CMA Launches New Program to Build Ensemble Longevity and Viability

January 21, 2026, New York — Chamber Music America, the national network for small ensemble music, announced the launch of Empowerment for Impact and Growth, a new grant initiative designed to help jazz ensembles thrive by building sustainable systems for long-term viability and career success. This program offers financial support for jazz recording projects alongside enrollment in a new 10-week professional-development curriculum, reflecting a broader shift toward funding programs that pair artistic support with mentorship and continuing education. 

Supported by the Doris Duke Foundation (DDF), the Empowerment for Impact and Growth program continues CMA’s 26-year commitment to jazz artists and presenters. Through its partnership with DDF, CMA has supported the creation of more than 300 new compositions, and, between 2025 and 2028, CMA will award a total of $2.5 million to jazz bandleaders, presenters, and composers.  

“An incredible partner, the Doris Duke Foundation’s stalwart support for the field allows us to deepen our relationship with the jazz community,” says CEO Kevin Kwan Loucks. “Through DDF-funded initiatives like our Jazz Think Tanks, we’ve learned that operational guidance and business development opportunities are among the most crucial factors in an ensemble’s long-term success. Our Empowerment for Impact and Growth program provides both creative and structural resources to help ensembles succeed while strengthening the field as a whole.”  

The Empowerment for Impact and Growth program will award 10 ensembles $20,000 each to produce a high-quality recording and support a related performance. Grant funds may be used to cover administrative costs and other project expenses.  

In addition to financial support, grant recipients will be enrolled in CMA’s new Impact Accelerator, CMA’s first business-forward continuing-education program designed to help ensembles reach their next stage of development. Launching in April 2026 and continuing through June, the 10-week virtual intensive offers sessions on strategic planning, financial literacy, operational management, marketing strategies, and technology skills. Sessions will be led by renowned industry leaders and business experts. The inaugural Empowerment for Impact and Growth grantee cohort will also be invited to attend CMA’s 2026 National Conference this August in Chicago, promoting in-person networking and continued learning.  

While enrollment in the Impact Accelerator is included for grant recipients, the program is also open to the broader field for a registration fee. CMA Members receive a discounted rate.  

Applications for the Empowerment for Impact and Growth program are open now through February 19. An active CMA organization-level membership is required to apply. Additionally, CMA’s Impact Accelerator is now open for paid enrollment, outside of the grant program. Recipients of the inaugural Empowerment for Impact and Growth grant will be notified in March so that they can still enroll in the Impact Accelerator regardless of award status.  

The full eligibility and application guidelines for Empowerment for Impact and Growth can be found here. 

Chamber Music America, the national network of ensemble music professionals, was founded in 1977 to develop, strengthen, and support the chamber music community. With a membership including musicians, ensembles, presenters, artists’ managers, educators, music businesses, and advocates of ensemble music, CMA welcomes members representing a wide range of musical styles and traditions. In addition to its funding programs, CMA provides its members with consulting services, access to instrument and other insurances, conferences, seminars, and its quarterly publication, Chamber Music magazine. 

The Doris Duke Foundation’s mission is to improve the quality people’s lives through grants supporting the performing arts, environmental conservation, medical research, and child well-being, and through preservation of the cultural and environmental legacy of Doris Duke’s properties.