Create & Connect

No, applicants do not need to identify as artists or community organizers to be eligible. However, proposals must incorporate artistic or creative elements. At The Laundromat Project, we define art as visual, media, literary, and performing arts, as well as curation, scholarship, education, healing, gardening, community organizing, activism, and other cultural traditions, productions, and practices.

As per the District 36 map, Brooklyn Community Board Map, Cultural Heritage Map of Bed-Stuy, we define Bed-Stuy as the neighborhood geographically bounded by Classon Avenue,  Atlantic Avenue, Eastern Parkway, Broadway, and Flushing Avenue.

No, you do not have to currently live in Bed-Stuy to apply ; however, all applicants must be committed to and invested in the Bed-Stuy neighborhood. Longtime Bed-Stuy residents will receive priority consideration. Proposals will be evaluated based on the clarity of the application and the potential of the project idea to make positive community impacts in Bed-Stuy. 

Proposals must be responsive to or centered within Bed-Stuy and impact or engage a group, audience, or community in Bed-Stuy, as this is the expressed purpose of the fund. All proposals also must include a public component or activation that will take place in Bed-Stuy.

Yes, any group, organization, or individual committed to or invested in Bed-Stuy is eligible to apply; however, priority will be given to informal groups with less access to funding sources.

Yes, any group, organization, or individual committed to or invested in Bed-Stuy is eligible to apply; however, eligible proposals should focus on themes of community building, community wellness, or collective advocacy and must be free for participants.

We are looking for new creative projects or ongoing/long-term initiatives that positively impact and engage a Bed-Stuy group, audience, or community. Funds cannot be used for commercial purposes.

Yes.

Previous Create & Connect awardees cannot receive funding from Create & Connect for the same project again. However, they may apply as a part of a new collective undertaking for a new project.

We welcome all past The LP program participants, including previous Create & Connect Fund recipients, to apply for Create & (Re)Connect to complete a new project or event.

During these sessions, staff can directly help interested applicants by clarifying the grant application process and offering more tailored application support. 

The LP team will lead a brief presentation explaining the overall application process and then proceed to address individual application questions or give feedback on drafted responses. 

We encourage you to attend a session if you want to know if your idea is eligible, what to emphasize in your proposal, and whether your response to an application question is clear.  Attendance is also encouraged if you have questions about any parts of the application or the Fund timeline.

These are casual walk-in sessions. During them, you should bring specific questions for The LP staff to help answer. However, we strongly suggest attendees RSVP so we can accommodate any staffing needs. 

Questions can be sent in advance by emailing [email protected].

No. Anyone who is available is welcome.

Yes! Questions can be sent electronically and individual appointments can be made in advance by emailing [email protected].

Once applications open on April 1, 2025, all applications submitted before the deadline on May 1, 2025, at 11:59 pm ET are read in the order they are received. Because we can only fund up to 20 proposals, we highly encourage applicants to submit their proposals well before the deadline to ensure thoughtful consideration. We often receive more applications than we can fund.

Applicants may submit only one application per project idea. If you have more than one proposal, please choose your strongest idea.

Applicants for collaborative works or applicants applying on behalf of a group or organized body should select one member to submit an application for review. 

If you are the project lead, applying on behalf of a group, you may also apply with another unrelated project idea as an individual.

Yes. Please be aware that communications regarding the application’s status will be sent to the email address associated with the Submittable account. Please make sure to create a Submittable account for the individual you are assisting.

A grant writer can assist the organization they work for with the application process but cannot be the main contact person for the application. The contact information (including email and phone number) and Submittable account associated with the application must belong to the organization representative who would carry out the proposal if funded. The LP may reach out to the organization to confirm application details.

The application opens Monday, April 1, and closes Thursday, May 1, 2025, at 11:59 pm ET.

You will receive an automated email response from Submittable confirming your application was received.

Yes, but we encourage you to save it often in case of any internet or technical difficulties. You can also draft your responses on a separate document, and copy and paste them onto Submittable when you are ready to submit.

You will be notified via the email you provided in your application.

We will send notifications indicating if proposals were accepted or declined by mid-June 2025.

The LP staff members across departments will evaluate projects based on their alignment with the goals of the Fund: to foster community, relationship building, and collaboration in the Bed-Stuy neighborhood through creativity and community wellness. Applicants must be able to develop, install, or perform projects and activities independently without production support from The Laundromat Project, taking into consideration current CDC and New York City health and safety guidelines.

Award amounts are $1,500 USD each, payable by Check, PayPal, or ACH bank transfer.

Funds can take up to 2 months to be received. Their disbursement follows notification that you have been selected and the timely return of any requested forms or contracts. We plan to disburse all funds by the first week of August 2025. Please take this timeline into consideration as you plan your project.

Please see the list of eligible proposals above. The funds can be used to execute any aspect of the proposal, including purchasing supplies, renting a venue, or compensating the project lead (applicant) and additional artists, collaborators, or laborers. 

Yes. This is considered taxable income, please consult with a tax professional if you need guidance through this process.