Open For Business Program
The Open For Business Program, in partnership with SFMade, offers Bay Area BIPOC makers and entrepreneurs the opportunity to scale their business, develop industrial art skills, and build relationships within the local maker and manufacturing communities.
This Crucible x SFMade pilot partnership program is made possible by a $275,000 grant from Wells Fargo Open for Business Fund. Applications for our Spring 2022 cohort are open now through May 15.
Open For Business Applications Are Now Open!
Spring Cohort Dates: June 2022-September 2022
Spring Cohort Application Deadline: Sunday, May 15, 2022
You could be a good fit if:
- You live in San Francisco, Oakland, or surrounding areas in Alameda County
- You identify as Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color
- You are an entrepreneur who has an interest in either launching a business selling physical artisanal products or extending your brand offering
Through the program, The Crucible and SFMade offer free:
- Skill-building through the use of The Crucible studios and access to facility and materials
- Business Readiness through website and business license advising
- Pathways to capital
- 3 to 4 month mentorship program including weekly classes and one-on-one education
Meet Our 2022 Winter Cohort
Amy Alaman
Mixed Media, Jewelry, & Textiles
“The Open For Business Program has been incredible. The business support plus industrial arts learning is perfect for any maker who wants to level up. This program has been tailored to what I need and I’m walking away with a new set of skills specific to my products, business, and goals.”
– Amy Alaman
2022 Winter Cohort
Brandyn Willridge
Metal & Wood
Cori Pillows
Wood & Textiles
Komoia Johnson, Ph.D.
Paper, Glass, & Textiles
Meet our program partners, SFMade
SFMade is a nonprofit based in San Francisco dedicated to creating pathways to economic prosperity for diverse, low-income residents of the San Francisco Bay Area through business ownership and employment in local manufacturing. Since its inception in 2010, SFMade has become an internationally recognized and emulated model for manufacturing-based economic development.