The Brooklyn Children’s Museum received a $100,000 grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation to expand its Culinary Residency & Incubator Support Program (CRISP).
Launched as a pilot in 2022, the culinary residency was created in response to the economic challenges faced by small food vendors following the COVID-19 pandemic. CRISP will transform the museum’s pop-up café into a space for local food entrepreneurs to showcase their talent, connect with new audiences and strengthen their business models.
“We’re incredibly grateful to Wells Fargo for generously supporting our Culinary Residency Incubator Support Program and for believing in our vision for BCM as a cultural and economic hub for Brooklyn families," said Atiba T. Edwards, president and chief executive officer of Brooklyn Children’s Museum.
The grant will cover program fees for resident vendors, fund new kitchen equipment and visual upgrades to the café and support the hiring of a program administrator and outreach coordinator dedicated to engaging small businesses in Flatbush and Central Brooklyn.
The funding will also allow BCM to host community workshops led by resident chefs, deepening their relationships with local families.
Through CRISP, BCM expects participating businesses to reach between 15,000 and 20,000 visitors each month, up to 80,000 over the course of a residency while continuing to position the museum as both a cultural and economic hub for Brooklyn.
