BRIC Animation Co-op Grant

The BRIC Animation Co-op Grant is a $5,000 funding initiative offered by the BRIC Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to promoting equity and inclusion in creative industries. This grant aims to support independent creators in forming animation worker cooperatives that emphasize inclusive storytelling. Inspired by the 2025 BRIC Summit, the foundation is channeling resources into the cooperative model to help creators build equitable, sustainable businesses that align with their shared values and vision. This grant is designed to help emerging animation co-ops comprising three or more individuals, all over the age of 18, who are passionate about telling inclusive stories through animation. The BRIC Foundation places a particular emphasis on co-ops that align with the United States Federation of Worker Cooperatives' definition of a Worker Co-op Start-up. While not mandatory, BRIC encourages applicants to register with the USFWC to strengthen their foundation. A key eligibility update requires that at least 50 percent of the co-op’s members, or two out of three if applicable, must be residents of California and authorized to work in the United States. Additionally, the co-op itself must be officially registered in California. Applications must be submitted electronically in a single PDF file to programs@bricfoundation.org. The final submission deadline is June 2, 2025, at 11:59 PM PST. Proposals must include an organizational overview, detailed member qualifications, a one-page animated project description (logline, summary, characters, themes, and mood board), and a detailed budget, including any other financial resources or support available to the team. These components will allow reviewers to assess the viability and potential impact of the project. The selection process involves evaluation against key criteria: alignment with BRIC's mission and inclusion goals, demonstrated experience and qualifications of the team, and cost-effectiveness. All submitted material must be the original intellectual property of the applicant co-op. The BRIC Foundation emphasizes confidentiality and does not release application details without consent. However, it does not sign individual confidentiality agreements. Applicants are warned that any use of generative AI tools like ChatGPT or MidJourney, or the inclusion of plagiarized content, will lead to automatic disqualification or revocation of the award. Only original, human-created content will be considered. Participants are encouraged to include an optional disclaimer marking their proposals as confidential, although this does not constitute a legal agreement. For further questions or to submit proposals, applicants should contact BRIC via email at programs@bricfoundation.org. The BRIC Foundation looks forward to supporting innovative and inclusive animated storytelling through the co-op model.