicants must provide:
- A detailed timeline of activity to date within the 12-month eligibility period prior to application submission;
- A breakdown of hours, expenses, and wages; and
- Proof of payment for expenses incurred within the eligible 12-month window. This should include either industry standard invoices (billing address, details of services, and amount) along with Proof of Payment (POP) OR A Supplier Declaration form completed by the service provider. Supplier Declaration Forms must be completed for in-house expenses over $500.
- Supplier Declaration Forms must be completed using the Creative Saskatchewan template located in the Templates & Additional Materials tab on the Grant Management System.
- Note that you still may be required to provide further proof of payment if your grant file is selected for an audit. These are to be numbered and collate with the column in the Budget Template form. Accepted forms of Proof of Payment include receipts, cancelled cheques, bank drafts, debit/credit card receipts, EPT receipts, bank statements, etc. Please note that invoices do not qualify as proof of payment.
Marketing expenses directly related to the project being applied for, no more than 10% of the total project budget.
- Please note that Creative Saskatchewan has a dedicated Marketing Grant for more robust marketing campaigns.
Products must demonstrate a meaningful interaction between the user and the digital product. Interaction is defined as follows: a method of communication in which the digital product’s outputs depend on the user’s inputs, and the user’s inputs in turn. There must be a meaningful participatory experience for the user.
The core product must be intended to entertain or educate the user.
Applicants may only receive funding one time for each stage of development for the same project.
Technology infrastructure (hardware and software).

Ineligible Projects and Expenses

Casino-type games with real or simulated gambling.
Deferrals and in-kind expenses are not included in the calculation of the project financing.
Commissioned projects.
Core business operations or capital expenditures such as rent, purchase of real estate, and maintenance costs.
Projects developed exclusively for corporate use (where the applicant no longer owns the IP).
Projects primarily intended for interpersonal communication.
Projects primarily intended to sell products or services.
Projects where the majority of the content is not gamified.
Travel expenses and/or fees to attend conferences or markets.
- See the Business Improvement Grant and the Showcase or Sell Travel Grant for these activities.
Video content creation for streaming services, broadcast, or theatrical release.
Please see the General Guidelines for a list of ineligible expenses.

Financial Participation

Applicants may receive funding once for each stage of development for the project.
Funding will be in the form of a grant.
Creative Saskatchewan offers two streams of funding depending of the stage of the project – Pre-production and Production.
- Pre-Production Stream:
  - Supports early-stage activities that take place prior to production and assist the applicant company in preparing to enter full production of a commercial digital game. Activities include:
    - A pre-release playable version of the game (prototypes, demos, MVP (minimum viable product), vertical slice);
    - Pre-production documents; and
    - Pitch material, business and marketing plans.
- Production Stream:
  - Supports the creation of a complete digital game that will be made publicly available for commercial sale. Deliverables must include a complete, market-ready digital game made available for purchase.
Applicants, including both single purpose companies and parent companies, may apply for a maximum of $50,000 or 50% of the application’s total cash budget per fiscal year, whichever is the lesser.
Applicants may submit applications on behalf of multiple projects, but may only receive up to $50,000 per fiscal year.
Projects are capped at a maximum of $100,000 or 50% of the total cash budget for the entire life of the project, whichever is the lesser.
Creative Saskatchewan will not release funds prior to the applicant demonstrating that the project is fully financed.

Assessment

An initial review of applications is conducted by Creative Saskatchewan program staff to ensure the project and applicant meet eligibility to the program.
Eligible applications will then be assessed by an external assessment process against the criteria as defined here.

Submission Requirements and Deadlines

Please refer to the specific program page for application deadlines and instructions.
Applications to the Digital Game Development Grant will be assessed and supported based on the availability of funds.
Incomplete applications are ineligible and will not be considered.
Creative Saskatchewan provides templates for each grant application.
- Applications that have not used and uploaded the mandatory budget template and travel itinerary template (travel itinerary template only required for projects that include travel expenses) will be considered incomplete and the application status will be set to Information Required.
  - Note: This status requires the application to be re-submitted by the applicant by the program deadline. Please keep in mind that applications must be re-submitted prior to the project start date.
By submitting an application for this grant, applicants confirm they have read the General Guidelines.
If awarded a grant, they will be obligated by all criteria in the General Guidelines, as well as criteria specific to this grant as described herein.
Pre-production stream projects must be completed within 18 months of the project start date. Project timeline extensions may be approved by a Program Advisor in extenuating circumstances.
Production stream projects must be completed within 48 months of the project start date. Project timeline extensions may be approved by a Program Advisor in extenuating circumstances.

Required Acknowledgements

Successful recipients of Creative Saskatchewan’s Digital Game Development Grant Program must include the required credit prominently on all copies of the project and all promotional material, as well as the Creative Saskatchewan logo.
Successful recipients will acknowledge receipt of the grant on their professional social media platforms.
The Creative Saskatchewan logo and guidelines for acknowledgement can be found here.

Confidentiality of Information

Please refer to the General Guidelines for details of Creative Saskatchewan’s Confidentiality Policy.
If you are not awarded a grant, all information in and about your application is held in confidence.
If you are awarded a grant, your name, a description of the project and the amount of funding will be made publicly available.