Important Program Update on the Availability of Pennsylvania Creative Industries’ Strategies for Success Program
Please see the following update.
In April 2025, Pennsylvania Creative Industries’ governing Council adopted a new strategic plan with the mission to empower, connect, and amplify creatives and creative industries and their contributions to Pennsylvania’s communities, economy, and workforce.
To support this new mission, Pennsylvania Creative Industries will invest its resources in five key areas:
- Asset Development (e.g., creative organizations, entrepreneurial ecosystem, technical assistance, regional networking).
- Workforce Development (e.g., creative skills, career awareness, and employment pathways).
- Community Development (e.g., creative placemaking, engagement with local governments, and networking for practitioners).
- Visibility (e.g., promotion of creative industries, products and services, and of the contributions and opportunities within our commonwealth’s creative sector).
- Policy (e.g., creation of policies that promote and foster relevancy and opportunity for creative industries, within governmental and non-governmental agencies and businesses).
To maximize impact and ensure alignment with these five key areas, Pennsylvania Creative Industries will be sunsetting the Strategies for Success program. The program will discontinue as of Fiscal Year 2026–2027 (September 2026-August 2027). Please note this will not impact your current Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Strategies for Success grant.
Looking Ahead
Over the coming months, Pennsylvania Creative Industries will be publishing new and expanded opportunities for the Commonwealth’s creative sector, including:
- Pennsylvania Creative Asset Program -- New, direct, flexible support for small- to mid-sized arts organizations with average annual revenue between $100K - $2M;
- Application Opens: Monday, February 2, 2026
- Application Closes: Monday, March 16, 2026
- Anticipated grant amounts will range between $10,000-$15,000 per organization.
- Creative Communities Initiative -- expanded funding availability for multi-year grants of $100K for community-led creative projects;
- Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator -- enhanced program design to provide strategic business development support for artists;
- Creative Business Loan Fund – access to affordable, flexible financing designed for creative entrepreneurs.
- Creative Innovation and Impact Grant Program -- supports new, multi-year strategies that empower, connect, and amplify creatives and creative industries and their contributions to Pennsylvania’s communities, economy, and workforce.
- Anticipated grant amounts will be between $100,000-$150,000.
In addition to these funding opportunities, you can sign up for news here to stay informed as we develop additional programs.
Overview of Strategies for Success
The Strategies for Success program supports the creation, development, and stabilization of organizations whose mission and artistic work are deeply rooted in and reflective of the perspectives of particular cultures, heritages, and areas of the world and that provide artistic programming open to all participants.
Support is provided through implementation awards, technical assistance, and professional development workshops and conferences.
Program participants work with an organizational development consultant during the program period to achieve short- and long-term goals. Participation in this program is based on three levels of organizational readiness - Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced. Funding and continued participation at each level is dependent on meeting eligibility and participation requirements, including an annual evaluation.
Additional Resources
Please note: When resources allow, PA Creative Industries provides technical assistance, funding for professional development for individual artists, and consultancy support for organizations not eligible to participate in Strategies for Success. The agency also offers virtual and in-person organizational and professional development convenings, webinars, and workshops. The availability of these opportunities will be announced via this website, email, and social media.