We believe inclusive creative communities build stronger local economies for everyone.

Yet, across the country, new business launch numbers are down, people are struggling to find good paying work, and communities are fighting to keep their youth from leaving town. Still, Etsy sellers have started and grown their businesses in 99.9% of all US counties, which is important considering that most national business growth after the most recent recession stemmed from only 20 counties, according to EIG.

We believe creative entrepreneurship has the power to provide meaningful opportunities for individuals to connect, learn, and grow, while building stronger local economies. In the US alone, Etsy sellers generated $5.37B in economic output and created 1.5 million jobs in 2018. We also believe that the best way to build inclusive economies comes from community projects where everyone has a seat at the table.

That’s why our Maker Cities initiative supports creative entrepreneurial communities by investing in innovative projects to help traditionally underrepresented groups participate in the creative economy and grow businesses.

These programmes grow local economies by building local wealth and economic power through entrepreneurial endeavours.

We’re not alone in this effort. This year, we are proud to partner with an organisation with shared beliefs around fostering creative local economies. We are thrilled to announce our partnership with Mastercard’s Centre for Inclusive Growth to launch the next iteration of Maker Cities. The Centre takes a new approach to philanthropy, and leverages research, data, programmes, and engagement to advance sustainable and equitable economic growth and financial inclusion around the world.

About the 2019 Maker Cities Grant Programme

Powered by the Etsy Impact Fund and the Mastercard Impact Fund with support from Recast City, five non-profit organisations will be selected to invest in a year-long economic development project of their choosing. We are seeking proposals that use data to drive innovative new programming that supports creative entrepreneurs in their areas and address the barriers they face related to accessibility, building community, small batch manufacturing, resource sharing and collaboration.

The programme will support non-profit small business development practitioners to not only build the capacity of small and microbusinesses but also partner with their cities and other key stakeholders to grow, connect, and help empower their local maker economy as an engine of local economic development.

Grantees will receive grants up to $40,000 in direct programme support in addition to the following:

A robust, custom built training programme and ongoing cohort support from Recast City, a technical assistance firm focused on business development for the maker economy to create thriving communities

Access to an online facilitated community where grantees can connect and share progress

Access to a city-specific economic impact dashboard powered by mySidewalk





Eligibility

Proposals must be submitted via our application portal by non-profit 501(c)(3) organisations in the United States by Wednesday 3rd July 2019. Applicants must assemble a Maker Cities Project team comprised of a team leader employed by the non-profit organisation, at least one Etsy seller, and one other member of the creative or microbusiness community (either a service provider, local government official, library, etc.). Applications must include an endorsement letter from a local government official outlining how they plan to support this work.

Webinar replay

Recast City, our training provider, hosted a webinar to answer questions and walk through the application process on 3rd June. Participation in the webinar was not required, though if you are interested in viewing the webinar recording, you can do so here.









Our 2017 Grantees

Open Works—Baltimore, Maryland

Open Works was awarded an Etsy Maker Cities Programme Grant to expand an existing programme, Moms as Entrepreneurs (MAE), which teaches craft, life, and business skills to low-income creative entrepreneurs of colour. In partnership with the Baltimore Etsy Seller team, led by Keisha Ransome, they have designed a comprehensive training programme that not only supports programme participants, but also serves as a model for evolving the workforce development system to support entrepreneurship training and development. The government stakeholder involved is the Assistant Director for Cultural Affairs at the City's Office of Promotion and the Arts.

The Berlin Kreativ Kollektiv—Berlin, Germany

The Berlin Kreativ Kollektiv was awarded an Etsy Maker Cities Research Grant to conduct bottom-up research. Their research quantifies the creative community in Berlin, with a specific focus on the challenges faced by multi-national creative entrepreneurs that are new to the country. Led by Emma Wood, Annemarie Schumacher, and Iris Pohlgeers, the BKK presented their findings to the local government. The government stakeholders involved are the Head of Economic Development and the Team Leader for EU Cultural Affairs and Industry. Read more about how the BKK implemented their research grant here.



If you're interested in receiving Maker Cities updates or learning about opportunities to get involved in the future, please let us know by completing the form below.

