The Safety Net Fund was founded in March 2020 by a group of Bay Area friends who saw the urgent need to support local artist in the wake of society shutting down overnight. The initiative offered grants of $500, with no expectation of repayment, to help provide direct monetary support through the very early days of the pandemic. Over $670,000 was raised and over 1,200 grants were distributed.
The fund prioritized artists that typically make their living offline at events & retail establishments that have been cancelled or closed due to coronavirus. This includes performing artists, musicians, visual artists, event producers, and other types of creators.
