Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator

IMPORTANT UPDATE AS OF 11/7/25

PA Creative Industries is working to revise the Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator (CEA) program design to ensure enhanced, strategic business development support for program participants. They plan to centralize administration of the CEA program statewide and anticipate sharing details in the fall of 2026. The following pertains to specific grant rounds:

  • 2024 Creative Entrepreneurs: Grants have concluded and many of you have completed all final requirements. If you have not submitted your financial report and receipts, or completed the survey from Bridgeway Capital, please get in touch with us via grants@philaculture.org.
  • 2025 Creative Entrepreneurs: We will remain the point of contact for you. The grant term is through August 15, 2026 and your grant agreements remain unaffected. You are still required to submit financial reporting and receipts to the Cultural Alliance, and to complete the final report/survey through Bridgeway Capital. We will share the process to submit materials in the coming weeks.
  • Pending the passage of the Commonwealth budget, we will administer one additional round of CEA funds in spring 2026 (FY2025-2026). We will share updates as soon as they become available. 

For future grant opportunities in FY2026-2027, the Cultural Alliance will not be administering the CEA program. PA Creative Industries is working to revise the CEA program design to ensure enhanced, strategic business development support for program participants. They anticipate sharing details about and future application timelines for the CEA program in the fall of 2026.

For general questions regarding the evolution and availability of the CEA program, contact Amanda Lovell, PA Creative Industries’ Director of Access to the Creative Sector.

2026 Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Program Description

Creative entrepreneurs are invaluable assets to communities. They lead innovation, deliver creative products and services, generate economic opportunity, and build community identity. This program is designed for creative entrepreneurs who aspire to start their own for-profit business or who operate an existing for-profit micro business. This grant program offers $2,000 in support to creative entrepreneurs starting a business or currently operating a micro-business with gross revenue less than $200,000 in Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery 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. The Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance administers this grant on behalf of the PA Creative Industries (powered by the PA Council on the Arts) for Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties through the Partners in the Arts (PPA) Program.

GRANT NOW OPEN! 

Grant referral and application window

March 2 - May 22, 2026

VIRTUAL INFORMATION SESSION 

Tuesday, February 24, 2026 at 1PM

CLICK HERE FOR INFO SESSION SLIDEDECK

Please review the 2025-2026 CEA Guidelines

 

Process And Timeline 

CEA 2026 Timeline Infographic (2) (1).png

 

Step 1: CHECK ELIGIBILITY

Check your eligibility here

If you are eligible, you will receive information about the next steps at the end of the checklist.

To be eligible, applicants must: 

  • Have not received Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Funding in the past three years (Creative Entrepreneurs are eligible to apply for the Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Program once every three years).* 
  • Be at least 18 years of age and a current resident of Pennsylvania for at least one year. 
  • Demonstrate gross revenue of less than $200,000 from the creative entrepreneur business.
  • Be a creative entrepreneur intending to form a business or operating a business in Pennsylvania within one or more of the following creative industry areas: 
    • Marketing – Advertising and marketing agencies & professionals
    • Architecture – Architecture firms & architects
    • Visual Arts & Crafts – Galleries, artists, artisans & makers, tattoo artists
    • Design – Product, interior, graphic, and fashion design firms and designers
    • Film & Media – Film, video, animation, TV & Radio businesses
    • Digital Games – Companies, programmers & individuals producing games.
    • Music & Entertainment –Producers, venues, musicians & performers
    • Publishing – Print or electronic businesses & content creators, editors & writers
  • Possess all current and valid licenses, permits, leases, certifications, and registrations required to engage in the creative endeavor (e.g. tattoo, street performance) in the geographical location served by the entrepreneurship. 
  • The CEA Grant is funded through a program that activates State Taxpayer Funding. For the purpose of tax reporting, the funds are not considered a “gift” and should be reported in tax filing. For further questions regarding filing please visit the IRS website at irs.gov or consult with a tax professional. 
  • A final report and evidence of eligible use of the CEA grant funding is required at the end of the contract term. Consult with your PPA Partner for more information on the process for final reporting. See also “Application Process” in these guidelines for more information.

*Note on Re-application:

  • Applying and receiving funds after the 3-year mark is contingent upon availability of funds after applicants that have never received funding have had an opportunity to be funded. 
  • Previous grant recipients must have successfully completed all grant requirements, including submission of their final report, in order to be eligible for the grant. 
  • Other requirements for reapplying after 3 years include a follow-up visit with a referral partner to review business plan and progress of business. 
  • If you are a previous grant recipient and have questions about the status of your grant, please contact grants@philaculture.org.

 

STEP 2: REFERRAL MEETING

Following eligibility confirmation, applicants will receive contact information to schedule a consultation and business plan review with a local small business development organization, known as a Referral Partner.

Individuals have between March 3, 2026 - May 15, 2026 to have their meeting.

The Referral Partner will help with the logistics of starting a business including the development of a business plan and growth strategies. Business consultation services are provided at no cost to prospective applicants.

Our Referral Partners:

  • Widener University Small Business Development Center
    • Widener University tiene servicios en español.
  • Temple University Small Business Development Center 
  • Kutztown University Small Business Development Center

We encourage applicants to connect with Referral Partners as early as possible. This timing is to ensure that meeting appointments are available prior to the application window opening. This meeting is a mandatory requirement as part of the application process. Review the criteria for approval in the grant guidelines. Referral of a creative entrepreneur by a Referral Partner does not guarantee that a grant will be made. Once you complete your referral meeting, you will receive an email with a link to the application.
 

STEP 3: APPLICATION

ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2026 AT 11:59 PM

ONLY THOSE WHO HAVE HAD A REFERRAL MEETING WILL RECEIVE A DIRECT LINK TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION

  • Preview the application questions here. This copy is for information purposes only. 
  • Only applicants who have completed a meeting with a Referral Partner will be considered. However, meeting with a Referral Partner does not guarantee that a grant will be made.
  • Access the application via the link you received in an email following your referral meeting.
  • Applicants must submit application materials through GPCA’s Submittable system. Applications will not be accepted via Google Docs or email.

 

STEP 4: NOTIFICATION & AWARD

Successful applicants will be notified in July.

Completion of grant paperwork is required to receive your award. You are required to: 

  • Sign a grant agreement.
  • Submit your W-9 to the Cultural Alliance via a secured link. 
  • Complete an IMS/BGL Survey.*
  • Respond to Cultural Alliance’s email to create an account or connect an existing Bill.com account, to receive payment electronically.

*More info on the IMS/BGL Survey: The CEA program includes the use of a data and information resource called the Impact Management System (IMS)/ Business Growth Ladder (BGL). This tool gives the creative entrepreneur insights into their business growth. Entrepreneurs will receive a link from Bridgeway Capital where the entrepreneur will self-report their information. Once all items have been completed, the grant funds will be processed. Payment processing can take up to 30 days.

 

STEP 5: UTILIZE YOUR GRANT

The grant period is August 1, 2026 - December 31, 2026. 

Grant recipients have until Dec 31st to spend funds and submit their proof of payment to GPCA.

Eligible Use of Funds
Funds must support business formation or development. Eligible funds should act as an activator to your business growth and sustainability. Eligible uses of funds include: 

  • Professional fees for workshops, consultants, and career coaching. 
  • Participation in events, trade shows, festivals, etc. that offer access to audience and revenue generation potential. 
  • Business development fees for courses or seminars for business skills. 
  • Research and development. 
  • Marketing and promotion. 
  • Development or upgrades to technology related to business practices.
  • Studio/rehearsal/retail space rent (outside of regular business operating costs, rent, and utilities) 
  • Reasonable fees for supporting/collaborating artists. 
  • Purchase of supplies and/or equipment.

Funding Restrictions 

  • Grant funds cannot be used for any of the following: 
  • Activities outside the funding period. 
  • Activities that have a religious purpose. 
  • Payments to lobbyists. 
  • Activities for which academic credit is given. 
  • Offsets to regular business operating costs, including regular salary or wages.
  • Hospitality, food, or beverages.
  • Direct or indirect participation in a political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office. 
  • Attempts to influence legislation.

 

STEP 6: REPORTING

There are TWO requirements.

  1. All grantees are required to submit receipts/proof of “use of funds” and a list of their expenses/use of funds, to the Cultural Alliance, by December 31, 2026.
  2. Grantees are required to complete a second survey as part of the IMS/BGL system. Grantees will have a year from the first survey completion (done as part of grant agreement paperwork) to submit this. Administration of this survey will happen through Bridgeway Capital, and not the Cultural Alliance.

Receipts and the list of how funds were used can be submitted at any time before December 31, once funds have been spent. Grantees will be provided an individualized folder to upload their materials. 

Grant recipients have until Dec 31st to spend funds and submit their proof of payment to the Cultural Alliance.

Notice on:

  • The CEA Grant is funded through a program that activates State Taxpayer Funding. For the purpose of tax reporting, the funds are not considered a “gift” and should be reported in tax filing. For further questions regarding filing please visit the IRS website at irs.gov or consult with a tax professional.

 

Helpful Resources

 

Past Rounds 

If you have questions about the Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator grant, please email grants@philaculture.org
 

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