Canvas Home Small Grants Application 2026

Canvas Home Small Grants Guidelines and Application

DEADLINE August 17, 2026, at 11:59pm EST!

HANDMADE to MARKET (HtoM) is a division of Creative Learning, a 501(c)(3) organization based in Washington, D.C. HtoM equips artisan businesses with the knowledge, resources, and community they need to sustainably thrive in today’s global market. We offer access to new markets, business training, eco-effective processes, and design innovation through a network of partners to promote sustainable growth and community well-being.

These grants are designed to permit craft-producing groups to procure materials, tools, equipment, training, or marketing services in order for them to expand employment and generate additional income. Grants are a maximun of $1,500.

A. Type of Grants

The Canvas Home Small Grants can be used for ONE of two types of grants:

Materials, Tools, Equipment, and Instruction: This category of grant includes requests for raw materials and specific tools or equipment for craft production, as well as funding to start a raw materials or tools bank, for example. These funds could also support specific technical assistance for the artisans, such as costs associated with a trainer to provide training workshops on product design, technical assistance, marketing, and business management skills. Funds can also be used to support the purchase of digital cameras, internet costs, website creation or the establishment of a centralized workshop where artisans might work.
Marketing Support: This category of grant is most suitable for artisan groups that have established production systems and sales, and seek to grow the group/business further through new products and/or markets. These funds could help offset the cost of craft fair stands, display shelving, and marketing materials such as brochures and catalogs.

B. Eligibility

Artisans: Our policy is to assist established groups of craft producers, such as artisan cooperatives, small businesses, and/or community-based organizations, with a primary focus on crafts located in developing countries of the world.
Products: Crafts must have artistic and functional elements, be handmade and culturally significant. Photos of the craft products are required. See the “Canvas Home Small Grants FAQ” for additional instructions regarding which photos to include.
Recommendation: All applications must include a signed and dated letter of recommendation from an organization that can provide a credible third-party recommendation of the applicant's work and capacity. Recommendation letters should come from organizations that have previously funded your organization, partnered with your organization, or otherwise have direct knowledge of your work. This may include organizations familiar to HANDMADE to MARKET through its international network, national organizations that support craft development, or international nonprofit organizations working with the artisan group. Letters from previous Canvas Home Small Grant recipients are not acceptable. Recommendation letters must not be purchased, and recommenders should not charge a fee for providing them. Applications received without a signed and dated recommendation letter will not be considered for funding.
Language & Currency: All applications must be submitted in English and use only USD currency.
Photos: All applications must submit at least 5 recent photos that were taken within the past year.
Follow-up report: By applying for a Canvas Home Small Grant and signing Part 5 - Canvas Home Small Grants Certification Agreement, the artisan group commits to completing a follow-up report to be submitted to HANDMADE to MARKET in a timely manner, approximately six months following the receipt of the grant.
Banking Requirements: Applicants must be able to receive grant funds via an international wire transfer from a U.S. bank. Recipients are responsible for ensuring they have access to a bank account that can receive U.S. dollar (USD) wire transfers and for any fees charged by their financial institution for conversion into local curreny.

C. Priorities for Grant Selection

As the Canvas Home Small Grants project has limited funds to distribute and numerous applications requesting those funds, preference will be given to applications that:

Provide detailed explanations and justifications in their application.
Assist many artisans, rather than a few.
Highlight cultural preservation and environmental sustainability through craft work.
Demonstrate a clear need for support.
Show a clear and concrete plan for using grant funds, including a specific market for finished products.
Provide an opportunity for HtoM to receive ongoing updates about the grant through a well-established group leader or contact, or via a known third party working with the group.
Have not received a Small Grant previously. While previous winners are eligible to apply, preference is given to new awardees.

D. Limitations

Canvas Home Small Grants does NOT support:

Individual artisans or start-up expenses for new craft-producing projects.
Groups in the building trades or those in the production of industrial/household articles that lack sufficient craft (handmade and artistic) characteristics.
Salaries, travel expenses or purchase of vehicles.
Craft production with questionable environmental practices, such as the use of uncertified wood in sensitive ecosystems.
Independent grant-writers who do not work closely in support of the artisan groups on an ongoing basis.
Designers/Exporters who do not directly work with artisans.

E: Application Process

The call for applications will start on July 15, 2026, and will end on August 17, 2026, at 11:59pm EST.
Applicants should complete the entire application in detail.
Applications are reviewed internally by HtoM staff to ensure all requirements have been fulfilled. HtoM does not review the content of the application. Applicants who meet all the requirements are then forwarded to an independent committee for review and final selection.
Applicants will be notified by email of their award (or if they are not selected by the committee). Groups receiving awards will then receive the granted funds following confirmation of bank and other financial information. Applications will be reviewed in August 2026.
We anticipate sending winning emails in September 2026, with payments going out to the winners during the first week of October 2026.

F: How to Apply

Applications must be submitted online using the Canvas Home Small Grants Application Form.
If you are unable to access or complete the online application due to technical difficulties, you may request a PDF version by emailing RachelL@creativelearning.org. Only applicants who have received prior approval to submit their application by PDF and email will be permitted to do so.
Applicants are encouraged to preview the application questions before beginning their submission to help prepare their responses.
Applicants are encouraged to review the Canvas Home Small Grants FAQ for additional guidance on eligibility, required documents, and the application process. FAQ DOCUMENT HERE
Applicants may begin the online application and select "Save" to return and complete it later. To use this feature, you will be prompted to create a free Jotform account. Once your account has been created, you may log in at any time to resume your application.
Applications and all required supporting documents must be submitted no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on August 17, 2026. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.
If you have technical questions or experience issues with the application, please email RachelL@creativelearning.org.

Full Name of Organization Point of Contact

Application Part 1: Summary

Name of organization or business you represent

Is your Organization a women-owned business?

Your position with the organization or business

Website (if applicable)

Facebook (if applicable)

Instagram (if applicable)

Phone Number

Country CodeArea CodePhone Number

E-mail

Address

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip CodeCountry

Type of Grant you are applying for (See Grant Application Guidelines – “Type of Grants” for a description of both grant types available)

Total dollar amount requested (Maximum amount is USD $1,500)

How did you hear about the Canvas Home Small Grants Program?

Have you received a grant from HANDMADE to MARKET in the past?

What year did you receive the award?

What is the mission statement for your organization?

Please list the types of handcrafts produced by your organization.

Date organization was established?

Date

Are you a legally registered organization with your government?

Country of Registration

Please upload your registration documentation

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Registration number

Type of organization:

Total (gross) sales of your group in the last complete financial year (in USD $)

Approximately what percent (%) of your sales goes towards payments to artisans?

How are your activities currently funded? Please list recent financial awards, grants you have received or funding assistance from other organizations?

Please provide the number of artisans you work with below in EACH cell. If there are none (for example you work with no female artisans ages 18-34) put 0.

Rows	Total Artisans	Youth (Age 18-34)
Female Artisans
Male Artisans
Other Gender or Unknown

Application Part 2: Group Description

Please write a brief history of the organization. Please list goals and key achievements in one paragraph or less.

Describe the organizations’ structure – Please include board, staff and volunteer involvement. How are the artisans organized? How do artisans share raw materials and tools? How is income from handicraft sales distributed to the artisans?

Please list the kinds of handicrafts made by the artisans. Where do the artisans make the crafts? Where are the crafts sold?

What raw materials do you use and where do they come from? Does your organization observe environmentally safe practices?

Describe your group and communities’ needs and challenges this grant seeks to address.

What is the expected impact of a small grant on the artisan group and on the community, in maintaining and improving the quality of traditional crafts, on the local environment, etc.? How will the requested budget items improve your organization?

Application Part 3: Budget

Please submit a detailed budget for the grant for which the artisan group is applying, indicating the use of the requested funds expressed in US dollars. Please complete the form below or you may attach your own document based on this format. TOTAL MUST NOT EXCEED US$1500.00.

Budget

Rows	Item Description ex: Sewing Machine	Quantity ex: 2	Unit Cost ex: $350	Extended ex: $700
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
TOTAL BUDGET

Application Part 4: Financial/Bank Information

Grant awards will only be funded through wire transfers; no bank checks or Western Union transfers are permitted. Grant money will be transferred directly into an organization’s bank account provided the following information is available:

Name on Bank Account

Complete name of your bank

Address of your bank

Zip Code of your bank

Corresponding bank name (if applicable)*

The ABA number or SWIFT code of your bank

Account Number

Bank phone number

*This information is required for most international wire transfers. If you do not know the name of the corresponding bank, please ask your bank for this information.

Application Part 5: Canvas Home Small Grants Certification Agreement

IMPORTANT: PLEASE NOTE

THE CERTIFICATION AGREEMENT FORM REQUIRES YOUR INITIALS. PLEASE READ AND INITIAL BELOW.

This certification is required to ensure compliance with applicable U.S. Government laws and regulations regarding terrorism and the financing of terrorism. By signing below, you certify that you have read, understood, and agree to the statements below.

I certify that the organization applying for the Canvas Home Small Grants Project does not support, sponsor, or engage in terrorism or terrorist activities, and is not affiliated with any individual or organization that supports or sponsors terrorism, to the best of my knowledge.

I certify that all grant funds received from Creative Learning Inc. will be used solely for the purposes described in this application and approved by the Canvas Home Small Grants Project.

I certify that, approximately six (6) months after receiving the grant funds, the organization will submit a completed Follow-Up Report to HANDMADE to MARKET, a division of Creative Learning Inc. The report must include:

Copies of receipts documenting purchases made with grant funds, including the vendor and cost of each item; and
Recent photographs demonstrating the use and impact of the grant, such as purchased equipment or materials, artisans using the equipment, new or improved products, or other relevant project activities.

I certify that all information provided in this application is true, complete, and accurate to the best of my knowledge.

Initials

Application Part 6: Attachments

1. Recommendation Letter

All applications must include a signed and dated letter of recommendation from an organization that can provide a credible third-party recommendation of the applicant's work and capacity. Recommendation letters should come from organizations that have previously funded your organization, partnered with your organization, or otherwise have direct knowledge of your work. This may include organizations familiar to HANDMADE to MARKET through its international network, national organizations that support craft development, or international nonprofit organizations working with the artisan group. Letters from previous Canvas Home Small Grant recipients are not acceptable. Recommendation letters must not be purchased, and recommenders should not charge a fee for providing them. Applications received without a signed and dated recommendation letter will not be considered for funding.

The Recommendation Letter should include:

Name and Address of recommending organization
Name of contact
Phone
e-mail address

Note: HANDMADE to MARKET may contact the recommending organization to verify the information provided in the recommendation letter or to request additional information, if needed.

Please upload a letter of recommendation/endorsement organization.

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2. Photographs to Include

Photographs are an essential part of the grant application, as they enable our committee members to better know the artisans requesting support, the crafts they produce as well as the potential benefits a Canvas Home Small Grant may have for the artisan group. Thus, applicants are urged to submit the following photos as part of their application packet:

1 photo of the crafts produced by the artisans the grant would benefit – close-up to show design, detail and handwork is preferred
1 photo of the artisans the grant would benefit
1 photo of the artisans’ current workspace
1 photo of the artisans’ current tools, equipment and/or materials
1-2 additional photos related to the grant request (e.g. the raw materials storage space to be rehabilitated, or old tools to be replaced with grant funds, additional product images as appropriate to illustrate varied skills or needs of the group)

Note: Creative Learning Inc. reserves the right to use photos submitted as part of Canvas Home Small Grants applications in its project information, promotional and fundraising activities if selected as a winner.

Please upload your files here.

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