Catalyst Fund - Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

Funding Source: Andrew W. Mellon Foundation with additional support from Paul M. Angell Family Foundation

Grant Type: One-year grant from second round of League's three-year, $2.1 million grant-making program

Geographic Scope: National program; 28 orchestras nationwide selected

Focus Areas:

• Strengthen understanding of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI)
• Transform organizational culture
• Anti-bias and anti-racism training
• Institutional audits
• Creation of formal EDI plans
• Building consensus and integrating EDI into mission statements and culture
• Community building through Learning Cohort

SLSO-Specific Activities:

• Anti-bias and anti-racism training in collaboration with:
  • Rebeccah Bennett
  • Dr. Kira Banks of Emerging Wisdom, LLC
  • Crossroad Antiracism Organizing & Training
• Involvement of musicians, staff, board, volunteers, and community leaders
• Listening sessions conducted
• EDI included as key component in 2016-2021 strategic plan

Grant Program Details:

• Catalyst Fund supports orchestras' use of EDI practitioners
• Learning Cohort enables past and present grantees to interact with colleagues
• Remote and in-person convenings
• Dedicated online forum

Context: Awarded in response to racial disparities and pandemic's unequal impact on communities of color

Contact:

• St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
• 718 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63103
• Phone: 314-533-2500
• Email: info@slso.org