Presenter Consortium for Jazz Guidelines

The 2023 Presenter Consortium for Jazz program provides support to consortiums of three U.S. presenters that collectively engage up to three professional U.S. jazz ensembles (consisting of 2-10 musicians each). The ensembles may present in-person concerts or streamed performances for each presenter’s audience. Incentive funding is available to each consortium presenter project that includes one or more past New Jazz Works grantee ensemble to perform their entire CMA commission.

The Board of Directors of Chamber Music America has made diversity, inclusion, and equity a primary focus of the organization’s work. Therefore, CMA’s goal in this program is, through the panel review process, to arrive at a final slate of grantees that is representative of the field in terms of the race and gender, as well as jazz style of the ensembles that the consortium partners have chosen to present. Read CMA’s Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity.

THE CONSORTIUM

A Presenter Consortium:

• Consists of one Lead Presenter, two Presenter Partners, and one to three Ensembles;
• Presenters can be located within the same U.S. state or territory, but must be located in distinct audience communities such as different towns, cities, or regions;
• Must each present all the ensembles in the application;
• Must include at least one organization that is a current CMA Organization-level member.

Ensembles:

• Each jazz ensemble must be presented by each presenter in the consortium.

Consortium Project:

• Concerts presented by the Consortium are not required to be on consecutive dates;
• A Consortium can collaborate on efforts to market, manage, and present the project.

All activity must take place between January 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024. Presenters and ensembles may be engaged in only one Presenter Consortium for Jazz application per grant period.

PANEL REVIEW PROCESS

The Presenter Consortium

To apply, each of the three presenting organizations in a Consortium must:

• be based in the U. S. or its territories- located in distinct audience communities such as different towns, cities, or regions;
• be a 501(c)(3) organization and show documentation of status;
• have no outstanding financial or reporting obligations to CMA or for any previously awarded Presenter Consortium for Jazz grant.

The Ensemble(s)

The jazz ensemble(s) selected by the Consortium:

• must be based in the U.S. or its territories- located in distinct audience communities such as different towns, cities, or regions;
• must consist of 2–10 professional musicians (student groups are not eligible);
• must primarily perform jazz music in one of its multifaceted styles and utilize improvisation as an integral part of its composition and performance;
• do not have to be CMA members.

FUNDING

Presenter Consortium for Jazz funds only following eligible expenses:

• ensemble fees;
• in-person concert or streaming production costs, marketing, and distribution costs;
• concert production costs (lighting, sound, cartage, etc.);
• travel and hotel, per diem.

The 2023 program will fund up to 100% of the eligible expenses (up to $10,000 per Consortium partner or $30,000 per Consortium). This does not include potential incentive funding.

Incentive Funding

Consortium presenter projects that include one or more past CMA New Jazz Works grantee ensemble(s) that have completed their grants will receive an additional $1,000 per presenter. The ensemble(s) must perform the commission in its entirety. In this case, the maximum amount of the request may increase. See chart below.

Additionally, CMA cannot consider the following applications:

• requesting funding for capacity building, private or fundraising events, arts education, or general operating support, although administrative expenses specific to the project may be included within the project budget;
• requesting fees for student musicians, faculty, or administrative staff salaries;
• requesting funds for classes or workshops for music students;
• requesting recording costs;
• requesting commissioning fees;
• requesting artist fees other than those for ensemble musicians and their guest artists;
• from presenters and ensembles on more than one application.

PANEL REVIEW PROCESS

Presenter Consortium for Jazz applications are reviewed by an independent panel of jazz music professionals; CMA staff and board do not participate in the deliberations (Representative list of previous CMA panelists).

Written Application

The panel will review:

• the description of the project for which you are applying;
• how the project will contribute to each consortium members’ impact in their distinct audience communities;
• how the project will reach diverse communities that have been systemically or traditionally excluded in your town, city, or region for each Presenter;
• why the consortium partners have selected the ensemble(s);
• the capacity to carry out the project including marketing, potential dates, and appropriate budget for each Presenter;
• the Consortium Project Budget that reflects the income and expenses listed for each Presenter;
• the artistry and technical ability of the ensemble(s).

Audio Review

• must match between the activities planned and the ensemble’s music-making as demonstrated in the audio sample.

GRANT AWARD AND PAYMENT

If a Consortium is awarded a grant, CMA will contract with, and issue payments to each individual presenter.

Awarded presenters are each responsible for:

• acting as the contact for CMA on behalf of their presenting organization to manage and report grant activity;
• receiving and managing their grant funds;
• ensuring that the ensemble(s) are paid;
• filing their final report and associated documents;
• joining CMA at the Organization-level (if they do not have membership at the time of application or receipt of award).

Grant funds will be disbursed to each presenter as follows:

• 80% of the award to be disbursed after signing the CMA grant contract;
• 20% after receipt of a final report.

THE APPLICATION ​

The Lead Presenter submits one application on behalf of the Consortium.

CMA uses the online application platform Submittable. Go to cma.submittable.com to create a free Submittable account if you do not already have one.

• Complete the online form directly or draft your responses in an offline document as backup, then copy/paste your information into the online application. CMA recommends that you save your draft in an offline document as backup.
• To save the work you have done on your application, you must click SAVE DRAFT at the bottom of the form before exiting.
• You can return to your saved application to continue working on it by following the log-in instructions.
• The application will close promptly at 11:59 PM ET on Thursday, November 3, 2022. Late or incomplete submissions will not be accepted. Applicants are encouraged to submit their applications at least 24 hours in advance of the deadline to avoid any last-minute complications.

Uploads

Audio Uploads 

• One jazz ensemble audio sample is required for each ensemble and must be uploaded to the online application;
• Samples should be up to 5 minutes each and feature works for small jazz ensembles (2-10 musicians);
• Samples should demonstrate the jazz ensemble’s performance level and must feature either the full ensemble or at least 50% of its musicians;
• Soloistic works are not recommended — a duo must submit a work featuring both partners;
• Only mp3 and/or m4a file types are accepted;
• Samples do not need to be of studio quality but should be clear and representative of the ensemble’s performance within the last two years;
• Longer works may be edited and/or excerpted;
• May contain music from a live concert, studio/home recording, and/or CD or online recording.

Supplementary Material Uploads 

Each Presenter must provide:

• Proof of 501(c)3 status;
• Examples of marketing materials;
• Memorandums of Understanding: A Memorandum of Understanding is a statement of intent between each presenter in the consortium and each ensemble regarding:
• the concert date(s)/time(s)/venue(s);
• ensemble fees.

If the consortium chooses to work with multiple ensembles, the application must include a memorandum of understanding between each presenter and each ensemble. See the table below for the number of MOUs needed.

A sample MOU can be downloaded here:

• Sample MOU Word Document
• Sample MOU PDF

To submit an application

• Go to cma.submittable.com and click on “2023 Presenter Consortium for Jazz;”
• Complete all required fields, the Funding Request, and Audio Samples;
• Prepare your audio samples, marketing samples, and MOU attachments;
• Save your audio files as: Ensemble Name-Audio 1, etc.; acceptable file types: mp3, m4a.
• Upload proof of not-for-profit status for each Presenter;
• Upload audio files, marketing samples, and MOUs to the application;
• When complete, sign and date the application;
• Click “Submit” to send Application to CMA; you will receive a confirmation email.

BEGIN YOUR APPLICATION

Program Support: José Feliciano, Director of Grant Programs, jfeliciano@chamber-music.org

Technical Support: Submittable Help – For Submitters | Submittable

Application Deadline: Thursday, November 3, 2022, 11:59 PM ET

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 insurances, conferences, seminars, and publications including Chamber Music magazine and weekly e-newsletter, Accent.

The mission of the DORIS DUKE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION is to improve the quality of 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.