The League of American Orchestras has received a $2.1 million leadership gift from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to continue work through the League’s Catalyst Fund, a grantmaking program designed to develop and strengthen equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) practices in American orchestras. The new grant follows an initial gift of $2.1 million that the League received from the Mellon Foundation in 2019 to fund a three-year pilot program that provided grants to 49 orchestras. The new Catalyst Fund Incubator program, modeled after incubators in the technology sector, will provide 20 orchestras with: three years of support totaling $75,000, enabling them to work with an EDI consultant to conduct activities that assist the orchestra in achieving a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive organizational culture; a peer learning community that includes online and in-person discussion forums, and convenes formally two times per year; a sequenced curriculum to support orchestras in building capacity to create and sustain an organizational culture that facilitates inclusivity; and mentorship and guidance from faculty and guests, League staff, and EDI experts.
League member orchestras meeting the eligibility requirements have until October 22, 2021 to apply for The Catalyst Fund Incubator program. Grants will be announced in December 2021. Learn more and apply at americanorchestras.org/learn/grant-programs/the-catalyst-fund-incubator/.
