The Creative Business Boost Program (United States)

Deadline: 9 May 2025

Applicants are now invited to submit applications for the Creative Business Boost Program to help empower entrepreneurs who contribute to the creative economy.

By providing grants, educational resources, and access to a community of business owners, the program strives to bolster the cultural vibrancy of communities through the entrepreneurial endeavors of creative individuals.

A creative entrepreneur is an individual who innovatively designs, produces, and markets products or services within the art, culture, design, and innovation industries that make up the creative economy. These entrepreneurs use their unique talents and skills to build businesses that contribute to the cultural vibrancy of their communities. Creative entrepreneurs blend artistic vision with business acumen to generate economic value while also enriching the social and cultural fabric around them.

Categories

Eligible Business Categories:
- Apparel, Fashion, and Accessories:
  - Cut and sew apparel
  - Apparel accessories
  - Fashion styling
  - Jewelry
  - Leather and allied products (e.g., leather tanning, footwear, handbags)
  - Wearable accessories
- Arts and Crafts:
  - Pottery and ceramics
  - Fiber and textile arts
  - Painting
  - Paper products and printing (e.g., stationery, commercial printing, book printing)
  - Visual arts
  - Woodwork and woodworking
- Cosmetics and Personal Care Services:
  - Barber shops
  - Beauty and hair salons
  - Makeup production
  - Nail salons
- Food and Beverage:
  - Beverages (e.g., breweries, wineries, distilleries)
  - Confectionery and bakery (e.g., chocolate, cakes, ice cream)
  - Other food (e.g., sauces, snack foods, perishable prepared foods)
- Fragrance and Candle Production:
  - Candles
  - Perfumes and fragrances
  - Furniture and Home Décor
  - Furniture (e.g., cabinetry, upholstered furniture, wood furniture)
  - Glassware and glassblowing
  - Interior design
  - Metal fabrication (e.g., architectural or ornamental metalwork)
  - Welding
- Music, Publishing, Performing Arts, and Media:
  - Motion picture and video industries
  - Musical artists and producers
  - Musical instruments
  - Performing arts (e.g., theater, dance, musical groups)
  - Publishing (e.g., books, newspapers, periodicals, software)
  - Sound recording industries
- Photofinishing:
  - Photofinishing labs (including one-hour labs)
- Toys and Hobby Goods:
  - Dolls, toys, and games
  - Novelties and souvenirs

Funding Information

100 creative entrepreneurs will be selected from eligible entrants to receive a $5,000 grant and access to an exclusive Boost Camp coaching program, helping them access capital and resources they need to foster growth and success.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible to enter a business in the Program, you (“Officer”) must be all of the following as of the first day of the Program Period (defined below):
- an entrepreneur who is the leading executive (i.e. Founder and/or President, CEO, CFO, COO, or any such other similar title) of a business that meets the below business criteria;
- a legal resident of one of the fifty United States, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico;
- eighteen (18) years of age or older (19 in AL and NE).
To be eligible to participate in the program, the business (“Entrant”) must meet all of the following criteria as of the first day of the Program Period:
- Be a for-profit business located and registered in one of the fifty United States, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico;
- Must be a creative entrepreneur as defined;
- Must be in operation for at least 12 months at the start of the application;
- Must have an existing product(s) or service(s) currently on the market;
- Must be willing to participate in a 8-week virtual business Boost Camp beginning the first week of July 2025;
- Have generated gross revenue in 2024 but no more than $500,000;
- Have a demonstrated need for funding and access to business coaching; AND
- Must not have participated in the 2024 Etsy Boost Camp, be currently enrolled in any other Hello Alice Boost Camp, or have participated in any Hello Alice Boost Camp within the last 12 months.