The Creative Enterprise Fund

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Executive Summary

The Creative Enterprise Fund is a nonprofit in Illinois that helps working artists and small creative businesses build sustainable livelihoods. We offer a six-session business skills course, one-on-one coaching, micro-grants of up to $1,500 for business expenses and connections to lenders and legal help. Our participants are painters, makers, musicians, designers and writers who know their craft and want to earn a living from it.

Many talented artists struggle because no one has taught them how to price their work, keep records, find customers or borrow money. Banks may not understand their businesses, and a small purchase such as a kiln, a laptop or a booth fee can decide whether a year goes well.

With this grant we will serve about 30 artists and creative entrepreneurs in Year 1 in one cohort. We do not promise that any business will succeed. We promise practical teaching, honest coaching and careful use of every dollar.

Our Year 1 budget is about $157,500, growing to about $240,500 by Year 5 as we add cohorts, coaches and participants. Each year's budget is planned to balance, with a small surplus each year. We have 3 staff in Year 1 (an Executive Director, a part-time Program Director and a part-time Business Coach) and 5 by Year 4.

We are asking the Prairie Arts and Economic Foundation for $50,000 for the Program Director, the micro-grant pool, participant stipends and curriculum materials. Our other income and startup support cover the rest. These numbers are estimates based on the assumptions listed at the end of this proposal, and we do not promise any result beyond what we describe.

Company Description

The Creative Enterprise Fund is a nonprofit organization in Illinois. We are a registered charity with a volunteer board of directors, a written conflict-of-interest policy and a yearly budget the board reviews.

Our mission. Economic barriers should not keep talented artists and creative entrepreneurs from building sustainable livelihoods.

What we do.
- Run a six-session business skills course for each cohort of about 30 participants.
- Match each participant with a business coach for one-on-one help.
- Award micro-grants of up to $1,500 for approved business expenses.
- Connect participants with lenders, accountants and attorneys who offer help at low cost.
- Host a showcase and a market day so participants can meet customers.
- Offer stipends for transportation and childcare so cost does not keep anyone away.

What we do not do. We do not give legal, tax or investment advice, and we refer participants to licensed professionals. We do not promise that any participant will earn a certain income. Micro-grants are paid for approved expenses, with receipts, and never as cash for personal use.

How we got here. A group of artists, a banker and an accountant began meeting with local makers on Sunday afternoons. Many came back with new questions each week. We kept simple records of who came and what they asked. This proposal asks for support to turn those meetings into a steady program.

Problem & Opportunity

Many working artists are skilled at their craft and have never been taught how to run a business.

Pricing and records. Some artists charge too little because they do not know their costs. Others lose money because they do not track sales and expenses.

Access to money. Banks may not understand a studio business, and a small loan or a micro-grant can be hard to find. A single purchase, such as a kiln or a laptop, can hold a business back.

Isolation. Artists often work alone and do not know where to find customers, markets or mentors.

Cost and time. Business classes may cost money or meet at times that do not fit an artist who works a second job or cares for children.

What we hear.
- A potter says she sells every piece and still cannot pay her rent.
- A musician says he gets paid in tips and does not know how to invoice.
- A designer says she was told no by a bank because her business was too small.
- A banker says he would lend to more artists if they could show a plan.

We do not claim that a class can solve every challenge. We believe that practical teaching and a little money can change a creative business.

Products & Services

The Creative Enterprise Fund gives artists the skills, coaching and small grants they need to grow.

How the program works.
1. Application. Applications open six weeks before each cohort. We select about 30 participants based on their creative work, financial need and readiness to grow.
2. Six sessions. Each cohort meets for six sessions that cover pricing, records, marketing, contracts and basic taxes, leading to a simple written business plan.
3. Coaching. Each participant meets with a business coach one-on-one to review the plan and set goals.
4. Micro-grants. Participants with a plan may apply for a micro-grant of up to $1,500 for approved expenses. We pay vendors directly or reimburse with receipts.
5. Connections. We introduce participants to lenders, accountants and attorneys who offer help at low cost.
6. Showcase. At the end of each cohort, participants share their work and meet customers.
7. Follow-up. We check in at six and twelve months.

Coaches. Our coaches are business owners, accountants and bankers who complete our orientation and pass a background check.

Access and fairness. The program is free. We welcome artists from every background and offer help with childcare and transportation.

Market Analysis

Who we serve. Working artists and creative entrepreneurs in our city, including visual artists, makers, musicians, designers and writers, who earn little or irregular income from their work and want to build a stronger business. Eligibility is based on creative practice and income guidelines our board sets.

How we estimate need. We cannot count every artist who could benefit, so we plan from what we can see. At our Sunday meetings, rooms were full and we kept a waiting list. Arts groups, a craft market and a community bank have told us they know many more artists who would join. For Year 1 we plan to serve about 30 artists in one cohort. By Year 5, with more cohorts and coaches, we plan to serve about 90.

Where participants come from.
- Arts councils, studios and galleries.
- Craft markets and fairs.
- Community banks and credit unions.
- Artists who tell a friend.

Who else benefits. Neighborhoods benefit from stronger creative businesses. Lenders benefit from borrowers with plans. Customers benefit from a stronger local arts scene.

What the numbers mean. Every number here is an artist with a business to build. We keep our early counts modest and honest so we can do the work well.

Competitive Landscape

What artists can find today, and how we are different.

1. Small business development centers. They offer excellent general advice. Most are not set up for the particular needs of artists, such as pricing handmade work or selling at markets. We refer artists to them for deeper help.

2. Arts councils and grants. They support artists and projects. Grants are competitive and rarely include business training. We work with them and do not replace their grants.

3. Community college classes. They provide strong instruction at a cost in time and money. Few are built around the needs of working artists.

4. Online courses and videos. Helpful and flexible, with no coach beside you.

5. Banks and lenders. They provide loans to businesses that meet their rules. Many artists do not yet qualify. We help them prepare.

What makes us different.
- Free to every participant.
- A curriculum written for artists.
- One-on-one coaching and micro-grants.
- Stipends for childcare and transportation.
- Connections to lenders and professionals who understand creative businesses.

We have spoken with other business and arts groups to make sure we are filling a gap and not duplicating services. Their letters of support are in the attachments.

Marketing & Sales Strategy

How artists and partners will find us.

Reaching artists.
- Arts groups. We will present at artist meetings, studio tours and open houses.
- Craft markets and fairs. We will hold a table and talk with makers.
- Banks and credit unions. We will ask loan officers to share our information with small creative borrowers.
- Online. We will use a simple website and social media with clear information in English and Spanish.
- Word of mouth. Graduates tell friends, and we ask them to bring a friend to the showcase.

Reaching coaches and partners.
- Invite business owners, accountants and bankers through professional groups and chambers of commerce.
- Offer an orientation, a background check and a short guide to coaching artists.
- Give partners a short report each quarter with counts of participants and what they said.

How we decide who joins. We use an application with a short description of the artist's work and goals. A small review group selects about 30 participants per cohort, with attention to need, readiness and a mix of art forms. We keep a waiting list.

What we watch. Applications, attendance, business plans finished, micro-grants awarded and how participants are doing after a year.

Operations Plan

How the program will be carried out.

Timeline for Year 1:
- Months 1 and 2 (July and August): Hire the Program Director and Business Coach, buy equipment, finalize the micro-grant agreement and privacy policy with our attorney and build the application portal.
- Month 3 (September): Open applications and select the first cohort.
- Months 4 to 7: Hold the six sessions, coaching and the showcase.
- Months 8 to 10: Award micro-grants and begin follow-up.
- Months 11 and 12: Survey participants, report to funders and plan Year 2.

Space. Sessions are held in a library meeting room or an arts center, provided at low or no cost.

Safety and privacy.
- Every coach and volunteer passes a background check and completes orientation.
- Micro-grants are paid only for approved expenses, with receipts, and are reviewed by two people.
- We follow a written conflict-of-interest policy for grant decisions.
- We keep participant records private, share them only with permission and follow a written policy.

Equipment. We buy about $4,000 of equipment once at the start: two laptops for coaching and the application portal ($2,400), a projector for classes ($800) and a printer and scanner ($800). Later years replace or add a few items.

Staffing. In Year 1 I serve as Executive Director. The Program Director works about 40 percent of a full-time position at $55,000 a year and manages cohorts and micro-grants. A part-time Business Coach, paid $22,000, leads sessions and coaching. We add a second coach in Year 3 and a third in Year 5.

Management & Organization

Lena Fischer, Executive Director. I lead the organization, report to the board and am responsible for budgets, partnerships and reporting. I came to this work as a gallery manager who watched talented artists close their studios for lack of money. I will complete the coach orientation we require so I understand the program from the inside. (Replace this paragraph with your own background.)

Program Director. The Program Director manages cohorts, coaching and micro-grants. We will hire someone with experience in small business or arts programs. About 40 percent of this position is part of our grant request.

Business Coaches. Part-time coaches who lead sessions and meet with participants. Each passes a background check and completes orientation.

Board of directors. Our volunteer board includes a working painter, a community banker who serves as treasurer, an accountant, an attorney, a craft market organizer and a former participant. The board meets every other month, approves our budget and reviews micro-grant rules. No board member is paid, and members with a conflict of interest step out of related decisions.

Advisory partners. A small business center, an arts council and a community development lender give guidance twice a year.

Staffing and pay in this plan: Executive Director, paid $52,000 a year; program Director, paid $55,000 a year; business Coach (part-time), paid $22,000 a year.

Milestones Narrative

Our goals, how we will measure them and when we plan to reach them.

Year 1 outcomes (July 2027 through June 2028):
- Serve about 30 artists and creative entrepreneurs in one cohort.
- Have at least 85 percent of participants finish all six sessions.
- Award about 20 micro-grants of up to $1,500 each for business expenses.
- Have at least 70 percent of participants complete a simple written business plan.
- Receive positive feedback from at least 85 percent of participants who answer our short survey.

What we count and how.
- Participants enrolled, sessions attended and coaching hours, from our records.
- Business plans completed, from the coach's checklist.
- Micro-grants awarded and what they paid for, from receipts.
- Participant feedback and follow-up at six and twelve months, from a short, confidential form.
We report what we find, including what did not work, and use it to improve.

Growth over five years.
- Year 2: About 45 participants and a second coach.
- Year 3: About 60 participants in two cohorts and a second site.
- Year 4: About 75 participants and an alumni network.
- Year 5: About 90 participants in three cohorts and a partnership with a community lender.

Learning along the way. At the end of each quarter, the director and the board review the numbers and decide whether we are on track. If we are behind, we will adjust our outreach, our sites or our schedule before asking for more money.

After the grant. By Year 5, grants make up about 45 percent of our budget, down from about 59 percent in Year 1, as partners and donors give more. We will keep building those relationships every year.

Funding Request

What we are asking for, and how the money will be used. Our request: $50,000 from the Prairie Arts and Economic Foundation for the Program Director, the micro-grant pool, participant stipends and curriculum materials, for July 2027 through June 2028.

The request is spread across these budget lines:
- Personnel: Program Director salary, 40 percent of a full-time position, $22,000.
- Other: Micro-grant pool: about 20 grants averaging $1,200, $24,000.
- Other: Participant stipends for transportation and childcare, $2,000 (other funds add $2,000).
- Supplies: Curriculum materials, workbooks and resource library, $2,000.

Other money in the program. This request is about 54% of our Year 1 grant income. Other grants and the income lines below pay for everything it does not cover.

Year 1 budget: about $157,500, planned to balance with a small surplus (about $7,700 after the yearly wear on equipment). Year 1 money coming in: Grant Revenue $92,500; city Arts Council Program Funding $30,000; corporate Sponsor Contributions $25,000; individual Donors $10,000. Year 1 costs: executive Director $52,000; program Director $55,000; business Coach (part-time) $22,000; micro-Grant Pool about $24,000; curriculum Materials and Resource Library about $4,000; participant Stipends for Transportation and Childcare about $4,000; coaching and Guest Instructors about $8,000; marketing and Outreach about $4,000; administration and Insurance about $9,000; about $2,100 a year for the wear on equipment.

One-time startup costs. Startup costs of $11,500 are paid once from startup money, not from the yearly budget: $2,400 for laptops for coaching and the application portal (2); $800 for projector for classes; $800 for printer and scanner; $2,000 for attorney review of the micro-grant agreement and privacy policy; $3,000 for website and online application portal; $1,000 for background checks and coach orientation; $1,500 for first insurance payment.

How we got our startup number. The Funding Need Calculator in this plan adds the startup costs ($11,500), the cash the program uses before it balances (about $0) and a cash cushion of about $37,200, which is about three months of Year 1 costs. In all, that comes to $49,000. We start with $8,000 from our founding board and $43,000 in startup support from a community foundation and a local bank, $51,000 in all, which covers that amount with room to spare.

The next five years. Our budget grows from about $157,500 in Year 1 to about $240,500 in Year 5. Grants are planned at $92,500, $85,500, $100,500, $93,000 and $108,500 in Years 1 to 5. Other income grows: city Arts Council Program Funding from $30,000 to $54,000; corporate Sponsor Contributions from $25,000 to $48,000; individual Donors from $10,000 to $30,000. Our surplus is planned at about $7,700 in Year 1, about $8,200 in Year 2, about $9,500 in Year 3, about $10,100 in Year 4 and about $11,600 in Year 5. We run one cohort in Year 1, two in Year 3 and three in Year 5, with more coaches as cohorts grow.

Savings. We plan to keep several months of costs in savings. The lowest year-end balance in the plan is about $49,200, at the end of Year 1. Some grant payments and partner payments arrive after we bill, so we plan for about $6,300 owed to us at the end of Year 1.

Cost per artist. In Year 1, our total costs are about $5,037 per artist served, which includes setting up the program. By Year 5, with more artist served and a trained team in place, that falls to about $2,543 per artist.

After the grant. City arts funding, corporate sponsors and individual donors grow every year, so grants become a smaller share of our budget. Graduates share their stories and businesses can sponsor a cohort or a micro-grant by name. We will look for partnerships with banks, community development lenders and arts organizations that want to see creative businesses succeed.

Risks and how we will handle them:
- A participant misuses a micro-grant. A written agreement, receipts and a limit on what grants can pay for.
- A coach leaves. We keep a list of trained backup coaches and share the curriculum and notes.
- Low enrollment. We widen outreach through arts groups, studios and craft markets.
- A cohort that struggles. We review progress each session and add coaching time.
- A privacy problem. A written policy, secure systems and training for every staff member and volunteer.
- A grant ends. We keep savings and grow partner and donor support each year.

If you are just starting. A new organization can begin before it has its own 501(c)(3) status through a fiscal sponsor: an established nonprofit that receives grants for you and passes them to your program, usually for a fee (commonly around 5% to 10% of the grant, sometimes more; ask before you agree). Another way is to start smaller: one neighborhood, a handful of artists and a small team, tracked carefully. Strong results from a small start make larger grants easier to win.

Appendix Notes

Documents to attach with this proposal:

- Your IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter, or your fiscal sponsor agreement.
- Your most recent financial statements and your current year budget.
- A list of your board members and what each one does.
- Signed letters of support from partner schools, agencies and sites.
- Your site agreements and your insurance certificate.
- Your consent, waiver and privacy policy.
- Your safety plan and background check policy.
- Your program outline and schedule.
- Quotes for equipment and materials.
- Resumes for your Executive Director and key staff.
If you don't have any of this yet, no worries - let's continue.

The assumptions behind our numbers (change them in the Financials section to match your own):
- Grant Revenue: $92,500 in Year 1, growing to $108,500 in Year 5.
- City Arts Council Program Funding: $30,000 in Year 1, growing to $54,000 in Year 5.
- Corporate Sponsor Contributions: $25,000 in Year 1, growing to $48,000 in Year 5.
- Individual Donors: $10,000 in Year 1, growing to $30,000 in Year 5.
- Pay (a full year, per person, including payroll taxes and workers' compensation): executive Director $52,000; program Director $55,000; business Coach (part-time) $22,000.
- Other yearly costs in Year 1: micro-Grant Pool $24,000; curriculum Materials and Resource Library $4,000; participant Stipends for Transportation and Childcare $4,000; coaching and Guest Instructors $8,000; marketing and Outreach $4,000; administration and Insurance $9,000. These grow between 4% and 6% a year.
- Equipment: $4,000 at the start, then $1,500 to $2,000 a year.
- Startup costs: $11,500, paid once from $51,000 in startup money.
- Participants served: about 30 in Year 1, growing to about 90 in Year 5. Cohorts: 1 in Year 1, growing to 3 by Year 5. Each cohort meets for six sessions.
- About 4% of each year's income is still owed to us at year end.
- Tax: none, as a nonprofit.
- Every dollar amount is an estimate. Replace them with your own quotes and real budget.

Startup Costs