The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), through its Cultural and Creative Industries Innovation Fund (CIIF), has announced the launch of the Caribbean Stock Photography: Digital Business Solution Grant Call. This initiative, explains a CDB release, aims to provide up to USD 100,000 in funding to support the development of a digital platform dedicated to Caribbean stock visual content.
The primary objectives of the grant are to centralise Caribbean visual resources, enhance the commercial viability of the region’s visual arts, improve multimedia archiving, and strengthen the overall competitiveness of the Caribbean’s visual arts and audio-visual subsectors. Additionally, the Bank states that the grant seeks to serve as a launchpad for attracting future investments and ensuring the sustainability of operations within these industries.
Ms. Lisa Harding, Head of the Private Sector Division (Ag) at CDB, emphasized the importance of innovative proposals, remarking, “We’re looking for bold and innovative proposals that leverage technology to enhance access, efficiency, and sustainability in Caribbean stock photography and by extension the Creative sector.”
“By providing financial and technical support, we are empowering visionaries to create solutions that not only showcase the Region’s diversity and talent but also contribute to its economic growth,” she continued.
Eligibility for the grant is open to citizens of Dominica–as part of CDB’s 19 Borrowing Member Countries–aged 18 and older. Applicants must operate a formally registered business and have a minimum of five years’ experience in software development, including the design and development of digital e-commerce platforms.
Applications for the Caribbean Stock Photography: Digital Business Solution Grant Call close on May 30, 2025, at 11:59 PM AST.
Interested parties can find more information about CIIF and the current call for proposals on the CDB website at https://www.caribank.org/ciif. Submissions are to be made via the Bank’s online portal at https://cdb.submittable.com/submit.
Furthermore, a webinar has been scheduled for May 16, 2025, at 10:30 AM AST to assist potential applicants in understanding the application process. Interested individuals can register for the webinar at https://bit.ly/4jULeaI.
This grant is part of CIIF’s Enabling Environment Grant Stream, which aims to foster innovation, collaboration, and sustainability within the Caribbean’s cultural and creative industries.
Established in 2017 with an initial capitalization of USD 2.6 million, CIIF is a multi-donor fund managed by CDB. Its overarching goal is to enable the Caribbean’s cultural and creative industries to compete effectively on a global stage, says the CDB release.
For further information, interviews, or additional materials, please contact Cassie Ann James at 246-262-3982 or [email protected].