The Bed-Stuy Create and Connect Fund seeds the creative ideas and civic actions of artists, cultural practitioners, community builders, organizers, and makers in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.
The 2022 Create & Connect Fund open call is now closed.
Thank you for your applications!
Overview
The Bed-Stuy Create and Connect Fund seeds the creative ideas and civic actions of artists, cultural practitioners, community builders, organizers, and makers in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. We provide $1,000 grants towards each funded proposal, with 10–12 proposals funded per cycle. We are looking for creative initiatives and projects that are rooted in community, foster connections, and ignite conversations and/or collaborations. In other words, we support community building amongst neighbors.
Honorarium
$1,000
Applications Close
August 23, 2021
Open Call
Key Dates
Applications Open
August 23
Info Session
August 31
Application Support Session 1
September 9
Application Support Session 2
September 15
Application Support Session 3
September 16
Applications Close
September 19
Decision Notification
Early October
Info Session
Learn more about the Bed-Stuy Create & Connect Fund from LP staff through this info session. The session took place virtually on August 31, 2021 via Zoom.
Application Support Sessions
Application Support Session 1
5:30–7:30pm EST, September 9. 2021
Application Support Session 2
5:00–7:00pm EST, September 15
Application Support Session 3
6:00–7:30pm EST, September 16
Info Session
Need support with your application? LP staff will be available for 30-minute individualized application support. The sessions will take place virtually on September 9th, 15th, and 16th in 30-minute blocks. Registration is required 24 hours before the event. You will receive an email confirmation with a personalized time slot for you and/or your group.
During the session, LP staff can answer any questions you have about the application process, provide tech support or troubleshooting with the Submittable platform, review your draft application responses for clarity, and/or provide feedback on your proposal. Please see the Frequently Asked Questions section for more information.
What Counts
At The Laundromat Project, we define art as visual, media, literary, and performing arts as well as curation, scholarship, education, healing, community organizing, and other cultural traditions, productions, and practices. You do not have to consider yourself an artist to apply.
Consider the following list of types of art (categories and language adapted from Leeway Foundation’s Art and Change Grant).
Craft & Textiles
Book art
Costume design
Crocheting
Doll making
Fashion design
Furniture making
Knitting
Puppetry
Quilting
Weaving
Woodworking
Zines
Folk Arts
Literary Arts
Media Arts
Music
Peformance
Visual Arts
FAQs
We recommend all applicants review the program guidelines before submitting an application. Download the guidelines here.
Eligibility
Do I have to be an artist to apply?
No, applicants do not need to identify as artists to be eligible. However, proposals must incorporate elements of art or creativity. At The Laundromat Project, we define art as visual, media, literary, and performing arts as well as curation, scholarship, education, healing, community organizing, and other cultural traditions, productions, and practices. You do not have to consider yourself an artist to apply.
Do I have to live in Bed-Stuy to apply?
Can I apply on behalf of my organization, like a 501(c)3?
I’m a small business owner, can I apply with a project idea that has to do with my business?
May I apply with an existing/ongoing project or initiative?
Application Support Questions
Why should I attend an application support session?
These sessions are designed to provide support on whatever might be most useful to you as you complete your application. The LP team can act as a thought partner or sounding board as you form your project idea and can review your application responses for clarity. We encourage you to sign up for a session if you want to know if your idea is eligible, what part of your proposal to emphasize, if your response to an application question is clear, or if you have questions about parts of the application or the application process.
What is the format of the sessions?
If I am applying on behalf of a group, does my entire group need to be in attendance for the application support session?
None of the dates and times listed work with my schedule. Can I receive application support outside of these sessions?
Submitting the Application
Can I submit more than one application?
Applicants may submit only one application per project idea. If you have more than one proposal, please choose the one you feel is the strongest.
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.
Can I assist someone in the completion of their application?
I am a professional grant writer. Can I submit an application on behalf of an organization I am working for?
Notifications
How long will the online application process remain open?
The application opens Monday, August 23 and closes Sunday, September 19 at 11:59pm EDT.
When will I receive confirmation that my application was received?
If I start an online application through the LP Submission manager (Submittable), can I save it and submit it later?
How will I be notified?
When will I be notified?
Disbursement of Funds
How will applications be selected for funding?
How will funds be disbursed?
How long will it take for me to receive the funds after I’ve been notified I am a recipient of the award?
Funds can take up to one month to be received following notification that you have been selected. Please take this timeline into consideration as you plan your project.