Building Creative Capacity - SBS

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Building Creative Capacity
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Guide to Starting a Merchants Association
Leadership Development
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Storefront Improvement
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Building Creative Capacity

Communications Assistance

Commercial District Needs Assessments (CDNAs)

Guide to Starting a Merchants Association

Leadership Development

Legal Assistance

Nonprofit Management Assistance

Storefront Improvement

Additional Resources

Community-Based Organization Job Board

Neighborhood Development Map


Building Creative Capacity

Building Creative Capacity reinforces arts and culture's transformative role in maintaining thriving commercial corridors by encouraging collaboration between community-based development organizations (CBDOs) and arts and culture organizations. The program focus of Building Creative Capacity may change annually. Funding may also be offered to provide services to single neighborhoods, multiple neighborhoods, or on a citywide scale.

Building Creative Capacity Programs

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Select a program name, or press the enter key on a program name, to view more information.

Fiscal Year 23

In partnership with Think!Chinatown and Asian American Federation, SBS funded programming in Chinatown, Manhattan, and Murray Hill, Queens, which encouraged collaboration between arts and culture groups and local CBDOs.

Fiscal Year 25

Storefront vacancy impacts many commercial districts' quality of life, public realm, and small business engagement. While addressing storefront vacancy requires long-term strategy for investment and intervention, immediate services are needed in the short-term to address the impact that the perception of vacancy has on commercial districts. In partnership with Van Alen Institute's Design Sprints program, selected CBDOs will work closely with design advisors to understand and address storefront vacancy in creative ways. Participants will receive capacity building and design support, including project design and strategic planning

How to Apply

The application is now closed.