ACI 2024: Northern Colorado - Career Advancement Grant - Colorado Business Committee for the Arts

ABOUT COLORADO CREATIVE INDUSTRIES

Colorado Creative Industries (CCI) is a division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade. Established to capitalize on the immense potential for our creative sector to enhance economic growth in Colorado, the mission of Colorado Creative Industries is to promote, support and expand the creative industries to drive Colorado’s economy, grow jobs and enhance our quality of life.

ABOUT CBCA ADVANCING CREATIVES INTENSIVE (ACI)

Colorado Business Committee for the Arts (CBCA) launched the Advancing Creatives Intensive (ACI) in spring 2022. The ACI curriculum is designed to be a launch pad for creative professionals who want to articulate and take practical steps to achieve their business goals. ACI is focused on business growth and planning for artistic careers, as well as building business skills like marketing and financial management. ACI enables artists of all disciplines to see their work through an entrepreneurial lens and employ tools to organize, plan and sustain their creative career.

By completing the program, ACI participants are eligible to apply for a limited number of Career Advancement Grants, funded by Colorado Creative Industries, to support their ongoing work.

ABOUT ACI CAREER ADVANCEMENT GRANT

This grant award supports Colorado creative entrepreneurs and artists to advance career growth and enhance their commercial creative business. The goal of the funding is to assist awardees in achieving tangible business benefits such as increased revenue, new audiences/markets, or improved management practices. This award is intended to support an existing creative business or professional career. The following list, while not inclusive of all activities for which support may be used, illustrates some possible areas of support:

Purchase of equipment and materials to expand or improve an applicant’s arts business and/or creative production

Acquisition or upgraded technology related to business practices (e.g., online sales systems, website functionality, digital marketing platform, accounting software, business analytics tools)

Participation in an exhibit, festival, vendor showcase or artist residency
Presentations at a conference or symposium

Enrollment in professional development workshops or the engagement of consultants or coaches to build administrative and business skills
Development of promotional materials such as electronic media kits or creation of high-resolution images

These Career Advancement Grants support a diverse array of creative work but if you are unsure if your project is eligible, please contact CBCA before applying.

AWARD AMOUNTS

Applicants may request up to $500. Award amounts will depend on applicant’s usage for the funds and total funds available. No matching funds are required.

AWARD CRITERIA

While this Career Advancement Grant is designed for participants in CBCA’s Advancing Creatives Intensive program, there is still a competitive review process to determine eligible projects and award amounts.

Career Impact (70%)

Clear and specific business and career goals for arts/creative practice
Connection between funding request and specific business and career goals

Budget (30%)

Appropriateness of the costs associated with the proposed activity
The purpose for which the awarded funds will be used

TIMELINE

Career Advancement Grant Application deadline: March 18, 2024
Grant Award Notification: March 25, 2024
Project Period: March 1 – August 31, 2024
Final Report Deadline: August 30, 2024 by 5:00 pm

Please review the full ACI 2024: Northern Colorado Career Advancement Grant Guidelines .

APPLICATION

Complete the application below including narrative questions and uploaded fund request spreadsheet. Download the Fund Request Spreadsheet.

All application materials must be received by end-of-day Monday, March 18.

If you have any issues with this application or uploading attachments, please contact Lindsey Bell.

You cannot save and return to this form. Be ready to submit all content and attachments at once.

ACI 2024: Northern Colorado - Career Advancement Grant Application

Name(Required)

First Name Last Name

Email(Required)

Address(Required)

Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code

Organization or Business (if applicable)

Website and/or Social Media accounts

Narrative Questions

1. Provide your “elevator pitch” for your creative work and proposed usage for these career advancement funds.(Required)

Describe how your proposed usage of these funds will directly advance your arts business and/or creative career.(Required)

What is your proposed timeline?(Required)

In a brief narrative description, please provide the total estimated costs and any other funding sources to support this endeavor.(Required)

Upload the completed “Fund Request Spreadsheet"(Required)

Max. file size: 5 MB.

ACI 2024: Northern Colorado – Career Advancement Grant