HUG Micro-Grants

HUGs (Helpful Unfettered Gifts) are $250 strings-free micro-grants – aka “Love Bombs of Cash” – awarded monthly to non-profit and for-profit creative initiatives in Charlotte to help propel the project forward or remove a small obstacle to its overall success.

Nearly $40,000 in HUGs have been awarded to Charlotte citizens, companies and organizations since the program’s inception. To further support their success, HUG Grant recipients are also provided with an array of networking opportunities and free training classes, covering such topics as business operations, financials, strategy, project management, self-care, marketing, and social media.

Perhaps most crucially, HUG recipients subsequently find themselves connected to a growing family of fellow creatives, press and PR opportunities, professional development resources, and a broader platform of awareness and support. Recipients and their projects may also be profiled in “HUGumentaries” ranging from segments on The Biscuit Podcast, to packaged videos and in-studio interviews as part of our ongoing media partnership with WBTV.