Zoo Labs Fund

Zoo Labs empowers Black, Indigenous, and people of color to own and amplify their music business through entrepreneurial training, resource exchange, focused mentorship, and community building. Donor Name: zoo labs State: California County: Alameda County (CA), Contra Costa County (CA), Marin County (CA), Napa County (CA), San Francisco County (CA), San Mateo County (CA), Santa Clara County (CA), Solano County (CA), Sonoma County (CA) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 07/10/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: 1 Year Details: In 2024, Zoo Labs: FUND will make available $225,000 in unrestricted grants to Bay Area BIPOC and BIPOC-led artist teams with a music business. To address both the marked lack of capital for Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) artists, as well as the lack of practical and affordable business education that cultural innovators need in order to begin and scale their creative businesses, Zoo Labs evolved its West Oakland-based, in-person programming to reach a broader audience in the Bay Area and beyond. Zoo Labs: FUND returns in 2024 for a fourth grantmaking round that will be administered in partnership with Center for Cultural Innovation (CCI), a trusted nonprofit intermediary focused on the financial well-being of artists, arts workers, culture bearers, and creative entrepreneurs. Award Tier Criteria CCI will distribute unrestricted grants in the amounts (i.e., tiers) of $5,000; $15,000; $25,000; and $50,000. Award tiers, their associated criteria, and the approximate number of awards available include: $5,000 (approximately four awards available) Seed Funding- Teams that request $5,000 are newly formed; have worked on the business for two consecutive (i.e., back-to-back) years or less; and are earning little to no revenue from the business. $15,000 (approximately five awards available) Startup Funding- Teams that request $15,000 are starting to have traction; have worked together on the business for two to five consecutive (i.e., back-to-back) years; and are earning little to no revenue from the business. $25,000 (approximately three awards available) Self-sustaining Funding: Teams that request $25,000 have traction; are on the cusp of realizing self-sustaining, revenue-generating activities; have worked together on the business for five consecutive (i.e., back-to-back) years or more; and are earning some revenue from the business. $50,000 (one award available) Next Level Funding- Teams that request $50,000 are established; are ready to expand or further innovate; have worked together on the business for five consecutive (i.e., back-to-back) years or more; and are earning a steady stream of revenue from the business. Period of Support  September 2024 – September 2025. Eligibility Criteria To be considered for funding, applicants: Must be BIPOC or BIPOC-led teams of two or more people, with at least one artist member1. Additionally, they encourage teams who are of historically marginalized communities, including LGBTQIA+ and gender variant people, people with disabilities, and immigrants to apply; Must be launching or have an already established music business; Must reside full-time in Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, or Sonoma County. This criterion applies to ALL team members. Can be any age, however, if a member of the team is 18 years old or younger, CCI staff must be contacted to discuss the team’s eligibility; Can be a previous grantee3, however, first-time award recipients may be prioritized; and Cannot have a conflict of interest (family or financial relationship) with the board, staff, or directors of Center for Cultural Innovation, Zoo Labs, or Intersection for the Arts. For more information, visit Zoo Labs.