Deadline: Thursday, February 19, 2026, 11:59 ET

Notification: March 2026

Grant Period: April 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027

 ABOUT THE PROGRAM (See full guidelines on the CMA website.)

The Empowerment for Impact & Growth program, formerly Performance Plus, offers support for jazz ensembles seeking to gain professional development and practical tools for self-management and strategy of their ensembles. Through gaining insights into the creative sector and the working of their professional practice, grantees will produce a jazz recording project with the grant funding and tools for creating impact and growth for the next step for their ensembles.  

The professional development component engages grantees in the CMA Impact Accelerator, a structured curriculum delivered over the first ten weeks of the grant period.  The educational series covers five essential areas: strategic planning, financial literacy, operational management, marketing strategies, and technology skills.  Equipping jazz artists with these practical business skills helps support long-term career sustainability beyond immediate project support.  

   The program will create 10 grants in the amount of $20,000 each.   

 To submit an application 

• Go to https://cma.submittable.com and click on “Empowerment for Impact & Growth.”
• Complete all required fields, including text boxes, the Funding Request, and Audio Sample information.
• Prepare your audio samples and MOU attachment.
• Save audio files as: Ensemble Name-Audio 1 and Ensemble Name-Audio 2; acceptable file types: mp3, m4a.
• Upload the audio files and MOU to the application.
• When complete, sign and date your application.
• Click “Submit” to send application to CMA; you will receive a confirmation email.

 OTHER INFORMATION   APPLICATION SUPPORT José R. Feliciano, Director of Grant Programs 

Technical: Submittable Help Center