Tufts Producthon 48hr Competition · 2026
Simplifying grant discovery for artists
ROLE
Product designer
TIMELINE
Feb, 6, 2026 - Feb, 8, 2026
TEAM
2 Designers
Debbie Kim
Cindy Yoon
SKILLS
UIUX Design
Branding
We designed GrantMuse to make grant discovery and applications more accessible for artists, using smart matching, clear eligibility guidance, and flexible income-reporting tools. Our project won First Place at the Tufts Producthon Competition.
HIGH-FIDELITY DESIGN
From finding the right grant to submitting with confidence.
01.
Personalized onboarding
02.
Grant discovery and guided applications
03.
Saved grants and artist profile
DESIGN GUIDLINE
Designed to feel credible, accessible, and supportive.
Components
Simple, consistent components keep key actions clear throughout the application process.
Color
A fresh green accent highlights opportunities and progress while neutrals keep information approachable.
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Logo
The dollar sign and brush combine funding and creativity into a simple mark
Fonts
Clear typography creates hierarchy while keeping information-heavy grant content easy to scan.
Heading
Sub-heading
Body
CHALLENGE
Existing grant platforms prioritize information over guidance.
We reviewed existing grant platforms to understand where artists encounter friction, from discovering relevant opportunities to understanding eligibility and completing applications.
Emerging artists face barriers beyond grant discovery.
Research reinforced that financial instability, limited awareness, and income requirements can make traditional funding systems especially difficult for emerging artists.
01.
Irregular Income
70%
(Study from the National Endowment for the Arts)
02.
Limited Awareness
(Survey from Americans for the Arts )
25%
03.
Financial Barriers
57%
(2025 National Survey)
USER RESEARCH
Grant applications weren’t built for how artists actually work.
"I want to apply, but I’m never sure if my income actually fits what they’re asking for."
We surveyed 30 emerging artists at SMFA (School of the Museum of Fine Arts) to understand their experience with grants. 77% reported irregular income, while many struggled with confusing language and rigid financial requirements.
FROM PROBLEM TO PRODUCT
Grant opportunities exist. Access is the problem.
Artists often face confusing requirements, fragmented resources, and application processes that assume stable income, creating unnecessary barriers to funding.
Designing around three core needs.
01.
Smart matching
Surface grants based on each artist’s background, practice, and eligibility.
02.
Step-by-step guidance
Break complex applications into clear, manageable steps.
03.
Artist-Centered Support
Design around the financial realities and needs of emerging artists.
Wireframe
Competitor Analysis
Current funding platforms weren’t built for independent artists. They help users search or submit, but don’t guide the full process. By simplifying eligibility, handling irregular income, and providing step-by-step support, GrantMuse makes funding clear, accessible, and attainable.
REFLECTION
What I learned
Clarity and trust in UI designs.
GrantMuse was a project that challenged us to design beyond aesthetics and focus on real structural barriers artists face.
Through research, we realized the biggest issue wasn’t a lack of funding opportunities, but how inaccessible grants are due to confusing eligibility requirements and financial reporting systems that don’t reflect irregular artist income.
DESIGNED AND CODED BY BONA
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