The organization became a Foundation in 1995, led by Truls Helweg, chairman of the board since 1995) and permanently appointed General Manager (Aage Teigen), at a time when the budget was over 5 million Norwegian kroner.

[2] A sculpture of Ella Fitzgerald is awarded a person who has developed the festival and the Oslo Jazz Scene, created by the artist Mariann Hazeland.

The prize was awarded for the first time at the Oslo Jazz Festival's opening concert on 11 August 2019 in the Norwegian Opera & Ballet by Usbl director Johan Bruun to musician Daniela Reyes Holmsen.

Scholarship which was awarded to a musician or a band (age 18–25) which has been noticed on local, regional and / or national level.

The grant supported by Statkraft provides 50,000 Norwegian kroner and included a gig with an optional project during the subsequent festival.