Empowerment for Impact & Growth

Funds must support a new jazz recording project. The project must include the following components:  

• Creation of a jazz recording (at least 20 minutes in length).  
  • the work(s) on the recording must feature improvisation as an integral part of the composition.   
  • be written for 2-10 musicians; the total number of musicians including the performing composer and guest artists must not exceed 10.   
  • be scored for one musician per part.   
  • result in a printed score, lead sheet, or other form of graphic notation or nontraditional documentation.    
• At least 1 public performance in the form of a release concert. 

All projects must be completed and ready for public release by the end of the grant period. 

Example: The ensemble creates a recording of their work and does a concert featuring music from their recorded album. 

• Current CMA grantees are not eligible to apply for 2026 Empowerment for Impact & Growth grants. 
• If awarded a 2026 Empowerment for Impact, & Growth grant, the grantee is ineligible to be considered for any Artistic Projects or New Jazz Works grants until the 2026 Empowerment for Impact, & Growth project is completed and all paperwork has been submitted to CMA.
• Performances must be public, accessible, and inclusive. A public performance is one that takes place in a venue or digital setting open to general audiences, not just invited guests or personal networks. This includes live-streamed concerts, as long as they are publicly viewable. For the purposes of this grant, conferences do not qualify as public events.  
• The award will be used for the new recording and public performance(s) including payment of the ensemble, etc.
• Up to $3,000 of the awarded grant funds can be used towards funding for administrative support activities by the grantee or an associate. Administrative support includes, but is not limited to: 
  • handling coordination (outreach to presenters and venues, reaching out to target communities, arranging for lodging/meals, equipment rental, etc.) 
  • expenses associated with the promotion of the performances, commercial release of a record, copying costs, etc.  
  • payment of an associate or outside party to handle administrative activities, taxes, etc. 
  • general project support such as childcare, audio and/or video personnel, social media managers, engaging a booking agent/manager/publicist, etc. 

Applications are due to Chamber Music America by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on Thursday, February 19, 2026. Award notifications are made in late March.

Grants are $20,000 per grant. The program will fund 100% of eligible expenses. No matching funds are required, but if a project costs more than $20,000 the applicant must describe how they will pay for the additional costs.

All Empowerment for Impact & Growth grant projects must take place between April 1, 2026, and September 30, 2027.  

The parts of the grant project include:  

1. Grant Project for Ensembles: Empowerment for Impact & Growth grant program funded projects to grantees.The grantee is responsible for keeping track of and following any radius clauses required by the venue(s) where they perform
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2. CMA Impact Accelerator: Continuing educational workshops designed for jazz music professionals aiming to bolster their business insight while staying rooted in their creative practice.Participation is not optional, and each grantee ensemble will need to have at least 2 members present for each Impact Accelerator workshop.Through 5 workshops, participants will gain practical tools for management and strategy of their ensembles, as well as new insights into the creative sector.Topics will include strategy, operations, finance & fundraising, marketing/communications, & technology for ensembles.The workshops will take place during the grant period with sessions to be held virtually via Zoom on five Tuesdays between April 2026 and June 2026.
3. Consultations with CMA Staff: Check-ins with CMA staff on ensemble project progress throughout the grant cycle. 

Please Note: Grant funds are taxable income; grantees must comply with all applicable city, state, and federal laws, ordinances, codes, and regulations regarding the reporting of grant funds.  

Chamber Music America gives priority to projects that demonstrate how the applicant will use the grant funding to: 

• Create opportunities for the ensemble to engage with current and new audiences. 
• Work as part of the CMA Impact Accelerator and how they will apply professional development opportunities to their recording project, their creative practice, and the work/careers of their ensemble. 
• Create more access to jazz music.  
• Foster a sense of respect and appreciation for jazz music.  
• Demonstrate how the creation of a new recording will impact the career of the ensemble or especially if this this is the ensemble’s first recording or first recording in over 5 years, and the ensemble has no pending recording releases before September 30, 2027. 

Performances must be public, accessible, and inclusive. A public performance is one that takes place in a venue or digital setting open to general audiences, not just invited guests or personal networks. This includes live-stream concerts, as long as they are publicly viewable.  For the purposes of this grant, conferences do not qualify as public events.   

Ensemble  

• Ensembles consisting of 2-10 musicians (including guest artists) may apply to this program.   
• The ensemble or primary contact for the application must have a current CMA Organization Membership at the time of application. If you currently have a different type of membership, please contact membership@chambermusicamerica.org. 

An ensemble is eligible if:   

• it is a professional composer-led or collective jazz ensemble (student groups are not eligible).   
• it is based in the U.S., its territories or Indian country.   
• the leader is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.   
• it includes improvisation as an integral part of composition and performance.   
• it has no overdue financial or reporting obligations to CMA or for any CMA grants.   

CMA Grantees  

Current grantees are not eligible to apply for 2026 Empowerment for Impact & Growth grants. If awarded a 2026 Empowerment for Impact & Growth grant, the grantee is ineligible to be considered for Artistic Projects or New Jazz Works grants until the 2026 Empowerment for Impact & Growth project is completed and all paperwork has been submitted to CMA.

Past New Jazz Works grantees who have received their grant in the past 5 years (2021-present) are not eligible to apply. Past Performance Plus grantees or Artistic Projects grantees who have received a grant in the previous grant cycle (2025) are not eligible to apply.
 

Eligible expenses: 

• Creation of a recording of substantial length (at least 20 minutes of composed music); this may be one extended work or shorter pieces that together form a larger work.  
  • the work(s) on the recording must feature improvisation as an integral part of the composition.   
  • be written for 2-10 musicians; the total number of musicians including the performing composer and guest artists must not exceed 10.   
  • be scored for one musician per part.   
  • result in a printed score, lead sheet, or other form of graphic notation or nontraditional documentation.    

• Performance fees including a reasonable market amount the ensemble would normally charge to perform. The ensemble will describe this rate in the application.  
• Fees for sound management or tour management 
• Travel (ground/air) 
• Lodging 
• Meals 
• Backline equipment not being provided by a venue or presenter 
• Administrative support for non-personnel, indirect project costs including, but not limited to: 
  • Childcare 
  • Marketing & promotion 
  • Administrative management, etc. 

Eligible Venues 

• Nonprofit and commercial established jazz presenters and clubs 
• Performing arts centers, theaters, and concert halls 
• Universities, colleges, and institutions of higher education 
• Jazz festivals 
• Radio station live segments 
• Community centers 
• Churches, synagogues, mosques and other places of worship 
• Museums, Galleries, and Artist spaces 
• Libraries & Listening Rooms 
• Retail and civic/municipal events and spaces such as town greens, wineries, breweries, municipal festivals 

Ineligible Requests  

• Projects that require a fiscal sponsor.   
• Projects that are previously made recordings. 
• Commissions for new works/compositions 
• Projects requesting funding for:   
  • Capacity building or general operating support, although administrative expenses specific to the project may be included within the project budget.   
  • Private or fundraising events or for arts education.   
  • Fees to student musicians, faculty, or school administrative staff.    
  • Funds for classes or workshops for music students.   
  • Music for dramatic works (staged or un-staged).    
  • Opera or choral works.    
  • Incidental music for other media.  
  • Fees for dancers. An exception would be tap dance, which has strong roots within the jazz tradition and that carries a sonic element that contributes musically to the project. 
  • Collaborative projects involving other artistic disciplines that are not stand-alone works for a concert performance.    
  • Projects requesting funding for:   
    • Activities outside of the grant period 
    • Recordings that are soloistic in nature (such as works for soloists and accompaniment).   
    • Bandleaders who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents 
    • Current grantees or past New Jazz Works grantees who received grants in the past 5 years (2021 and onward) 
    • Past Performance Plus grantees or Artistic Projects grantees who have received a grant in the previous grant cycle (2025) 
    • Collaborative projects involving other artistic disciplines that cannot function independently in a jazz performance.

At the time of application, the applicant must be a current CMA organization-level member. 

A jazz ensemble audio sample is required and must be uploaded to the online application. The following guidelines apply:  

• The sample should be no more than 4 minutes in length  
• The sample must feature works for small jazz ensembles (2-10 musicians)  
• The sample should demonstrate the ensemble’s performance level and must feature either the full ensemble or at least 50% of its musicians  
• Solo works are not recommended; duos must submit a work featuring both partners  
• Accepted file types: .mp3 and .m4a  
• Studio-quality recordings are not necessary, but audio must be clear and recorded within the past five years  
• Excerpts of longer works are acceptable  
• Recordings may come from live concerts, studio or home recordings, CDs, or online releases  

Photo Upload:
Upload 3 photos for use in CMA press release materials in the event that the applicant is awarded & label photos in the following format:  

• 1_ApplicantName_credit_PhotographerName (Please make sure that the photos provided have been cleared for public use by your photographer before submission.)  
• 2_ ApplicantName _credit_PhotographerName (Please make sure that the photos provided have been cleared for public use by your photographer before submission.)  
• 3_ ApplicantName _credit_PhotographerName (Please make sure that the photos provided have been cleared for public use by your photographer before submission.)  

CMA uses the online application platform Submittable. Go to https://cma.submittable.com to create a free Submittable account if you do not already have one. 

• In your Submittable account, select “Empowerment for Impact, & Growth.” 
• Complete the online form directly or draft your responses in an offline document as backup, then copy/paste your information into the online application. 
• To save the work you have done on your application, you must click SAVE DRAFT at the bottom of the form before exiting. 
• You can return to your saved application to continue working on it by following the log-in instructions. 
• Complete all required fields, including text boxes and Audio Sample information.  
• Prepare your audio samples 
• Save audio files as: Ensemble Name-Audio 1 and Ensemble Name-Audio 2; acceptable file types: mp3, m4a.  
• Upload the audio files. 
• When complete, sign and date your application. 
• Click “Submit” to send application to CMA; you will receive a confirmation email. 
• The application will close promptly at 11:59 PM ET on Thursday, February 19, 2026. 
• Late or incomplete submissions will not be accepted. Applicants are encouraged to submit their applications at least 24 hours in advance of the deadline to avoid any last-minute complications.

Grant applications are reviewed by an independent panel of jazz music professionals; CMA staff and board do not select or adjudicate award recipients (Representative list of previous CMA panelists).   

Written Application   

The panel will review: 

• Project Design & Feasibility: The clarity and viability of the proposed recording project, including timeline, release plan, and community impact strategy 
• Professional Development Integration: How the ensemble plans to apply the CMA Impact Accelerator curriculum (strategy, operations, finance, marketing, and technology) to their project, ensemble work, and long-term ensemble sustainability 
• Career Stage & Growth Potential: Why this opportunity is appropriate for the ensemble at this point in their career trajectory 
• Artistic Merit & Community Impact: The ensemble’s demonstrated artistic quality and plan for engaging current and new audiences through the proposed project 

Audio Review 

• Ensemble audio samples are evaluated for artistic and technical strength, and cohesiveness of the ensemble in performing scored and improvised music.  

Ensembles who are applying for first recordings or a first recording in over 5 years, and have no pending recording releases before September 30, 2027 will receive an automatic .25 points in their score as an indicator of their meeting of CMA funding priorities for the grant program. A total of ten points is awarded to an ensemble. 

Budget Review

• Demonstrates understanding of appropriate industry rates for proposed activities
• Shows clear financial planning and capacity to carry out the project
• If the total budget exceeds $20,000, the applicant must explain how additional expenses will be covered

If awarded, the bandleader must serve as the primary contact for the grant.   

They will be responsible for:  

• serving as the grant contact for CMA; 
• providing government issued documentation as proof of their U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status; 
• receiving and managing the grant funds; 
• maintaining CMA membership through the entire grant period. 
• filing any reports to CMA (reports must be submitted for grantees to remain in good standing with CMA). 

Grant funds will be disbursed as follows: 

• The full grant payment will be disbursed after the signing of the CMA grant contract with the inclusion of required materials (grantee intake information: proof of residency, bank information, etc.). 

Grant funds are taxable income; grantees must comply with all applicable city, state, and federal laws, ordinances, codes, and regulations regarding the reporting of grant funds. 

Grantees are expected to fulfill all parts of their project. Failure to fulfill all parts of the project can result in consequences or loss of future ability to apply for CMA funding. Details will be included in agreements to grantees. 

CMA collects data on race and ethnicity in connection to grant programs and applications; membership; and surveys with partner organizations, like funding partners. As such, CMA has developed a set of standards for keeping, collecting, and presenting data on race and ethnicity that aim to provide consistency in collecting and using this type of data.  

These standards have been developed in accordance with data collection standards by other groups such as CMA’s funders, federal agencies, and agencies that track race and ethnicity data such as the U.S. Census Bureau.  

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