Grant Information

Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Grant

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. Berks Arts is administering this grant on behalf of the PA Council on the Arts for Berks, Lancaster, and Schuylkill counties. The Berks LaunchBox is a referral Partner for this $2,000 grant.

There is a rolling quarterly deadline for this grant. You must reach out to the Berks LaunchBox with a completed Business Model Canvas and make an appointment to have it reviewed at least 1-2 weeks before the quarterly deadline (End of January, April, July, October).

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STEPS TO MOVE FORWARD:

  1. Review the Berks Arts guidelines and requirements to determine if you qualify and have an approved use for the funds.
  2. Download a blank Business Model Canvas form
  3. Watch a class outlining creation of your Business Model Canvas (general) or this Business Model Canvas class geared toward artists.
  4. Use the editable Word document to build a draft of your own Business Model Canvas.
  5. If you haven’t already, fill out our Berks LaunchBox intake form and comment that you are following the directions to apply for the Creative Entrepreneurs “Arts” grant.
  6. Once you have completed a draft of your Business Model Canvas, email it to Jim Hong at BK-InnovationHub@psu.edu and schedule a meeting to review your submission. Please allow for at least three business days from when you email your Business Model Canvas to your scheduled meeting date.
  7. Following your meeting to review your Business Model Canvas and after any requested improvements have been made to it, you will receive information on how to apply for the grant!

Not sure what to put a couple of the fields of your business model canvas? It doesn’t have to be perfect when you apply. Jim Hong will spend an hour with you helping you improve it!