The Creative Economy Fund Grant supports projects and activities aimed at building successful arts, cultural, and creative-based small businesses in San José.
Donor Name: Center for Cultural Innovation (CCI)
State: California
City: San Jose
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 05/28/2025
Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000
Grant Duration: 1 Year
Details:
The Creative Economy Fund (fka Creative Industries Incentive Fund) awards project grants to arts, cultural, and creative-based commercial businesses that are located in the City of San José and involved in the production or distribution of the arts, including manufacturers, service providers, presenters, and designers, among others.
Goals
The goals of the Creative Economy Fund are to:
- Enhance San José’s creative economy.
- Bolster the growth and financial resilience of small arts, cultural, and creative-based businesses in San José.
- Provide financial support to artists and creative entrepreneurs (across all disciplines in both the non-commercial and commercial arenas).
Funding Information
- A total of $40,000 is available.
- Grants of up to $8,000 will be awarded through a competitive grant application process.
Grant Period
August 2025 – August 2026.
Eligible Expenses
Examples of Project Expenses:
- Artist, collaborator, and designer fees at or above a living wage
- Space improvement costs or capital expenditures
- Equipment, fixtures, signage
- Salaries and benefits for project-related staff
- Project-related administrative costs
- Professional services (e.g., strategic planning, bookkeeping)
- Marketing, public relations, and promotions
- Accessibility costs, such as language translation or disability supports.
Eligible Projects and Activities
Examples of competitive projects and activities (Note: You define your creative business needs; projects are not limited to these examples):
- Storefront or other commercial space improvements that enhance a business’s curb appeal, safety, and/or economic vitality
- Seed money for a marketing launch for a particular arts-related service or product
- Hiring additional staff/team members for support during the holiday season
- Purchase of a new HVAC system to address safety protocols
- Hiring a mentor, coach, or consultant for capacity-building, strategic/business planning, or marketing support to grow an enterprise or build financial resilience
- Purchase of equipment or technology products to bring the business to the next level
- Production of pop-ups, festivals, or other events that center local artists/arts-based micro businesses.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for Creative Economy Fund consideration, businesses must meet the following criteria:
- Be a commercial enterprise, including small businesses (defined by the City of San José as businesses with 35 employees or less) and sole proprietorships (Note: businesses do not have to be brick and mortar; they can be online storefronts or nomadic enterprises)
- Be based in San José
- Primarily provides a cultural, creative, or arts-related service or product
- Be in good standing with the City of San José, evidenced through possession of an active San José business tax certificate and fulfillment of OEDCA or any other City department’s funding requirements, if applicable
- Cannot have a conflict of interest (family or financial relationships) with the boards, staff, and directors of CCI or OEDCA.
For more information, visit CCI.
