BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has announced a significant funding initiative of US$190,000 through its Cultural and Creative Industries Innovation Fund (CIIF) to support regional events and conferences. This strategic investment aims to enhance the growth and global competitiveness of the Caribbean’s cultural and creative sectors.
Established in 2017, the CIIF program focuses on fostering innovation, collaboration, and sustainability within the creative industries across CDB’s 19 borrowing member countries. The current grant call targets events scheduled between March 1, 2026, and February 28, 2027, that address critical development priorities for the region’s creative economy.
Eligible activities must concentrate on policy dialogue facilitation, capacity building for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), sector data enhancement, market intelligence development, trade promotion, and cultural heritage preservation. The bank will award six grants ranging from US$20,000 to US$50,000 to qualified applicants.
CIIF Coordinator Malene Joseph emphasized the initiative’s significance: ‘This grant call supports home-grown activities that unlock pathways for creative Caribbean talent and businesses. Beyond facilitating policy dialogue and building data-driven insights, CIIF enables creative MSMEs through targeted financial support.’
Application eligibility requires formal registration as business support organizations, non-governmental organizations, universities, community-based organizations, or government agencies serving the creative sector. Applicants must demonstrate at least three years of experience in hosting industry events and provide co-financing covering minimum 10% of the total project budget. The submission deadline is January 31 of the upcoming year.