Launched in 2022, the Growth Fund is an ongoing program that supports Minnesota artists and creative business owners with $2,500 to help sustain or scale their business.
Creative business owners must have completed at least one Artist Career Consultation in order to be eligible for the Growth Fund. MN-based artists can start with one free 1-hour consultation with a consultant from our Artist Career Consultant Roster.
FAQ
Eligibility Criteria:
- Attend at least one Artist Career Consultation
- Own and operate a creative business in Minnesota for at least 12 months at the time of submission
- Have a business growth opportunity that can be met with a one-time $2,500 grant
- Submit a Growth Fund (MN) Form, following an Artist Career Consultation The form will be emailed to you after your consultation
- Eligible entries from previous two cycles are automatically included in next drawing
Ineligible:
- Current Springboard Rural Regenerator Fellows or previous Growth Fund recipients
- Springboard for the Arts employees, board members, or immediate family members of either
*Independent contractors, including Artist Career Consultants, are eligible to apply
At least 65% of the funds will be allocated by lottery to artists and creative business owners who:
- People who are Black, Indigenous, People of Color, Native
- People who are LGBTQIA+
- People in rural places
- People with disabilities
These are the questions you can anticipate answering on the Growth Fund (MN) Form.
- How long have you been in business?
- Have you claimed income and expenses as an artist in the last two years?
- How much revenue/sales (i.e. not profit as most are operating at a deficit) has your business generated in the past 12 months
- Have you registered a business name yet?
- Is your business fall within any of these groups:
* People who are Black, Indigenous, People of Color, Native
* People who are LGBTQIA+
* People in rural places
* People with disabilities
- What support does your business need in order to sustain/strengthen or grow/scale?
- If you could assign a specific dollar amount to the previous questions, what would that number be in order for your business to strengthen or scale?
- What is your business need or growth opportunity that can be met with a one-time $2,500 grant?
- Do you meet all the eligibility requirements?
Examples of potential use of funds may include:
- Purchase business name/logo, license, trademarks, patents
- Build-out branding assets, website
- Purchase materials, stock inventory
- Hire staffing, pay contractors
- Purchase/rent equipment, space
- Attend trade shows, fairs, markets
- Facade improvements
- Fund awardees are selected through a randomized drawing process. At least 65% of the funds will be allocated to artists and creative business owners who: People who are Black, Indigenous, People of Color, Native; People who are LGBTQIA+; People in rural places; People with disabilities
- 20 artists will receive growth funds in each cycle
CYCLE 1
- June 1, 2023: Drawing process begins
- October 31st, 2023: Drawing process closes
- November 30th, 2023: Recipients are notified
CYCLE 2
- December 1st, 2023: Drawing process begins
- April 30th, 2024: Drawing process closes
- May 31st, 2024: Recipients are notified
Eligible entries from previous two cycles are automatically included in next drawing
Looking for advice or support for your creative business? Springboard for the Arts offers free or low-cost artist career consultations to artists, artist entrepreneurs, and creative small business owners.
More Resources
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Creative ExchangeToolkits, stories, and more at Creative Exchange
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Incubator Fiscal SponsorshipSpringboard’s Incubator is a fiscal sponsorship program that provides sponsorship for arts organizations and individual artist projects
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Grant ResourcesFind grant resources and funding for your creative business