2025 First Leap, Winter Cohort Application - Bridgeway Capital (Due Dec. 18)
2025 First Leap, Winter Cohort Application - Bridgeway Capital
Deadline: December 18th, 2024
First Leap is an entrepreneurial readiness program for startup and emerging creative businesses.
Whether you identify as an artist, maker, designer, or craftsperson, creatives employ sophisticated skills when it comes to making, but the business side of their practice often needs to be developed more. The First Leap program provides participants with the foundations to become business owners ready to professionalize their passion and sustain their practice.
Learn
Understand business fundamentals and the elements of a business plan.
Join a 11-week intensive business development curriculum and graduation that emphasizes learning how to identify the right goals for your business, increase sales and visibility, strengthen your brand identity, and how to legitimize your business.
Work with a cohort of 10 to 15 creative businesses that connect in person over the course of the program and are encouraged to continue peer-to-peer learning and support after the program is complete.
Plan
Develop a business plan to guide decision-making and pursue opportunities.
Build the framework of a business plan that will help you clearly outline your pathway to growth for the next year and beyond.
The actionable business canvas model positions business owners to reach entrepreneurial goals and access capital, like grants and loans.
Thrive
Graduate from First Leap with the entrepreneurial confidence and capital readiness needed to thrive.
After the 11-week intensive, the highest engaged participants can access no-cost support for up to six months to put their plan into action by working with business coaches.
Participants with comprehensive business plans may be eligible to apply for Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator grants of up to $2,000 from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and patient and flexible loan capital from Bridgeway Capital. Learn more about the $2,000 Creative Entrepreneurship Accelerator grant.
Support applying for financing opportunities with Bridgeway Capital
Eligibility
Identifies as an artist, maker, designer, craftsperson, and/or small-batch manufacturer*
Has operated a creative business for a minimum of one year (has sold products or services)
Has access to a computer and the internet (to attend sessions and complete homework)
Aspires to become a full-time creative business owner
Able to attend in-person sessions at the CBA’s classroom in Wilkinsburg, PA
Participating or willing to participate in CBA
Agrees to complete pre- and post-program surveys
Participants can be return cohort members from previous First Leaps
* Please visit the PA Council on the Arts for samples of creative business types that would likely realize the most success in the First Leap Program.
Priority
BIPOC, women, and/or veteran-owned creative businesses
Entrepreneurs living and/or operating a business in low to moderate-income areas
Entrepreneurs seeking a loan from Bridgeway Capital
Creative businesses with evidence of and/or aspirations for social impact:
Creating quality jobs
Reactivating postindustrial spaces
Revitalizing Main Street corridors
Elevating underserved populations
Timeline
Applications are open now until December 18th, 2024. At 11:59 P.M.
Creative Entrepreneur Mixer and Chance to ask questions about this Nov. 20th, 2024 and the Wilkinsburg Train Station. 5:30-7:30. RSVP here.
Selectees will be notified by December 23rd
The first phase runs every Thursday evening from January 16th, to March 27th, 2025
Graduation March 27th, 2025, at the Wilkinsburg Train Station
The second phase runs, from April 2025 to September 2025
Benefits
Comprehensive Learning Experience: 10-week intensive business development curriculum resulting in a foundation to further build your business from paired with a culminating graduation to practice pitching your business plan and celebrate on week 11.
Collaborative Environment: Work with a cohort of 10 to 15 creative businesses who can relate to your experience as an entrepreneur.
Strategic Business Planning: Build the framework of a business plan to outline your pathway to growth.
Financial Support: Eligibility to apply for grants and flexible loan capital.
Apply for Ongoing Support: Apply to receive ongoing no-cost support for up to six months supported by free business coaches.
Access to Funding Opportunities: Eligibility to apply for a Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator grant of up to $2,000 from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and patient and flexible loan capital from Bridgeway Capital.