1,000+ Opportunities
Find the right grant
Search federal, foundation, and corporate grants with AI — or browse by agency, topic, and state.
Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Program is sponsored by Centre Foundation. Offers small business consulting and financial resources to creative entrepreneurs in Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, and Huntingdon counties.
Get alerted about grants like this
Save a search for “Centre Foundation” or related topics and get emailed when new opportunities appear.
Search similar grants →Extracted from the official opportunity page/RFP to help you evaluate fit faster.
Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Program | Centre Foundation Supporting Entrepreneurs in the Creative Sector The Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Program is designed to pair access to existing small business consulting services with financial resources for creative entrepreneurs who aspire to start their own for-profit business or who operate an existing for-profit micro business.
Centre Foundation administers Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Program grants in Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, and Huntingdon counties on behalf of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) as a regional Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts (PPA) partner. The program’s purpose is to help creative entrepreneurs grow their business, audience, and revenue.
Download the 2025-2026 CEA Guidelines HERE This grant program provides $2,000 in support for creative entrepreneurs starting a business or currently operating a micro-business with gross revenue less than $200,000 in Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, and Huntingdon counties. Creative entrepreneurs are eligible to apply for the Creative Entrepreneurs Accelerator Program once every three years.
Eligible applicants must: Have not received Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Funding in the past three years (Creative Entrepreneurs are eligible to apply for the Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Program once every three years). Please note that applying and receiving funds after the 3-year mark is contingent upon availability of funds after applicants that have never received funding have had an opportunity to be funded.
Other requirements for reapplying after 3 years include a follow-up visit with a referral partner to review business plan and progress of business. Be at least 18 years of age and a current resident of Pennsylvania for at least one year. Manage a business with gross revenue of less than $200,000 or intend to form or operate a business in Pennsylvania.
Operate in one or more of the following creative industries: Marketing – Advertising and marketing agencies & professionals Architecture – Architecture firms & architects Visual Arts & Crafts – Galleries, artists, artisans & makers, tattoo artists Design – Product, interior, graphic, and fashion design firms and designers Film & Media – Film, video, animation, TV & Radio businesses Digital Games – Companies, programmers & individuals producing games Music & Entertainment – Producers, venues, musicians & performers Publishing – Print or electronic businesses & content creators, editors & writers Application Opens: January 27, 2026 Application Closes: March 19, 2026 Award Notification: May 2026 Grant Period: May 2026 – December 2026 Final Report Due: December 2026 Step 1: Conduct consultation with a Referral Partner Schedule a consultation and business plan review with a local small business development organization, known as a Referral Partner.
The Referral Partner will help with the logistics of starting a business including the development of a business plan and growth strategies. Business consultation services are provided at no cost to prospective applicants. Meeting with a referral partner is a mandatory requirement as part of the application process.
We encourage applicants to connect with Referral Partners as early as possible to ensure that meeting appointments are available in time for you to complete application before the deadline. Referral of a creative entrepreneur by a Referral Partner does not guarantee that a grant will be made. Penn State SBDC – Serving Centre and Clinton Counties PennWest Clarion SBDC – Serving Clearfield County St.
Francis SBDC – Serving Huntingdon County PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship – Serving Clearfield, Clinton and northern Centre Counties Startup Alleghenies – Serving Huntingdon County After you meet with one of the approved Referral Coordinators, you will receive a link to the application, along with an application Access Code, via email. Submit your application via Centre Foundation’s Online Grant Portal .
Only applicants who have completed a meeting with a Referral Partner will be considered. However, meeting with a Referral Partner does not guarantee that a grant will be made. Step 3: Notification and award Successful applicants will be notified in May 2026.
For those approved, Centre Foundation will enter into a grant award agreement with the awardee. Following completion of grant paperwork as well as a brief baseline survey, funding will be disbursed. A limited number of grants are available and demand for this funding is high.
Reporting: All grantees will be required to submit a final report on their grant, due December 2026. Receipts and an itemized list of how funding was spent are a required part of the final report.
Updates to Pennsylvania Creative Industries’ Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Beginning with Fiscal Year 2026-2027 (July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027), Pennsylvania Creative Industries’ Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator (CEA) program will no longer be administered by the Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts (PPA). The CEA program has seen great demand and impact since its launch in 2021.
With implementation of Pennsylvania Creative Industries’ updated strategic framework, the agency is working to revise the CEA program design to ensure enhanced, strategic business development support for program participants. Pennsylvania Creative Industries anticipates sharing details about and future application timelines for the CEA program in the fall of 2026.
Note: Centre Foundation remains the point of contact for current year (July 1, 2025 – December 31, 2026) CEA program participants in regions Centre, Clearfield, Clinton and Huntingdon. As grant award agreement materials outline, CEA program participants must submit all required final report materials and receipts to Centre Foundation by December 31, 2026.
For question regarding current CEA grant, contact Krista Williams, Grants and Scholarship Coordinator, at krista@centrefoundation. org For general questions regarding the evolution and availability of the CEA program, contact Amanda Lovell , PA Creative Industries’ Director of Access to the Creative Sector.
Based on current listing details, eligibility includes: Creative entrepreneurs in Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, and Huntingdon counties, Pennsylvania. Applicants should confirm final requirements in the official notice before submission.
Current published award information indicates $2,000 Always verify allowable costs, matching requirements, and funding caps directly in the sponsor documentation.
The current target date is March 16, 2026. Build your timeline backwards from this date to cover registrations, approvals, attachments, and final submission checks.
Federal grant success rates typically range from 10-30%, varying by agency and program. Build a strong proposal with clear objectives, measurable outcomes, and a well-justified budget to improve your chances.
Requirements vary by sponsor, but typically include a project narrative, budget justification, organizational capability statement, and key personnel CVs. Check the official notice for the complete list of required attachments.
Yes — AI tools like Granted can help research funders, draft proposal sections, and check compliance. However, always review and customize AI-generated content to reflect your organization's unique strengths and the specific requirements of the solicitation.
Review timelines vary by funder. Federal agencies typically take 3-6 months from submission to award notification. Foundation grants may be faster, often 1-3 months. Check the program's timeline in the official solicitation for specific dates.
Many federal programs offer multi-year funding or allow competitive renewals. Check the official solicitation for continuation and renewal policies. Non-competing continuation applications are common for multi-year awards.
Past winners and funding trends for this program
Centre PACT Grants are awarded by the Centre Foundation through its student-led philanthropy program, Centre PACT (Philanthropic Actions Created by Teens), and fund local nonprofits that serve youth in Centre County, Pennsylvania. High school students review applications, fundraise, and make grant decisions. Eligible focus areas include Basic Needs Access, Education Access, Health and Wellness, and the Environment. Awards typically range from $500 to $3,000, with an average award of $1,400. Applicants must be IRS 501(c)(3) public charities, schools, or government entities operating programs in Centre County. Applications are submitted through the Foundant online portal and were due January 15, 2026.
Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Program is sponsored by Pennsylvania Creative Industries powered by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (through regional partners like Centre Foundation and Erie Arts & Culture). This program offers funding and small business consulting to creative entrepreneurs who aspire to start their own for-profit business or who operate an existing for-profit micro-business.