The Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator grant program provides creative entrepreneurs with small business consulting and up to $2,000 in critical financial resources to grow businesses and revenue.
Fifty-one percent of the funds available for distribution in this program will be reserved for Black, indigenous, or persons of color (BIPOC), Hispanic/Latino.
Eligibility and Guidelines
This grant program offers $500 to $2,000 in support of creative entrepreneurs starting a business or currently operating a micro-business with gross revenue less than $200,000 in Allegheny, Beaver, Greene, and Washington counties. Eligible applicants must participate in creative fields such as marketing, architecture, visual arts, crafts, design, film and media, digital games, music, entertainment, publishing, or a similar creative field.
Creative entrepreneurs are eligible to apply for the Creative Entrepreneurs Accelerator Program once every three years. Non-profit organizations are not eligible for funds through this program.
Applicants must:
- Be 18 years of age or older and live in Allegheny, Beaver, Greene, or Washington counties
- Manage a business with gross revenue of less than $200,000 or intend to form or operate a business in Pennsylvania
- Operate in one or more of the following creative industries:
- Marketing – Advertising and marketing agencies and professionals
- Architecture – Architecture firms and architects
- Visual Arts & Crafts – Galleries, artists, artisans, and makers
- Design – Product, interior, graphic, and fashion design firms and designers
- Film & Media – Film, video, animation, television, and radio businesses
- Digital Games – Companies, programmers, and individuals producing games
- Music & Entertainment – Producers, venues, musicians, and performers
- Publishing – Print or electronic businesses and content creators, editors, and writers
Application Deadline
Applications open on October 11, 2021. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. Funding decisions will be made on a quarterly basis, at the beginning of November 2021, February 2022, May 2022, and August 2022.
Visit the Pittsburgh Arts Council website to learn more about the guidelines and to apply.