Why It Matters
Access to the arts builds
confidence,
discipline
& voice.
By investing in young creatives, the Foundation helps ensure
that talent—not circumstance—determines opportunity.
What We Support
The Foundation supports initiatives focused on engaging youth from underresourced communities that:
Expand access to music and arts education
Create access to music and arts education
All programs align with Jessye Norman’s philanthropic philosophy and commitment to excellence.
Our CURRENT WORK
The Foundation is just getting started. The board approved its first grant in March 2026. The grant recipient is the Jessye Norman School of the Arts (JNSA), which Ms. Norman founded in collaboration with the Rachel Longstreet Foundation in 2003. This initial foundation grant will support JNSA’s summer camps outreach to youth in three of Augusta’s public housing-based community centers.
It is the Foundation’s aim to raise funds to continue supporting JNSA and other organizations, domestically and internationally, that create and expand opportunities for youth from underresourced environments to access music and arts education.
As we grow, this portion of the website will be expanded to identify additional grants and provide reports on the impact of grant recipient activities.
ABOUT THE FOUNDATION
The Jessye Norman Foundation was established to honor her lifelong dedication to artistic excellence, education, and opportunity. The Foundation translates her values into action—creating pathways for young people who may otherwise lack access to music and cultural education.
Vision
To make music and arts education globally accessible to youth from underresourced communities.
Mission
To inspire underresourced youth in music and culture by supporting, subsidizing, and developing programs aligned with Jessye Norman’s philanthropic philosophy and lifelong commitment to artistic excellence.