Applications are now open for the Kingston Creative x DBJ M5 Grant

 JMD $2 Million Available for Creative Businesses Hit by Hurricane Melissa

Hurricane Melissa hit Jamaica’s creative and cultural sector hard. Damaged studios, cancelled bookings, lost inventory, weeks without income. For many creative entrepreneurs, recovery has meant absorbing losses with no real safety net.

Kingston Creative was selected by the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) to help administer the M5 Business Recovery Grant, a programme funded under BIGEE specifically designed to support disaster-impacted micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Jamaica’s Creative and Cultural Industries, and has now been allowed to widen the application pool beyond businesses in the West. The deadline to apply is Sunday August 30, 2026 at 11:59 pm.

What’s available:

Grants of up to JMD $2,000,000 per eligible business, covering up to 90% of eligible project costs. Applicants are required to demonstrate at least 10% counterpart funding, which can include cash or verified in-kind support, including receipts for emergency repairs already made post-hurricane.

What it can fund:

• Asset Recovery: repair or reinforcement of damaged workshop and studio facilities, equipment replacement, inventory restoration

• Climate Proofing: hurricane shutters, reinforced roofing, flood barriers, elevated electrical equipment, water storage systems

• Business Continuity: cloud backups for creative files and financial records, backup generators, insurance coverage, revenue diversification

Who’s eligible:

Privately owned MSMEs in the Creative and Cultural Industries (visual arts, music, film, fashion, performing arts, craft, digital media, and more), operating and earning income for at least 6 months prior to Hurricane Melissa, with documented direct loss of over 20% revenue, over 10% asset damage, or over 14 days of operational downtime. Note: non-profits, NGOs, and publicly owned entities are not eligible under DBJ’s rules. Unregistered businesses can still apply with a Letter of Support from Kingston Creative.

How to apply:

Applications go through Kingston Creative as the recommending entity. Have your financial records, proof of loss (photos, videos, sales logs), vendor quotes, business registration, two forms of ID, and TRN ready before starting.

For support, please reach out to Bianca Welds at bianca@kingstoncreative.org.

If you are a creative entrepreneur still recovering from Hurricane Melissa, this grant exists for you. Don’t let the deadline pass.