MISSION & GOALS: The purpose of our ‘Resident Creator’ program, i.e. ‘The Platform’, is to offer a safe, inclusive, and resource-rich environment for emerging creators to experiment with new ideas, foster relationships, and build equity, while contributing to the overall health and resilience of our community. The main goals of our ‘Resident Creator’ membership program are threefold: 

• To support the growth and development of a new generation of creators by providing access to the space, tools, resources, social networks, and mentorship needed to manifest their dreams and build self-sufficiency. 
• To generate a renewable source of revenue to sustain the Urban Creators & Life Do Grow farm through the generation of membership dues. 
• To deepen our impact without having to stretch our capacity or ‘scale’ our organization. 
• By cultivating a collaborative and interdependent ecosystem of creators, the success of each member is amplified by the success of the collective. In other words, the more successful any of us are in building self-reliance, the more successful we all are in building collective sovereignty. 

WHO WE SERVE: Types of ‘Resident Creator’ Members: Our ‘Resident Creator’ membership is open to individuals or groups whose mission aligns with our core values, whose work relates to one or more of our 6 Pillars of Sovereignty, and who are in search of collaborative resources to amplify their cause. Members may include:

• Growers searching for the space and resources to grow their own food and medicine
• Artists searching for the space, tools, and platform to create and showcase their work
• Educators searching for a dynamic venue to facilitate educational programming
• Organizers searching for a safe-space to mobilize their communities around social and environmental causes and campaigns
• Healers searching for a space to practice holistic healing modalities and offer their services to clients and community members
• Social Entrepreneurs searching for a resource rich environment to pilot small businesses

HOW WE SERVE: Value and Offerings of ‘The Platform’: The Urban Creators is a ‘Platform’ for collaboration and ingenuity, and by offering memberships to ‘Resident Creators’, we are able to support their growth and development through a combination of offerings including access to: 

• Mentorship and Business Development Support
• Fresh Produce
• Co-working/Co-creation space at Life Do Grow farm
• Vending opportunities
• Free entry into Urban Creators events and programs
• Shared use of Urban Creators physical tools and digital assets
• Collaborative promotion opportunities
• Contract opportunities
• In some cases, financial support and micro-grants

In this way, we can invest in a new generation of Creators as they manifest their own dreams and contribute to the overall health, equity, and resilience of our community.