News
2025 Catapult Fund Announcement
NEW ORLEANS JAZZ & HERITAGE FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES 2025 CATAPULT FUND PROGRAM FOR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEW ORLEANS (November 15, 2024) — The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation is pleased to announce applications are now open for the 2025 Catapult Fund small business training program. This year’s program focuses on providing business training for entrepreneurs in the culinary arts. The Catapult Fund is a joint effort between the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation and Capital One Bank, with program facilitation by the New Orleans Regional Black Chamber of Commerce.
The purpose of the Catapult Fund is to encourage innovation and sustainability for entrepreneurs in the culinary industry 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, 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 catapultfund.org.
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 Black Chamber of Commerce
Founded in 2006, the New Orleans Regional Black Chamber of Commerce (NORBCC) supports, promotes, advocates, and educates members for sustainable growth and expansion within the Black community. The NORBCC is dedicated to the business development and economic empowerment of the New Orleans economy, particularly the Black communities throughout the 10-Parish Region that it serves, including Orleans, Jefferson, St.Bernard, Plaquemines, St.Tammany, Washington, St. John the Baptist, St. James, St. Charles, and Tangipahoa. Now after 15 years, NORBCC continues to be a great resource and voice for Black business owners and entrepreneurs in the New Orleans region.
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