The 2026 Zoo Labs: FUND opens June 9!

||

Deadline to apply: August 7, 2026

||

The 2026 Zoo Labs: FUND opens June 9! || Deadline to apply: August 7, 2026 ||

Funds ranging from $5,000 to $50,000 for Bay Area culturally-rooted artist teams with a music business!

Grants for BIPOC musicians in the San Francisco Bay Area from Zoo Labs and the Center for Cultural Innovation

Zoo Labs: FUND is a grant and investment program designed to support Bay Area entrepreneurs who are building businesses that center music. By providing funding, mentorship, and educational resources, the FUND helps creative business owners in the Bay Area begin or scale their ventures in ways that contribute to cultural enrichment, economic empowerment, and community benefit.

The FUND prioritizes culturally-rooted artists (i.e., artists whose work is deeply influenced by their cultural heritage, traditions, and community experiences, and who draw upon the stories, symbols, practices, and values of their cultural background to inform their art) who face challenges or structural hurdles to accessing capital, and aims to create more opportunities in the local creative economy. Investing in these businesses fosters innovation, preserves cultural and artistic expression, and generates jobs. It also works against displacement by creating stable economic opportunities that enable individuals to thrive in the Bay Area. Through this support, Zoo Labs: FUND advances a fair and sustainable creative ecosystem for the public good.

Awards will range from $5,000 to $50,000. Selected teams will also receive focused mentorship and community support.

CRITERIA:

Applicants must:

have a solid team of two or more people, with at least 1 culturally-rooted artist member
reside full-time in the Bay Area (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, or Sonoma County)
be preparing to launch or have an already established business with a focus on music
show that they are at a critical juncture - one where receiving funding could make a big difference in accelerating the growth of their business.

Learn More & Apply

THE 2026 FUND:

The Zoo Labs: FUND celebrates its sixth year of grantmaking in 2026! The application process and funding distribution will be administered in partnership with Center for Cultural Innovation (CCI), a trusted nonprofit intermediary focused on the financial well-being of artists, arts workers, culture bearers, and creative entrepreneurs. In 2026, Zoo Labs: FUND will make available $225,000 in unrestricted grants to Bay Area culturally-rooted artist teams with a music business.

APPLY: The 2026 Application Link, Grant Guidelines, Frequently Asked Questions, and other materials are all available on CCI’s website.
DEADLINE: 2026 applications will be accepted from June 9, 2026 to August 7, 2026 at 11:59 AM (morning) pst
SUPPORT: Please direct questions to CCI staff, who are here to help and listen! Email them at grants@cciarts.org (include “Zoo Labs: FUND” in the subject line) or give them a call at 415.288.0530.
NOTIFICATIONS: Funding notifications will be shared on October 13, 2026 by 5:00 PM pst.
PERIOD OF SUPPORT: October 2026 - October 2027
PAST RECIPIENTS: View past grantees of the Zoo Labs: FUND, along with all alumni of our previous programs on our Community Page.

Applicant Resources

APPLICATION INFO SESSION:

An informational webinar will be hosted by CCI on Thursday, June 11th, 2026 at 12 pm PT- REGISTER HERE

If you are unable to attend, please email grants@cciarts.org (include Zoo Labs: FUND in the subject line) to request access to the session’s recording and presentation deck.

OFFICE HOURS:

These are not formal presentations, nor will they be recorded. Office Hours are an opportunity to have your questions addressed by CCI staff in real time. We ask that you review the grant guidelines, application preview, and Frequently Asked Questions in advance to ensure everyone's time is used efficiently.

June 23 from 2:00-1:00 p.m. PT -‍ ‍REGISTER HERE
July 8 from 11:00 a.m-12:00 p.m. PT -‍ ‍REGISTER HERE
July 22 from 4:00-5:00 p.m. PT - REGISTER HERE

Enroll in Free Courses

2025 Awardees

In partnership with the Center for Cultural Innovation (CCI), we are thrilled to celebrate the recipients of the 2025 Zoo Labs: FUND!

Fifteen grants ranging from $5,000 - $50,000 were awarded to Bay Area culturally rooted artist teams with a music business. In addition to receiving a cash award, grantees will have access to mentorship resources offered by Zoo Labs: LEARN, including on-demand artist-tailored entrepreneurial courses and a curated pairing with a business mentor.

The fifteen business recipients and the Bay Area counties they represent are:

$50,000
Audiopharmacy (Alameda):
To support the expansion of music and community arts programming at BAMBU Pharm, including a full-service recording studio, creative media lab, and affordable space rentals.

$25,000
House of Gongs (Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco):
To support the second Uni at Ugat music camp. Funding will support program-related staffing, vendor, equipment, and material costs.
Sticky Thing (Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo):
To support program-related staffing, artist fees, and engineer costs. Funding will also support costs associated with operation and infrastructure needed to grow the business, such as costs related to studio and software fees.
Young Gifted and Black (YG&B) (Alameda):
To support YG&B’s program-related staffing and material costs, including technology to facilitate rehearsals, workshops, and the expansion of the online curriculum.

$15,000
DíaPaSón (Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco):
To support the recording, publishing, and distribution of music that DíaPaSón has assembled over several years.
Legacy Symphony Orchestra (Alameda):
To support Legacy Symphony Orchestra’s musician and administrative costs related to promotion, content creation, and videography.
Live at the Lotuship (Alameda, San Francisco):
To support program-related costs associated with monthly performances, including but not limited to equipment upgrades, space rental, marketing, and staff costs.
Palestinian Youth Ensemble (PYE) (Alameda):
To support costs related to the production of PYE’s debut album, specifically costs associated with space and instrument rental, merchandise, and photography.
The Shadow Band (Alameda, Contra Costa):
To support costs associated with vinyl pressing, developing CDs, and independent music publishing. Funding will also support outreach and marketing efforts.

$5,000
First Wav Preservation Society (Alameda):
To support equipment costs and program-related production fees. Funding will also support costs associated with marketing, such as web design, photography, and social media ads.
Her DJ Club (San Francisco, San Mateo):
To support programming, materials, and equipment costs. Funding will also support event production and space-related costs.
Higate Media (Alameda, San Francisco, San Mateo):
To support the creation of music videos, photography, and live events. Funding will also support costs associated with staffing, equipment, merchandise, and outreach.
Lovey and Zen Rocker/Jupiter's Moon (Alameda):
To support production costs for "Jupiter's Moon", including but not limited to fees related to mixing/mastering services, beat production, music videos, photoshoots, vocal training, merchandise, and marketing.
Syrn Multiverse Media (Solano):
To support the development and rollout of SYRN I, cover artist fees, and visual production costs.
Zero charisma x psychics agree (Alameda, San Francisco):
To support costs associated with hiring independent engineers, space rental, and marketing.