yehaw Indigenous Creatives Collectives to offer mini-grants for artists

yehaw Indigenous Creatives Collective is offering $499 mini-grants to support Indigenous artists facing personal emergencies or unexpected professional opportunities. The grants are designed to provide financial assistance when artists need it most — whether that means covering school supplies for children, repairing a broken-down car, or responding to an exhibition invitation without the resources to create new work.

The mini-grants are available exclusively to artists on the Indigenous Creatives Roster and are awarded through a random lottery process, ensuring equitable access regardless of discipline or financial background.

Who is eligible

The opportunity is open to artists listed on the Indigenous Creatives Roster, which includes Indigenous people with ancestral ties to Turtle Island (North America). This encompasses artists from the United States, Canada, Mexico, Island Nations of Hawaiʻi, Boriken/Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Documented Freedmen descendants of recognized tribes are also eligible.

Applicants must be at least 16 and currently living in Washington or Oregon. Each artist may receive up to one mini-grant per year.

Artists who are not yet on the roster may apply to join and submit a mini-grant application at the same time, as long as the roster application is completed first.

Application timeline

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and reviewed quarterly, with deadlines at the end of February, May, August, and November. Grant recipients are notified early the following month, and funds are distributed shortly after.

Artists experiencing urgent financial need are encouraged to contact Indigenous Creatives directly to share their circumstances.

How the Program Works

Indigenous Creatives intentionally allows artists to define what constitutes an emergency or unforeseen opportunity. Applicants are asked to provide a brief description of their need, but the content of that description does not affect funding decisions. All recipients are selected via lottery.

The $499 grant amount is structured to minimize tax paperwork for artists. New roster members receive a one-time $100 stipend, and when combined with a $499 mini-grant, the total remains under the IRS $600 reporting threshold.

The program is funded through interest earned on the organization’s savings, allowing it to scale sustainably. Indigenous Creatives aims to award between five and ten mini-grants each quarter, depending on available funds.

If an applicant is not selected due to limited funding, their application is automatically rolled over to the next quarter. Artists may reapply each year, with priority given to those who have not previously received a mini-grant.

Artists with questions can contact Asia Tail at info@indigenouscreatives.org or call (253) 336-6477 for more information.