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Apply Now For These BIPOC Small Business Grants & Offerings

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Open Air Coffee – photographed by Karen Santos (from our most recent spring 2022 offering)

We are happy to help support two organizations (SEED Network as well as By and For) who reached out to us about opportunities for local BIPOC small businesses. At the heart of both offerings is a want to help minority-owned businesses.
Details are below. Please reach out to each individual organization for details about their specific offering.

SEED Network is Giving 80 micro-grants to BIPOC Small Businesses

SEED Network (a project by non-profit Kultivate Labs) is distributing $2,500 grants (~$200,000 total) to eligible businesses that made $50,000 or less in 2019 and were adversely affected by the pandemic.

“This is not a competitive grant. It’s all about eligibility. This grant is designed for communities that were left behind and did not receive any COVID relief. Are you an artist with a side hustle like commissioned portraits, yoga instruction on Sundays, DJ gig’s on the weekend, slang’in apple pies on IG—this grant is for you. As long as your side hustle / small business made less than $50,000 in 2019,” says the organization.

SEED Network is part of Kultivate Labs’ larger, multi-prong strategy to build a thriving commercial corridor in the Filipino Cultural Heritage District SoMa Pilipinas. KL envisions commerce that is culturally relevant, financially resilient, and adaptable to the market needs of all San Franciscans, including Filipinos and other BIPOC community members who are otherwise displaced.

“The pandemic was rough for everyone, especially creative folx with side-hustles to make ends meet. Most COVID relief programs like PPP, EIDL, and the whole alphabet soup of resources out there were made for more established small businesses—and not the creative hustlers that read Broke-Ass Stuart. Our micro-grants are tailored for you!”

Deadline to apply: August 30th
Apply here: https://www.seednetwork.biz/calosba-microgrants

By And For is Offering Professional Photography For BIPOC Small Businesses

By And For is a creative collective of San Francisco Bay Area photographers committed to the work of social justice activism, anti-racism, and achieving equal rights for all sex/gender identities and physical/intellectual abilities. Their collective intent to support and strengthen our BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities by donating creative visual and brand services to individuals and small businesses.

By And For told us the reason they are offering their services. “Being able to focus on local change and giving back to BIPOC businesses is a tangible way we can contribute to those around us and raise up our communities.”

What is their offering? Twice a year, By and For donates high-quality photography work prioritizing BIPOC individuals and small businesses in the Bay Area. By applying, you may be one of the small businesses chosen to work with one of their talented contributors to capture magazine-style images for FREE.

“Work with one of our incredibly talented contributors to capture magazine-style images (also known as an “editorial” feature in the photo world) of your business or organization for FREE. You’ll be randomly selected and paired with one of our photographers to receive a photography package (a $2,000+ value) that includes up to 8 hours of shooting on location and 15 professionally-edited photos which must include portraits, environment/business space, product/service, and process/action shots. This holistic package will help communicate your business vision to current and prospective clients and customers. For this offering, applicants must own or have access to a physical space to conduct the shoot. Perfect for your website, social media, printed collateral (i.e., postcards, brochures, mailers, etc.) or public relations needs. Applications must be submitted by August 26th, and recipients will be announced by September 12th,”

Deadline to apply: August 26th

Learn more about the offering here: https://www.byandfor.co/offerings

Some photo examples from By And For:

Note: There are surely more offerings than just these two out there! If you are an organization that has an offering similar to these for small businesses in The Bay Area, we’d love to feature you in a short list like this one. Please feel free to reach out to us.

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Katy Atchison

Katy Atchison

Katy has lived in The Bay Area since the age of 3. While other kids were attending summer camp & soccer practice, she was raised selling wares at craft shows with her working artist parents and spent vacations in a small 1920s Montana log cabin. This has all given her a unique perspective on the ever-changing texture of San Francisco and the Greater Bay Area. Currently a blend of all that is The Bay Area - she's a web designer at a tech-company, artist and DIY teacher.