The Louisiana Cultural Equity Arts and Creation Grant, administered by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, supports individuals engaged in creating, documenting, or exhibiting artwork that reflects the diverse cultural heritage of Louisiana. The Foundation’s mission centers on promoting, preserving, and perpetuating the music, culture, and heritage of Louisiana through various civic, cultural, educational, and economic initiatives, including this grant program. The grant opportunity is a part of the Foundation's broader Community Partnership Grants program for the 2025–2026 cycle, which funds projects occurring between September 1, 2025, and August 31, 2026.
Eligible applicants must be individuals based in Louisiana, and the proposed project must also occur within the state. The maximum grant amount available per applicant is $7,500. All awarded funds must be spent within Louisiana, and applicants are limited to submitting only one application per grant cycle. The Foundation strongly encourages applications from ALAANA individuals (African, Latinx, Arab, Asian, Native American) and other historically underrepresented groups driving transformative social change within the context of Louisiana culture and traditions.
The grant supports a wide range of artistic and cultural expressions including but not limited to: music recordings, art exhibits, visual arts, photography, literature, film, podcasts, electronic media, documentaries, and performing arts. However, it does not support festival or concert presentations, educational programs for K–12, start-up money for organizations, re-granting, fundraising events, or any activities or expenses outside of the specified activity period or location.
Applications must be submitted via the Jazz & Heritage online grants portal, accessible from the Community Partnership Grants page on their website. The deadline for application submissions is Monday, July 14, 2025, at 11:00 p.m. CDT. Award notifications will be issued by August 11, 2025. The Foundation uses a panel review process, evaluating applications based on artistic merit, community impact, alignment with the Foundation's mission, and project feasibility.
For awarded projects, recipients must complete a grant contract, provide a W9 form, and fulfill promotional obligations, such as acknowledging the Foundation in all publicity. At the end of the grant period, a comprehensive final report must be submitted by September 1, 2026, including financial documentation, project materials, and acknowledgment of the Foundation’s support. Failure to submit the final report by the deadline may disqualify individuals from future funding opportunities.
For questions, applicants can contact the Programs, Marketing, & Communications team via email at grants@jazzandheritage.org or phone at (504) 558-6108. All grant-related information, including the final report form, can be found within the online grant portal.
