DreamSpring, a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and Small Business Administration (SBA) lender, has launched a new loan and technical assistance program designed specifically for small businesses and entrepreneurs in the creative industries. DreamCreative, with support from Etsy’s Uplift Fund, offers personalized funding solutions and complementary business education crafted for creative small businesses.
Artists and makers can use DreamCreative loans and lines of credit for any business-related expenses used to start or grow creative enterprises, including purchasing equipment, buying inventory and supplies, and more. The DreamCreative program also offers tailored Technical Assistance that addresses challenges and opportunities that are unique to small businesses in the creative industries.
DreamCreative is supported by Etsy’s Uplift Fund. Launched in 2021, Etsy’s Uplift Fund supports nonprofit organizations expanding pathways to entrepreneurship for creative entrepreneurs who face barriers. In 2023, Etsy distributed $3.55M in grants to support organizations driving resources to these small business communities.
As a nonprofit CDFI, DreamSpring has been supporting artists and creatives for 30 years, helping creative small businesses support themselves and their vision through access to social and financial capital. Today, DreamSpring works with arts-focused entrepreneurial organizations across the U.S. for educational resources, policy work, and opportunities, strengthening the ecosystem for creative industries to thrive nationwide.
Headquartered in Albuquerque since its founding in 1994, DreamSpring provides rapid access to capital and customized wrap-around support to the most vulnerable small business owners in 27 states, focusing on communities including people of color, women, low- to moderate-income earners, people with disabilities, and start-ups. To date, DreamSpring has issued more than 48,796 loans totaling over $538 million to small businesses that support an estimated 65,138 jobs.
Learn more about DreamSpring. To apply for a DreamCreative loan, visit dreamspring.org/creative.