The Catalyst Fund, a pilot program of annual grants to adult and youth orchestras that aims to advance their understanding of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) and to foster effective EDI practices, was launched by the League of American Orchestras in January 2019.
Supported by a three-year, $2.1 million grant to the League of American Orchestras from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the fund responds to input from the League's members that perceive "a momentum within orchestras towards serving people of all races, genders, and cultural, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds." Orchestras are required to use the funds to support the costs of retaining a skilled EDI practitioner to advance EDI learning objectives.
