Zoo Labs: FUND
Supports Bay Area artist teams launching or growing music-centered businesses with funding, mentorship, and training to foster innovation and cultural impact.
Funder: Center for Cultural Innovation
Due Dates: August 7, 2026: Full application submission deadline (applications accepted online through Submittable until August 7, 2026 at 11:59 a.m. PT)
Funding Amounts: $5,000, $15,000, $25,000, or $50,000 per team (approx. $225,000 total available; 1–6 awards per tier; funding period: Oct 2026–Oct 2027)
Summary: Supports Bay Area music-centered businesses led by culturally rooted artist teams with unrestricted funding, mentorship, and entrepreneurial training.
Key Information: All team members must be full-time residents of specific Bay Area counties; only one application per team; funding is unrestricted but subject to 501(c)(3) requirements.
Description
This opportunity provides unrestricted grants, mentorship, and entrepreneurial training to teams of culturally rooted artists launching or growing music-centered businesses in the Bay Area. Administered by the Center for Cultural Innovation in partnership with Zoo Labs, the program is designed to foster innovation, preserve cultural expression, and strengthen the local creative economy by supporting artist-led ventures that demonstrate community impact and economic empowerment. In addition to funding, grantees receive access to professional development resources and a curated business mentorship.
