With a mission to promote, preserve, perpetuate and encourage the music, arts, culture and heritage of communities in Louisiana through its undertakings, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation is known for its dedication to the arts in the city. The Foundation has announced the launch of a new program, the Catapult Fund, designed to provide education and access to funding for the state’s creatives and entrepreneurs in the arts.
The program is currently seeking applications from eligible businesses whose main area of focus is in one or more of the following: dance, theater, music, film, visual art, digital media, design, culinary arts, literary or fashion. Applicants from arts- and culture-based businesses are expected to include why the business fills a void in the cultural economy of New Orleans and show why the entrepreneurs need the training and access to funding.
“The Jazz & Heritage Foundation has over the years provided millions of dollars in grant funding to nonprofits and education programs through our Community Partnership Grants,” said Executive Director Don Marshall. “With the explosion of entrepreneurship in our region, we also want to support those businesses working in the arts that are contributing to the development of a sustainable cultural industry.
“The Catapult fund is an example of how we’re continuing to find ways to support our community with innovative new programs.”
Nine to 12 applicants will be accepted into the inaugural program, called the “Catapult Boot Camp,” which will take place over eight weeks. The program’s business development training will include instruction in credit, budgeting, marketing, social media, financing, accounting, bookkeeping, networking, insurance and more.
During the program, companies will produce business plans that will then be reviewed by the fund. Following the completed program, the top business plans will be taken into considerations for the total of $50,000 in grants up for grabs.
The deadline to apply is Tuesday, July 15, 2014. For more information and the full list of eligibility requirements, click here.