The Dr. Homer J. Dupuy Grant Program for French in Louisiana is an initiative of The New Orleans Foundation for Francophone Cultures, designed to honor the legacy of Dr. Homer J. Dupuy, a celebrated civic leader and advocate for Louisiana’s Francophone heritage. The program promotes the visibility of Louisiana French, Louisiana Creole (Kouri-Vini), and Indigenous languages across the state. Dr. Dupuy’s lifelong dedication to Francophone culture included founding roles in pivotal institutions like the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana (CODOFIL) and high-profile civic engagements, such as coordinating General de Gaulle’s 1960 visit to New Orleans.
This grant program provides funding to projects that elevate cultural and educational initiatives within all 64 parishes of Louisiana. Projects must occur within the state and align with the mission of advancing the public presence of heritage languages. For the current application cycle, eligible projects must be scheduled between January and June 2026. A future cycle in April 2026 will cover activities for the latter half of the year. Applicants may receive grants ranging from $1,000 to $5,000, based on the scope and scale of their proposals.
The funder explicitly invites both individuals and organizations to apply, broadening access to support for grassroots cultural efforts and institutional programs alike. Although specific application requirements are not detailed in the provided materials, applicants must submit their proposals by December 16, 2025. No pre-application steps such as Letters of Intent or concept papers are required. The process appears to be a single-phase application submission.
Award determinations will consider project alignment with cultural and educational enrichment goals that elevate Louisiana’s heritage languages in public spaces. Although evaluation criteria and review panels are not described, the program’s focus and limited award size suggest an emphasis on community impact and feasibility.
The program is not open to projects outside Louisiana and excludes non-Louisiana-based activities. The funder has not indicated any match requirement or the total program budget. Contact information, including specific emails or phone numbers, is not listed in the source material, and no PDF guidelines or application packets are provided publicly. However, the application portal is referenced via a general “Apply Now” call-to-action on the funder’s website, signaling an open and accessible submission process.
