Community Assistance Fund Grants 2025-2026

The Junior League of New Orleans (JLNO) is currently accepting applications for the 2025–2026 cycle of its Community Assistance Fund (CAF) grants. JLNO is a well-established nonprofit organization with a longstanding commitment to promoting the wellbeing of women in the Greater New Orleans area. Its mission is grounded in supporting initiatives that improve women’s lives through various programs, partnerships, and advocacy efforts. The Community Assistance Fund represents a key aspect of JLNO’s direct philanthropic investment in the local community, allowing external nonprofit organizations to receive targeted financial support for aligned projects. The CAF grant program offers funding between $5,000 and $20,000 to eligible nonprofit organizations that implement programs focused on women’s wellbeing. Specifically, JLNO seeks to fund initiatives in one or more of its three primary focus areas: Economic Opportunity, which emphasizes enabling women to access and capitalize on economic possibilities; Physical & Mental Health, which includes programs aimed at enhancing women's health outcomes and quality of life; and Family Assistance, which supports services that reduce caregiving burdens faced by women. All funding must support a specific and stated program or project with a broad benefit to the community, and proposals must be in direct alignment with JLNO’s mission. Strict spending guidelines apply. Funds cannot be used for ineligible expenses, including but not limited to: salaries, marketing, advertising, travel, overhead costs such as rent or utilities, fundraising activities, religious or political functions, or capital improvements. JLNO is firm on its requirement that all grant funds be allocated to direct program activities. Organizations with current JLNO funding or who have received JLNO funds within the past 12 months are not eligible to apply. All applicants must be 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofits operating within or directly serving the Greater New Orleans Metropolitan Area. The application period opens on Monday, July 7, 2025, and closes on Friday, August 1, 2025 at 11:59 PM. All applications must be submitted by the stated deadline, and only complete applications will be considered. No pre-application deadlines or Letter of Intent phases are listed. As part of the review process, selected finalists may be asked to participate in site visits or virtual interviews, scheduled to occur from late August through early September 2025. These visits will help the CAF Committee gain deeper insight into each program’s intended impact and ensure the strategic use of requested funds. Grant recipients will be required to complete post-award evaluations at 6 and 12 months to document program outcomes. Public recognition of JLNO’s support is also a requirement, with grantees expected to acknowledge the grant on at least one public-facing platform. Furthermore, awarded organizations must attend the Junior League’s General Membership Meeting on October 21, 2025, where formal presentations of the grants will take place. Applicants may contact the CAF Committee directly via email at caf@jlno.org with any questions regarding the program or application process. Additional information about JLNO and the CAF grant is available at www.jlno.org. Office hours for general inquiries are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, and the organization can be reached by phone at 504-891-5845.