CREATIVE ENTREPRENEUR ACCELERATOR PROGRAM
The Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator grant program pairs access to small business consulting and up to $2,000 in critical financial resources to start or grow for-profit micro-businesses.
The PA Council on the Arts places a high priority on diversity, equity, and inclusion, so fifty-five percent of the funds available for distribution in this program are reserved for Black, Indigenous, or persons of color (BIPOC), or individuals residing in communities identified by the Small Business Administration’s low-income communities map. Berks Arts is administering this grant on behalf of the PA Council on the Arts for Berks, Lancaster, and Schuylkill counties.
Eligibility and Guidelines
This grant program offers $500 to $2,000 in support of creative entrepreneurs starting a business or currently operating a for-profit micro-business with gross revenue less than $200,000 in Lancaster, Berks, and Schuylkill 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 Berks, Lancaster, or Schuylkill 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
To read a full list of eligible and ineligible expenses for grant funds, please download the full grant guidelines.
Application and Referral Process
Step 1: Referral Coordinator Business Plan Consultation
Before applying, all applicants must first have a consultation and business plan review with a local small business development organization, known as a Referral Coordinator. The Referral Coordinators will help with the logistics of starting a business including the development of a business plan and growth strategies.
Business consultation services will be provided at no cost to prospective applicants, and Referral Coordinator services are available on an ongoing basis. Please be sure to review the CEAP Grant Guidelines to ensure applicant eligibility prior to reaching out to a Referral Coordinator.
We encourage applicants to connect with Referral Partners at least two weeks prior to each application round's closing date. This timing is to ensure the Referral Partner is able to effectively review your business plan and meet one-on-one with the applicant prior to the application round deadline. Also, please allow up to a week to receive a response from Referral Partners.
Currently, we work with
Barrio Alegria in the WCR Center for the Arts in Reading
Berks LaunchBox powered by PennState located in the GoggleWorks building in Reading
the Small Business Development Center at Kutztown University with several convenient locations around Berks County
the Small Business Development Center at Wilkes University, based in Wilkes-Barre and serving Schuylkill County
Step 2: Application
Upon receiving an approved Referral Form and a Client Information Form from a designated Referral Coordinator, Berks Arts will send an application to the creative entrepreneur.
Upon receipt of an eligible and complete application with a copy of the client’s business plan attached, Berks Arts will review your application on a quarterly basis. If approved, Berks Arts will enter into a grant award agreement with the creative entrepreneur and process the grant payment.
Important Note: Following the mandatory consultation with an approved Referral Coordinator, they will determine if your project is appropriate to move forward with a formal application to the Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator program. Review the criteria for approval in the grant guidelines. Referral of a creative entrepreneur by a Referral Coordinator does not guarantee that a grant will be made.
Application Deadline
Applications for the current cycle are due no later than April 30, 2024.
If you still have questions about the Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Program grant after reading through the Guidelines and FAQs, please email ppa@berksarts.org or call 610-898-1930.
Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Partner
Statement of Equitable Funding
Berks Arts continues to support diverse and vulnerable populations, understanding that we should always inform our work through a lens of diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion. Berks Arts does not discriminate against applicants based on gender identity, race, religion, color, age, national origin, disability, or sexual orientation.
Grant Recipient Highlight