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Grants & Funding Resources for
Creatives and Entrepreneurs

Fuel Your Vision. Fund Your Future.

Whether you're an artist, entrepreneur, or creative innovator, there’s funding out there for you. Kre8 Spaces has curated a master list of local, statewide, and national grants, fellowships, and residencies available to creators in St. Louis and beyond.

Local St. Louis Opportunities

1. Arch Grants Startup Competition

Provides $75,000 equity-free grants to innovative startups that relocate to St. Louis, with an additional $25,000 for relocation expenses. Winners also receive access to business support services. Applications typically open annually.

2. BALSA Foundation Grant

Offers $1,500 grants and mentorship to first-time entrepreneurs in the St. Louis area. The program includes a Learning Series to help launch and grow businesses. Applications open twice a year, in January and July. (Spring 2025 BALSA Grant applications open January 1st!)

3. Regional Arts Commission – Artist Support Grant

Provides funding up to $7,500 for individual artists in St. Louis to support career advancement, projects, or creative opportunities across various disciplines. Applications are typically due in the spring. (Artist Support Grants - Regional Arts Commission)

4. UMSL Anchor Accelerator

A 10-week program offering up to $150,000 in grants to scalable businesses in St. Louis. Participants receive mentorship, training, and an Entrepreneurship Certificate from UMSL.

5. The Luminary Residency

Offers fully funded residencies in St. Louis for artists, curators, and writers, providing dedicated time and space for creative work. Open calls are announced annually. (Residency - The Luminary, Paul Artspace Leaves Florissant Home To Offer Residencies Across St ...)

6. Paul Artspace Residency

Provides living and studio space for artists and writers in a serene setting near St. Louis. Residencies range from one to three months. (Past Present Future - Paul Artspace)

7. Craft Alliance – Whitaker Artist-in-Residence Program

An 11-month residency in St. Louis for emerging artists in craft disciplines, offering studio space, stipends, and teaching opportunities. Applications typically open annually.

Missouri Statewide Opportunities

8. Missouri Arts Council Grants

Offers various grants to support arts programming, including project support, arts education, and organizational development. Deadlines vary by program.

9. Mid-America Arts Alliance – Interchange Fellowship

Awards $25,000 practice-based grants to artists creating socially engaged work in Missouri and surrounding states. Applications are typically accepted annually. (Empowering Artists for Social Change: Interchange Applications ...)

10. Mid-America Arts Alliance – Artistic Innovations Grant

Provides up to $15,000 for the creation and presentation of new, innovative works by artists and organizations in the region. Applications open annually. (2025 Grant Recipients - Artistic Innovations)

11. Missouri Technology Corporation – IDEA Fund

Offers co-investment funding to high-growth technology-based companies in Missouri, supporting early-stage business development. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. (FAQ for IDEA Fund - Missouri Technology Corporation)

12. Missouri Department of Agriculture Grants

Provides grants and financial assistance to support agricultural businesses, including value-added agriculture and urban agriculture initiatives. Programs and deadlines vary. (Missouri Value-Added Agriculture Grant Program)

13. Missouri Humanities Council Grants

Offers major grants up to $15,000 and mini-grants for projects that promote the humanities in Missouri. Application cycles occur twice a year.

National Opportunities Open to Missouri Residents

14. FedEx Small Business Grant Contest

An annual contest awarding grants up to $50,000 to U.S.-based small businesses, along with FedEx services and marketing support. Applications typically open early each year.

15. Amber Grant for Women

Awards $10,000 monthly grants to women entrepreneurs, with an annual $25,000 grant awarded to one of the monthly recipients. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

16. Hello Alice – Small Business Grants

A platform offering various grant opportunities for small businesses, including those owned by underrepresented groups. Registration provides access to current funding opportunities.

 

17. Black Ambition Prize

Provides funding up to $1,000,000 to Black and Latinx entrepreneurs launching tech, design, healthcare, and consumer product ventures. Applications open annually.

18. Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) / Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs

Federal programs offering funding to small businesses engaged in research and development with the potential for commercialization. Multiple agencies participate with varying deadlines.

19. Creative Capital Awards

Provides up to $50,000 in project funding and career development services to artists across disciplines. Applications open annually for specific disciplines.

20. Guggenheim Fellowship

Awards fellowships to mid-career professionals in the arts and sciences, providing financial support for creative endeavors. Applications are accepted annually.

21. United States Artists Fellowship

Offers unrestricted $50,000 fellowships to artists across various disciplines, recognizing their contributions to the field. Fellows are nominated; no application process.

22. Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant

Provides grants to individual visual artists for professional and personal expenses, including studio rent and materials. Applications are accepted year-round.

23. MacDowell Colony Residency

Offers residencies to artists in various disciplines, providing time and space to work on creative projects. Applications are accepted several times a year.

24. Yaddo Artist Residency

Provides residencies to artists, offering uninterrupted time for creative work in a supportive environment. Applications are accepted twice a year.

25. Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts Residency

Offers residencies to artists, providing studio space, housing, and stipends to support the creation of new work. Applications are accepted annually.

26. Echoing Green Fellowship

Provides seed funding and support to social entrepreneurs launching bold new ideas for social change. Applications open annually.

27. Halcyon Incubator Fellowship

Offers a residency program for social entrepreneurs, providing housing, workspace, mentorship, and funding. Applications are accepted for spring and fall cohorts.

28. Tory Burch Foundation Fellows Program

Provides women entrepreneurs with a $5,000 grant for business education, a year-long fellowship, and access to a community of peers. Applications open annually.

29. Nav Small Business Grant

Awards $10,000 grants to small businesses through a quarterly contest, supporting business growth and development. Applications are accepted quarterly.

30. IFundWomen Grants

Offers various grant opportunities for women entrepreneurs, including partnerships with major brands. By creating a profile, applicants are considered for multiple grants.

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