First Peoples Fund — Artist in Business Leadership (ABL) Fellowship
First Peoples Fund
$10,000
Native artists building businesses
The Artist in Business Leadership (ABL) Fellowship is a yearlong program from First Peoples Fund that helps independent Native artists use their art-making to build or grow a business that supports themselves and their families. Each accepted fellow receives a $10,000 grant to put toward business needs — professional consultations, website development, equipment, product development, coursework, studio rental, and market attendance — alongside professional development guidance, network-building, and a mandatory annual multi-day fellowship convening. It is a self-directed fellowship open to artists at all career stages and all art mediums except live performing arts (which apply to the separate Native Performing Arts Fellowship). Applicants must be enrolled tribal members or provide proof of lineal descent (federally or state-recognized tribes, Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian), be at least 18, U.S.-based, and not enrolled in a degree-granting academic program. The 2026 cohort (12 fellows) has been selected and that cycle is closed; the program recurs annually with applications typically opening in summer.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- Foundation
- Amount range
- $10,000 – $10,000
- Realistic amount
- Each selected fellow receives the full $10,000 grant; the amount is fixed, not tiered.
- Deadline
- Annual cycle — the 2027 Artist in Business Leadership cohort application is open, opening in early June 2026 and closing in mid-July 2026 (the 2026 cycle ran ~June 9 – July 16, 2025).
- Status
- active
- States
- Nationwide
- Payment model
- lump-sum
Who qualifies
- Enrolled tribal member OR proof of lineal descent from a federally or state-recognized tribe, Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian
- At least 18 years old and U.S.-based
- Independent Native artist using art-making to build or grow a business
- All art mediums eligible EXCEPT live performing arts (those apply to the Native Performing Arts Fellowship)
- Not enrolled in a degree-granting academic program
- Willing to attend the required annual multi-day fellowship convening
Hard requirements
- Reserved for minority owned businesses
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Professional consultations
- Website development
- Equipment purchases
- Product development
- Coursework / professional development
- Studio rental
- Market / art-fair attendance
Ineligible expenses
- Live performing arts projects (covered by a separate fellowship)
- Personal expenses unrelated to the arts business
- Tuition for a degree-granting academic program
How to apply
-
1
Confirm eligibility and prepare materials
Verify enrollment / lineal-descent eligibility and prepare your artist and business background, a plan for using the $10,000, and any work samples.
~5 hrs
-
2
Apply through Submittable when the cycle opens
Submit the ABL application online via First Peoples Fund's Submittable portal before the deadline (email/postal submissions are not accepted).
~5 hrs
-
3
Selection and notification
First Peoples Fund reviews applications and selects the cohort (~12 fellows). Selected fellows are notified and onboarded into the yearlong program.
~1 hrs
-
4
Fellowship year and convening
Use the grant on proposed business activities, engage professional development and networking, and attend the required multi-day annual convening.
~2 hrs
This is a business fellowship wearing an artist's clothes — applications that articulate a concrete plan to grow an arts-based business (and a specific use for the $10,000) read far stronger than those framed purely as creative-project funding. All mediums except live performing arts qualify, so visual artists, makers, and craft-based entrepreneurs are squarely in scope.
Deadline & timing
Recurring yearly fellowship administered via Submittable. The 2026 cohort (12 fellows) was selected and that cycle closed; the 2027 ABL cycle opens in early June 2026 and closes mid-July 2026 and is open/imminent as of 2026-06-19. Confirm the live 2027 ABL form on First Peoples Fund's Submittable portal before applying.
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Last reviewed 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.