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Grant Recipients
The mission of CREATE ACTION is to amplify the efforts of local organizations through funding, storytelling, and collaboration with Sony
The mission of CREATE ACTION is to amplify the efforts of local organizations through funding, storytelling, and collaboration with Sony
The Roots Initiative
Chicago, IL

The Chicago-based organization aims to to activate Black youth as the architects and leaders of transformative civic and social change in their communities and beyond.

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CLICK HERE to visit The Roots Initiative online.
The Creative Cornerstone
Charlotte, NC

The Creative Cornerstone provides disadvantaged youth with media production skills to enhance their abilities, increase their critical thinking and provide them with an opportunity to an innovative career path.

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CLICK HERE to visit The Creative Cornerstone online.
The Swell Collective
San Luis Rey, CA

The Swell Collective was conceived in 2013 as a way to amplify positive sum practice in response. By investing care, peer support and capacity building resources into communities, The Swell Collective aims to accelerate our emergence into a positive-sum future.

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CLICK HERE to visit The Swell Collective online.
Witness Change
Atlanta, GA

Witness Change exists to end human rights violations for marginalized communities through visual storytelling. Their work uses visual storytelling to support excluded people reclaim their narrative and improve their lives.

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CLICK HERE to visit Witness Change online.
Boyle Heights Arts Conservatory
Los Angeles, CA

Boyle Heights Arts Conservatory supports and advocates for developing an intentional framework toward diversity in the creative arts, media and technology fields – and one that is socially and economically inclusive and accurately reflects Los Angeles County regarding ethnicity, gender and age. Their work strives to dismantle the many barriers to equal opportunities in the arts and creative industries so those interested in pursuing such careers can truly grow and thrive.

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CLICK HERE to visit Boyle Heights Arts Conservatory online.
Territory NFP
Chicago, IL

Territory NFP is a Chicago-based nonprofit and a place-based urban design studio where young people are building better futures for themselves and their communities through the practice of design.

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CLICK HERE to visit Territory NFP online.
Philadelphia Robotics Coalition
Philadelphia, PA

Philadelphia Robotics Coalition addresses disparities in STEM education by providing after-school robotics programming at under-resourced city schools.

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CLICK HERE to visit Philadelphia Robotics Coalition online.
Black Girls Film Camp

The nonprofit creates a space for Black girls to learn, collaborate, embrace their most authentic selves, construct their own narratives centering on Black girlhood and share their stories through film.

LEARN MORE
CLICK HERE to visit Black Girls Film Camp online.
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Wai’anae Economic Development Council
Hawaii

The Hawaii-based nonprofit’s work increases opportunities for Native Hawaiians and Wai’anae Coast residents by developing the community’s rich natural, cultural and human resources.

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CLICK HERE to visit Wai’anae Economic Development Council online.
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Global Girl Media
Los Angeles, CA

Global Girl Media develops the voice and media literacy of teenage girls and young women in underserved communities by teaching them to create and share digital journalism designed to improve scholastic achievement, ignite community activism and spark social change.

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"We change the storytellers so they can change the world."
CLICK HERE to visit Global Girl Media online.
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Empowr
Atlanta, GA

Empowr works to uplift the Black community by creating the school-to-career pipeline. To combat racial wealth gaps and systems of inequality, Empowr’s comprehensive program teaches high-paying and in-demand skills to students to create a prosperous and equitable future. The organization creates culturally relevant curricula and works with partners to ensure all of their students obtain jobs upon graduation.

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"Our mission is to be the vanguard for communities by empowering one another with knowledge, resources, and opportunity."
CLICK HERE to visit Empowr online.
See Stories
Alaska

See Stories’ mission is to build inclusive communities with film and story. The organization works to ensure that diverse Alaskans and youth are given the media skills to craft stories that better represent the Alaska they know. See Stories leads documentary film and podcast workshops for teens, empower teachers to lead multimedia projects in their classrooms and share student-produced media with the public to foster a more inclusive Alaskan story and community.

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"We lead youth documentary film workshops. We create films that build an inclusive community story. We inspire."
CLICK HERE to visit See Stories online.
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The Brown House Experience
Chicago, IL

The Chicago-based nonprofit’s mission is to promote the positive development of at-risk youth by providing unique opportunities to enhance their academic, social and emotional intelligence through hands-on exposure to the arts, STEM, Trades and mental health. The Brown House Experience offers both in-person and virtual programs for youth. Their virtual programs have reached youth all over the Chicagoland area, Las Vegas and Texas. They currently provide mentoring, after-school programming, trade skills, STEM lessons, art workshops, mental health workshops, behavior management workshops, community events, restorative justice, field trips and interactive mobile stations.

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"The mission of the Brown House Experience is to promote the positive development of at-risk youth by providing unique opportunities to enhance their academic, social and emotional intelligence through hands-on exposure to the arts, STEM, culture, the trades, entrepreneurship, mental health, fitness and conflict resolution."
CLICK HERE to visit The Brown House Experience online.
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The Precision Institute
Wilmington, DE

Located in Phoenix, AZ; Wilmington, DE and Nashville, TN, The Precision Institute works with under/unemployed neurodiverse adults, ages 18+ years, with a HS diploma or GED, who are impacted by autism and other developmental disabilities overcome barriers to employment. They partner with local nonprofits, government agencies and employers to assist in the support and fulfillment of their mission. 

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"The Precision Institute looks 'beyond the disability,' offering multi-week Workforce Development programs at no cost to the candidate. They assess and develop each candidate’s skills and abilities to empower their employment in IT and business services positions in order to change their lives."
CLICK HERE to visit The Precision Institute online.
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Big Picture Alliance
Philadelphia, PA

Big Picture Alliance’s mission is to empower Philadelphia youth to define their own narrative through filmmaking and digital media by providing them with transformative learning experiences to have their voices heard and reach their full potential. They offer a pathway of school, summer and workforce programs that provide youth with the tools they need to tell their own stories and the skills they need to succeed in school, life and career. Through partnerships with schools, industry and cultural institutions, Big Picture Alliance brings project-based programs into classrooms and communities across Philadelphia. 

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"Big Picture Alliance empowers youth to define their own narrative through filmmaking and digital media. Our pathway of digital media programs, independent filmmaking, and industry apprenticeships provide youth ages 12-21 the tools to represent themselves and the skills to succeed in school, life and career. We aim to uplift and amplify underrepresented voices and build an inclusive creative community that plays a vital role in Philadelphia and beyond."
CLICK HERE to visit Big Picture Alliance online.
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Pockets Change
Brooklyn, NY

Pockets Change's mission is to build intergenerational financial resilience with students, families and educators. Their belief is that financial education is about much more than numbers, it’s a means for self-care and social justice. Through hip hop pedagogy, which focuses on understanding self-identity in relation to the whole, their programs occur in classrooms and communities where learners face individual challenges as well as institutional barriers.

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"Building financial resilience through Hip Hop pedagogy. Financial education is more than numbers, it’s a tool for self-care and social justice. It all starts with talking about money together. As teachers, finance professionals, and community builders, we’re passionate about cultivating financial resilience for all ages."
Pockets Change
CLICK HERE to visit Pockets Change online.
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Heart and Soul Design Center
Los Angeles, CA

Heart and Soul Design Center (HAS Center) is a 501(c) 3 youth and community based organization designed to be a pillar in the community for resources, programs, and training. Our Mission is to use multimedia and other programming to create a platform to promote education, training, exposure, social advancements, and opportunities.  We offer these services with the intention of providing job skills, life-long learning skills, and an overall support network to increase self-confidence.  

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"Heart and Soul Center’s objective is to provide underserved communities with affordable quality production services, create employment opportunities and introduce them to the world of innovative digital technology."
Heart and Soul Design Center
CLICK HERE to visit Heart and Soul Design Center online.
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Josephine Herrick Project
New York, NY

Making photographs transforms people’s lives. For eight decades, the Josephine Herrick Project (JHP) has done just that. We teach photography to and exhibit work by people from a broad range of under-resourced communities. Our program participants include children in culturally diverse and low-income neighborhoods; immigrant and refugee teens; youth and adults with cognitive, emotional, or physical disabilities; military veterans; vulnerable seniors; and people of all ages living in public housing. We show their photography in public spaces and places, including cafes, libraries, galleries, streets, and parks—both in the communities where they live, study, or work and outside their neighborhoods, where they may draw larger, more diverse audiences to their work. 

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"We know that the impact of our work with most of those with whom we work is transformative. Over 2018, Josephine Herrick Project worked with a specialist evaluation consultant to better evaluate that impact. This is still very much a work in progress as is monitoring the impact of our students work on the public who see it."
Josephine Herrick Project
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The Alliance98
Chicago, IL

TA98 is a nonprofit organization that tackles unemployment by providing young adults with meaningful career development. TA98 serves youth of color ages 16-24 who reside in Chicago—with the majority coming from the city’s south, west, and northwest side communities. Through their programs, youth are able to hone in on their interests by creating projects and organizing events that utilize creative skills such as photography, graphic design and digital marketing. They also provide coaching and the safe space necessary for youth to further explore their passions and identities.

LEARN MORE
CLICK HERE to visit The Alliance98 online.
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STEM Greenhouse
Grand Rapids, MI

STEM Greenhouse’s mission is to grow STEM proficiency in vulnerable children to cultivate education and career success. The organization serves K-12 students, in low-income, minority neighborhoods in Grand Rapids, Michigan and targets schools that lack science teachers or adequate support for STEM education in the classroom. The organization offers a number of programs, including its signature afterschool program, STEM Scholars.

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"It’s a metaphor for having a place where children can grow and learn as opposed to a lot of STEM programming that’s like a day of coding or a week-long STEM camp. Vulnerable children, children of color, really require more educational enrichment opportunities over a longer period of time. I wanted relationships that would last several years with these students, and I want them to be successful as they approach college."
Dr. Kelli Christopher
CLICK HERE to visit STEM Greenhouse online.
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New Era Creative Space
Peekskill, NY

By developing and offering creative educational programs that are inclusive and accessible, and that promote excellence and empower youth to strive toward their highest potential, New Era Creative Space is on a mission to nurture the next generation of visionary thinkers. Through collaboration with a multi-disciplinary team of local organizations, artists and families, New Era Creative Space delivers programs that are creative, experiential, promote problem solving skills, social emotional learning and a sense of citizenship.

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"When I get out in the world it's not just about acting it's about how can I be a better human being to somebody else."
Ariana
CLICK HERE to visit New Era Creative Space online.
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The Firehouse Dream
Maywood, IL

The Firehouse Dream provides mentoring in film, photography, social media strategy and brand identity, along with financial wellness workshops and resume and narrative writing within communities that identify as BIPOC located in the Proviso District and Chicago. These mentorships aim to teach the next generation of creatives who have experienced disinvestment to challenge the starving artist narrative and help them know that the industry is thriving yet significantly underrepresented.

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"Just being around so many other people who had so much passion, motivation for what they love to do really just inspired me to do the same."
Amie
CLICK HERE to visit The Firehouse Dream online.
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Totem Star
Seattle, WA

Totem Star has become a place for those artists to build life skills in critical thinking through their creative pursuits in music production and performance, communication and collaboration. This creates an environment for young recording artists to thrive in a community that is inclusive and encourages them to learn about music production and performance. The Totem Star Studio program empowers artists to compose and record original songs. The Stage program gives artists an opportunity to perform at open mics that they plan, promote and produce. The Story program is a unique monthly program where youth can attend panels and connect with culturally relevant guest artists and other industry professionals.

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"Our voices have power and we have seen proof of this through our art and social media presence. We are the target because we are the future. Mobilizing can be done in more ways than before and the youth are the ones who are finding new ways. We have to be there and show up."
Amina
CLICK HERE to visit Totem Star online.
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Reading Quest
Sante Fe, NM

Reading Quest's mission is to offer children who are significantly below grade level in reading in the Santa Fe community the opportunity to substantially improve their ability and confidence. Reading Quest does this by providing individual and group tutoring services that are tailored to give the children the best chance to build confidence in themselves socially and academically. 

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"Reading Quest changed my life by getting me in a state of mind that nothing's impossible, ever impossible; they give you that courage and they unlock something that you never knew you had."
Braulio
CLICK HERE to visit Reading Quest online.
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Youth Beat
Oakland, CA

What started as a small after-school program serving 50 students has grown to provide students opportunities far beyond the initial offerings. The programs that Youth Beats offer include animation, film and television training, all taught by accomplished industry professionals. There are also summer programs, giving students yet further opportunity to learn and grow.

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"Youth Beat is training the future creators, creators that we need in the entertainment and media industry. We're providing a career pipeline for Oakland youth to express themselves and gain employable skills that allow them to reach for their dreams and succeed."
Jake Schoneker
CLICK HERE to visit Youth Beat online.
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About CREATE ACTION
The mission of CREATE ACTION is to amplify the efforts of local organizations through funding, storytelling, and collaboration with Sony. Selected organizations will receive direct funding, Sony Electronics products and a custom-created promotional film, as well as many other opportunities for collaboration, partnership and marketing support. CREATE ACTION is seeking grant applicants committed to serving their local communities in areas such as STEAM/academic enrichment, workforce development, and non-profit services for underserved and under-represented groups.
LEARN MORE & APPLY