The League of American Orchestras has awarded grants to 23 U.S. orchestras to help deepen understanding of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), improve practice, and strengthen organizational culture. Ranging from $15,000 to $25,000 each, the one-year grants comprise the first round of The Catalyst Fund, the League’s new three-year, $2.1 million grant-making program made possible by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
The Catalyst Fund grants will enable orchestras to engage EDI practitioners who will help implement a range of organizational development activities involving musicians, staff, board, and, in some cases, volunteers and community leaders. The orchestras receiving this first round of Catalyst Fund grants vary greatly in size and location, mission and communities; all will be part of The Catalyst Fund Learning Cohort, made possible by the generous support of the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation. Embedded into the grants program, this series of in-person and virtual convenings will enable Catalyst Fund recipients to share ideas, perspectives, and challenges, with the aim of achieving field-wide impact. The first cohort meeting, the Catalyst Fund Forum, will take place on June 3 in Nashville, at the League’s National Conference (June 3-5).
For more information and a list of the 2019 Catalyst Fund grant recipients, click here.
Posted May 23, 2019
