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Helpful, Unfettered Gift (HUG) Creative Micro-Grant Program
HUGs can be used for a wide array of creative projects, initiatives or businesses (for-profit or nonprofit) in Charlotte. We announced a new set of HUG grantees will be announced publicly at the monthly CreativeMornings/Charlotte gathering.
Charlotte needs creative ideas and projects.
Creative ideas and projects need financial to move forward.
And, the creatives behind them need to know they’re seen, appreciated and supported.
In short, they need a HUG. And, that’s where we come in.
Already Got a HUG?Share your story here!!
“Love Bombs of Cash”
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. This is real money, making a real difference. All of it is at work today in the Queen City.
ThERE ARE TWO BASIC HUGS:
1) A $250 strings-free micro-grant for a public-facing project, initiaive or business. Apply using the form on this page.
2) A Helping Hand HUG -- a $300 credit (which translates into $10,000 in real world value) at the Charlotte Community Tool Bank powered by the LendingTree Foundation. Apply here.
Once you have your first $250 HUG ...
- You can apply for a $1,000 Bear HUG powered by the LendingTree Foundation, after six months. Apply here. (This is only open to previous HUG grantees.)
- You can apply for a 4-month mini-residency at McColl Center's studios. We open it three times a year. We will post here when applications are open.
- You can apply for your second (and final) 250 HUG after 12 months.
The Fire Spread Quickly
Our first month - July 2017 - we gave one grant at the monthly meeting of CreativeMornings/Charlotte.
Immediately, two sponsors jumped up. In August, we gave out three. And, it went from there.
Thanks to our incredible sponsors -- Google Fiber, NoDa Brewing and the LendingTree Foundation -- and generous private donations, we’ve awarded more than $80,000 in HUGs to 290+ Queen City creatives since we started.
Today, HUG Recipients are doing work across Charlotte in the categories below:
- Visual & Performance Arts
- Community Building
- Music
- Creative Community Engagement
- Podcasts and Media
- Craft and Fashion
DONATE AND SPONSOR A HUG (oR HUGS)
If you’re interested in helping, you can donate in any amount. To do so, please reach out to us at hello@charlotteiscreative.com
If you’d like to be an official HUG sponsor at the partner level ($300 a month), please reach out to us here.
Ready to apply? Click here and take a brief moment to read about eligibility and get cracking!
At this time, HUG micro-grants will be awarded exclusively to projects that can be executed and shared online by June 1, 2020. If your submission is not able to be completed by June 1, please note that in the next boxes below. We will hold it an consider for a $250 grant when current stay-at-home orders have been recinded.