The Create & (Re)Connect Fund (formerly Creative Action Fund) is a micro-grant program designed to seed the ongoing work of The LP Create Change alumni. This fund invests in the artmaking, leadership development, and professional growth of our growing network of over 300 artists, a critical part of our organization’s mission.
Create & (Re)Connect does not have a specific focus or theme. So, we encourage alumni to apply if they have a new iteration of a past project, a new creative project, or an ongoing project that positively impacts and engages a group, audience, or community of their choice. Applicants are welcome to explore a range of creative and civic topics. Proposals can be for ideas that are virtual, in-person, or a combination of both.
Only individuals or artist collectives within The LP’s alumni network are eligible to apply for the Create & (Re)Connect Fund. Members of the general public should apply to the Bed-Stuy Create & Connect Fund.
LP staff members will review all applications and select up to 20 proposals for the 2025 cycle. If you have any questions, contact the community engagement team at [email protected] with “Create & (Re)Connect 2025” in the subject line.
The 2025 Create & (Re) Connect application is now closed.
KEY DATES
Applications Open
Applications Close
Decision Notification
April 1
May 1
Early June
APPLICATION SUPPORT
If you would like individualized support as you complete your application, email [email protected] to request an appointment. LP staff will be available for 20-minute meetings to discuss specific questions in detail.
ELIGIBILITY
All past LP Create Change and Create & Connect participants are eligible to apply. Past Create & (Re)Connect recipients are also welcome to apply. However, due to funding limitations, anyone who received the Create & (Re)Connect grant in both the 2024 and 2023 cycles consecutively is not eligible to receive an award in the 2025 cycle.
We have a special interest in alumni collectives and collaboratives (involving two or more LP alumni). Applicants can also propose collaborative projects that involve other LP alums or non-LP affiliated artists. Applicants for collaborative works should select one member to submit an application for review.
Types of Eligible Proposals
Eligible proposals may include, but are not limited to the following areas:
Workshops and Classes
Art-making (e.g., painting, sculpture, printmaking, film, collage, dance, music);
Skill-sharing (e.g., Creating an Artist Portfolio, Grant Writing 101);
Cultural activities (e.g., folk arts & traditions, ritual, storytelling);
Community Teach-Ins & Public Education Workshops.
Storytelling Initiatives
Community Podcasts,
Story Circles & Readings, and
Oral History, Material, and Digital Archives;
Public Performances or Outdoor Activations
Dance (e.g., hip hop, jazz, folk),
Theater (drama, comedy, musicals), and
Spoken Word Poetry or Open-mic;
Community and Place-based Projects
Public Murals,
Walking Tours,
Public Installations,
Creative Scavenger Hunts,
Sidewalk Chalk Art Competitions,
Community Bike Rides or Roller Skating activations, and
Mapping and Wayfinding projects;
Gatherings for Intergenerational Community
Sewing or Knitting Clubs,
Black Women’s Book Clubs,
Game Nights,
Writing Groups, and
Singing Circles;
Civic Engagement
Food or Clothing Drives,
Community Resource Pantries,
Wellness initiatives (e.g., herbalism & healing, yoga, double dutch, tennis),
Campaigns that strengthen “connections to place” in Bed-Stuy,
Mail or postal projects that encourage social connectedness,
Innovative activations around mutual aid or cultural organizing, and
Community Gardening, Composting, or Sustainable Farming programs; and
Support towards arts and cultural festivals, including art making at block parties or fairs.
Types of Ineligible Proposals:
Solo production of artworks made for personal practice;Proposals with no involvement, impact, or engagement with additional stakeholders or a broader community;Projects, events, and/or activities that require an admission or participation fee.
DEFINING ART
At The Laundromat Project, artists are community organizers, and community organizers are artists. To be an artist is to be a creative problem-solver who taps into the community and resources around them to figure out how to create and manifest their ideas.
By The LP’s definition, we consider any cultural tradition, practice, object, or action made with creative intent and grounded in community as art. This includes the visual, media, literary, and performing arts, as well as archival curation, scholarship, oral history, education, healing, gardening, community organizing, activism, and other modes of cultural production.
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
Cooking or baking
Hair braiding
Gardening
Storytelling
Traditional dance
Traditional music
Literary Arts
Creative writing
Playwriting
Poetry & Prose
Short Stories
Media Arts
Animation
Audio
Film
Interactive design
Podcast
Sound art
Video
Web-based work
Music
Composition
Deejaying
Hip-hop
Instrumental performance
Jazz
Opera
Producing
Rapping
Singing
Songwriting
Performance
Acting
Dance
Movement
Oral history
Performance art
Spoken word
Theater
Visual Arts
Comics/cartoons
Digital art
Drawing
Graphic design
Illustration
Installation
Mixed media
Murals
Painting
Photography
Pottery
Printmaking
Screen printing
Sculpture
FAQs
We recommend all applicants to review the program guidelines before submitting an application.
ELIGIBILITY
Do I have to be an artist or community organizer to apply?
No, applicants do not need to identify as artists or community organizers 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, gardening, community organizing, activism, and other cultural traditions, productions, and practices.
Do I have to live in Bed-Stuy to apply?
No, you do not have to currently live in Bed-Stuy to apply. Since the (Re)Connect Fund is designed to support LP alumni engaged in new or ongoing community art projects, there is no restriction on geography for the artist, community of impact, or activation site.
Proposals will be evaluated based on the clarity of the application and the potential of the project idea to make a positive impact on the community of your choice.
Can I apply on behalf of my organization, like a 501(c)3?
Yes, any group, organization, or individual within our alumni network is eligible to apply; however, priority will be given to informal groups and collectives with less access to funding sources.
I’m a small business owner, can I apply with a project idea that has to do with my business?
Yes, any group, organization, or individual within our alumni network is eligible to apply; however, eligible proposals must be free for participants. We are looking for new iterations of past projects, new creative projects, or ongoing/long-term initiatives that positively impact and engage a group, audience, or community of your choice.
Funds cannot be used for commercial purposes.
May I apply with an existing/ongoing project or initiative?
Yes.
If I applied for Create & Connect last year and was awarded funding can I re-apply?
We welcome all past LP Program participants, including previous Create & (Re)Connect recipients, to apply for a Create & (Re)Connect grant. However, if you were awarded a grant for the past two years in a row, you are not eligible to receive an award this cycle. You may apply again next year.
APPLICATION SUPPORT QUESTIONS
Can I receive individualized application support?
Yes! Questions can be sent electronically, and appointments can be made in advance by emailing [email protected]
Why should I request an application support meeting?
These meetings 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 request an appointment if you want to know if your idea is eligible, what to emphasize in your proposal, whether your response to an application question is clear, or if you have questions about parts of the application or the application process.
How are application support meetings formatted?
These are virtual, 30-minute, 1:1 meetings with LP Programs staff. You should bring specific questions about your application for staff to answer. You can email your questions in advance and request an appointment by emailing [email protected]. In-person meetings at our storefront are welcome upon request.
If I am applying on behalf of a group, does my entire group need to attend the application support meeting?
No. Anyone who is available is welcome.
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 strongest one.
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 as an individual with another, unrelated project idea.
Can I assist someone in the completion of their application?
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.
I am a professional grant writer. Can I submit an application on behalf of an organization I am working for?
A grant writer can assist the organization they work for with the application process but cannot be the main contact for the application. The contact information (including email and phone number) and the 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.
NOTIFICATIONS
How long will the online application process remain open?
The application opens Tuesday, April 1, and closes Thursday, May 1, 2025, at 11:59 pm ET.
When will I receive confirmation that my application was received?
You will receive an automated email response from Submittable confirming your application was received.
If I start an online application through the LP Submission manager (Submittable), can I save it and submit it later?
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.
How will I be notified?
You will be notified via the email you provided in your application.
When will I be notified?
We will send notifications indicating if proposals were accepted or declined by early June 2025.
DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS
How will applications be selected for funding?
The LP staff members across departments will evaluate projects based on their alignment with the Fund’s goals: to make sustained investments in our growing artist network by supporting their artmaking, leadership, and professional growth. Applicants must be able to develop, install, or perform projects and activities independently without production support from The Laundromat Project.
How will funds be disbursed?
Award amounts are $1,500 USD each, payable by direct deposit through ACH transfer to your bank (preferred) or by paper check.
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 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 last week of July 2025. Please take this timeline into consideration as you plan your project.
How can the funds be used?
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.
Do I have to pay tax on the funds received?
Yes. This is considered taxable income; please consult with a tax professional if you need guidance through this process.
FURTHER QUESTIONS
If you have further questions, you can contact isa Saldaña, The LP’s Artist Alumni Liaison at [email protected].
