Craft Emergency Relief Fund

The Craft Emergency Relief Fund is a national nonprofit organization that awards small grants and loans to professional craftspeople experiencing career-threatening illness, accident, fire, theft, or natural disaster. Financial assistance ranges from $500 to $8,000. Other services include referrals to craft suppliers who have agreed to offer discounts on materials and equipment to craftspeople eligible for CERF funds and booth fee waivers from specific craft show producers. CERF loan recipients are expected to repay the loan in full within five years, enabling CERF to have funds readily available for future craftspeople in need. Applicants must be a professional artist working in a craft discipline (e.g., a potter, metalsmith, glass artist, woodworker, fiber artist, or furniture maker) who has had a recent career-threatening emergency and is a legal resident of the U.S. For complete program guidelines and application instructions, see the CERF website.