creators grant
The Very Asian Foundation (VAF) Creators Grant is an exciting microgrant opportunity for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander individuals who have pivoted their careers toward their creative passions. Whether you’re a visual artist, a baker or chef, a writer, a podcaster, or a social media creator, the VAF Creators Grant program offers opportunities to amplify your voices and offer guidance or mentorship.
To be eligible, applicants must have shifted their job field or career path within the last 1-3 years and identify as AA and NHPI.
The grant will be awarded to five individuals, each receiving $1000.
Additionally, one baker creator will receive a $1000 grant sponsored by King Arthur Baking! This is a new opportunity in 2024.
Meet the inaugural Creators Grant recipients
Vision and Mission
Shine a light on Asian experiences through advocacy and celebration, by providing micro-grants, support, and resources to AANHPI creators to amplify their voices and reach.
Program goals
Creators receive resources and education to help reach their own goals
VAF Creator Community development for connections and networking
Creators feel pride and value in the building and amplifying their AANHPI voices through their craft
“Graduated” grant recipients can help fundraise/amplify the VAF Creators Fund for future recipients
About the Very Asian Foundation
We are a journalist-founded, non-profit that was created after a racist voicemail attacked a news anchor for being "Very Asian" among many other things. The voicemail went viral and sparked a global moment of unity. We support the creation and amplification of Asian experiences all around the world, especially those that are underrepresented within our diaspora and mainstream media. Our mission is to shine a light on Asian experiences through advocacy and celebration, and we believe our unique stories deserve to be told in all of the places we live. We all deserve to bring our full humanity to our spaces.
About VAF Creators Fund
The Very Asian Creators Fund aims to provide financial support and resources to Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) individuals who are making a career pivot into a creative field and provide a launchpad to achieve their goals and make an impact in their communities and society.
The Very Asian Creators Fund also includes the idea that, by amplifying the voices, stories, and perspectives of AANHPI creatives and by providing a platform for them to share their work, this grant program can help change the representation and narratives in the creative industry, by providing a space for more diverse and underrepresented voices and perspectives to be visible.
Additionally, by providing mentorship opportunities, we hope to also help demystify the career pivot process and debunk myths hindering individuals in pursuit of their creative careers, by providing real-life examples of individuals who have gone through the process and made it.
The overarching goal of this grant program is to empower AA and NHPI individuals to make a successful transition into a creative career and to promote representation and diverse narratives in the creative industry, which will have a ripple effect on the community and society as a whole.
Eligibility Criteria
A resident of the U.S.
Identify as an AA and NHPI creator.
All creative disciplines include but are not limited to artists, authors, journalists, content creators, podcasters, filmmakers, and food industry creators.
Shifted their career path or job field to a creative passion in the last 1-3 years.
Must be at least 21 years of age
Program structure and timeline
As part of the program, participants will:
Carry out their project idea anytime between June 24 and August 19, 2024
Provide periodical progress updates to VAF
Create at least 1 reel/video to collaborate with the Very Asian Foundation, highlighting your journey and how receiving this grant has impacted you by Sept 2, 2024
Attend the Very Asian Sunday Funday in Seattle in October 2024 (a travel stipend will be awarded)
The Program Schedule
March 25, 2024 – Application opens
April 22, 2024 – Deadline for all submissions
May 27, 2024 -- Awardees selected and notified
TBD — Awardees will go through a final video interview with the selection committee
June 24, 2024 -- August 19 — Awardees carry out their projects
Sept, 2, 2024 TBA – Reel/Video highlighting grant journey due
October 20, 2024 — Attend the Very Asian Sunday Funday in Seattle
