News
2023 Catapult Fund Announcement
NEW ORLEANS JAZZ & HERITAGE FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES 2023 CATAPULT FUND PROGRAM FOR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEW ORLEANS (May 11, 2023) — The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation is excited to announce that applications are now open for the 2023 Catapult Fund small business training program. The 2023 Catapult Fund features two categories: one focused on entrepreneurs in the beauty, fashion, and jewelry industries, and another for culinary arts. This program is a partnership between the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation and Capital One Bank and the Louisiana Small Business Development Center Greater New Orleans and River Region.
The purpose of the Catapult Fund is to encourage innovation and sustainability for entrepreneurs in cultural industries through training and investment. As an education and funding program for entrepreneurs in the arts, the Catapult Fund provides intensive training in best practices for business, along with access to grant funding.
To be eligible for the beauty, fashion, and jewelry category, applicants must have small Louisiana-based businesses in the beauty, fashion, and jewelry industries. These may include: clothing, cosmetics, soaps, hair products, and more.
To be eligible for the culinary arts category, applicants must have small Louisiana-based businesses in the culinary arts. These may include: chefs, restaurant owners, caterers, food truck operators, food market vendors, food product manufacturers, cooking schools, and others.
For a full list of program guidelines, requirements, deadlines, a class schedule, and more, please visit thecatapultfund.com
Additional help with online applications is available from the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, call (504) 558-6100 or email programs@jazzandheritage.org
About The Louisiana Small Business Development Center, Greater New Orleans & River Region
The Louisiana Small Business Development Center, Greater New Orleans & River Region at Xavier University of Louisiana is a business consulting and assistance provider serving a seven-parish region. SBDC at XULA areas of expertise include culinary/restaurants, seafood/fisheries, music, retail, wholesale, services, international trade, disaster response, recovery, and business resiliency. SBDC at XULA is part of the Louisiana Small Business Development Center Network of SBDC’s. The Louisiana Small Business Development Center network is hosted by Louisiana State University, and a member of the National Association of Small Business Development Centers. LSBDC is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration, Louisiana Economic Development and participating universities and community colleges.
About The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation invests proceeds from the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell and additional funds that we raise for year-round programming in education, economic development and cultural enrichment. Education programs include the Don “Moose” Jamison Heritage School of Music, the Tom Dent Congo Square Lectures, the Class Got Brass competition for school brass bands, a youth audio workshop program, youth vocal workshops, and more! Economic Development initiatives include the Community Partnership Grants, the Catapult Fund accelerator program and Sync Up entertainment industry workshops. Cultural enrichment programs include the Jazz & Heritage Concert Series and annual Foundation Festivals: the Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival, the Congo Square Rhythms Festival, the Tremé Creole Gumbo Festival and the Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival. Importantly, these are free programs that the Jazz and Heritage Foundation has developed over many years to ensure that we give back to Louisiana. The Jazz & Heritage Foundation also owns radio station WWOZ 90.7-FM and the Jazz & Heritage Archive. In late 2014, the Foundation opened the George and Joyce Wein Jazz & Heritage Center – an education and community facility named for the late Jazz Fest founder George Wein and his wife Joyce. In March of 2020, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation established the Jazz & Heritage Music Relief Fund – a statewide relief fund to support Louisiana musicians who were affected by the pandemic. In the last two years the Jazz & Heritage Foundation has been able to provide relief funds of more than $2 million dollars supporting musicians, music industry gig workers, Black Masking Indians and other indigenous cultural practitioners. To learn more about the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, please visit us online at www.jazzandheritage.org