Louisiana grants for County governments

The Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SSARE) Education Grants program is designed to fund education and outreach activities that benefit the sustainable agriculture community. This grant directly aligns with SSARE's mission to promote efforts in farmer innovations, community resilience, business success, agricultural diversification, and best management practices. The core objective is to support projects that develop sustainable agriculture systems or move existing systems towards sustainability. The primary beneficiaries of these grants are farmers and farming communities, including those involved in indigenous agriculture producing for community food systems. Academic institutions, non-profits, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), 1890 land-grant university faculty/extension cooperators, 1862 land-grant universities, other colleges and universities, and government agencies are eligible to apply, acting as facilitators for these educational initiatives. The impact goals are centered on fostering a more sustainable, resilient, and economically viable agricultural sector through knowledge dissemination and practical application. Education Grants prioritize projects that clearly articulate what is being taught, to whom, and how the goals will be accomplished. Focus areas include experiential learning (demonstrations, on-farm tours, field days, workshops), integrative approaches (conferences, seminars, course curriculum), and reinforcement methods (fact sheets, bulletins, videos, online technologies). SSARE also encourages proposals on quality of life topics, such as heirs property, farmers’ markets, food hubs, local/regional processing, and urban agriculture systems, emphasizing the social health of farming systems. Expected outcomes include the adoption of sustainable agriculture practices, enhanced farmer innovation, increased community resilience, improved business success for agricultural enterprises, and greater agricultural diversification. Projects should yield results that are realistic, acceptable to farmers, logical, and capable of leading to tangible actions and benefits described in the proposal. The grant projects are strictly focused on education and outreach, with no research component, and are paid by reimbursement of allowable expenses. The foundation's strategic priorities are evident in the grant requirements, which mandate that project outcomes focus on sustainable agriculture systems and clearly demonstrate how education and outreach efforts will be implemented and evaluated. The theory of change underpinning this program is that by providing targeted education and outreach, knowledge and best practices will be transferred to farmers and communities, leading to the development and widespread adoption of sustainable agricultural methods and improved quality of life within farming systems. Project maximums are $50,000, with a duration limited to two years. Applicants from the Southern region, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, are eligible. Farmers involved in these projects must have farming/ranching as their primary occupation or part-time farming with at least $1,000 of documented annual income from their operation, with exceptions for indigenous agriculture.

Propeller’s Impact Accelerator is a 5-month program designed to support mission-driven entrepreneurs in growing their businesses through coaching, community building, curriculum, and technical assistance. The program aims to catalyze transformational growth by connecting entrepreneurs with contract opportunities, markets, and customers. It is sponsored by the Clif Family Foundation, Capital One, Nasdaq, RosaMary Foundation, WK Kellogg Foundation, and Baptist Community Ministries, aligning with their missions to foster economic development, education, and community well-being by empowering local businesses. The Impact Accelerator targets growth-stage entrepreneurs in five key areas: community economic development, education, food, health, and water. Specifically, it supports BIPOC entrepreneurs operating brick-and-mortar establishments in underserved New Orleans corridors for economic development; early childhood education and care providers for education; CPG brands emphasizing sustainable, healthy, and affordable products for food; direct health and wellness service providers, especially those serving BIPOC clients, for health; and entrepreneurs in green infrastructure, stormwater management, native plant cultivation, and coastal restoration for water. The program's overarching impact goal is to facilitate the scaling of revenues and teams, while also embedding racial equity, social, and environmental impact goals into business operations. The program's priorities and focuses are clearly delineated within each sector. For community economic development, the focus is on Black-owned brick-and-mortar storefronts in specific New Orleans neighborhoods, aiming for job creation and community ties. In education, the priority is on increasing enrollment, growing staff, and expanding business locations for early childhood education providers. For food, the emphasis is on CPG brands that are environmentally sound, locally sourced, healthy, or have compelling social/environmental impacts, with a prioritization of BIPOC-led companies. Health focuses on direct clinical care and services impacting social and physical determinants of health, especially for BIPOC client bases, striving for increased accessibility and staff growth. The water sector prioritizes green infrastructure, urban stormwater management, native plants, and coastal restoration, seeking to increase the supply of native plants for green infrastructure. Expected outcomes and measurable results include participants setting ambitious yet achievable goals for growth and long-term sustainability, an increase in business revenues and staff, and the successful attainment of social/environmental impact goals. Entrepreneurs receive over 16 hours of lead mentor office hours for goal setting, 12+ hours of business development curriculum during meetups, and 20+ hours with subject matter experts for project assistance. Additional benefits include a detailed work plan, coaching on racial equity and impact goals, introductions to stakeholders, free coworking space, and membership in a network of over 250 alumni. These structured interventions are designed to remove growth barriers and accelerate the development of entrepreneurial ventures, leading to tangible economic and social improvements within the targeted communities and sectors.

This funding opportunity is designed to assist cultural organizations in Louisiana in strengthening their emergency preparedness and response strategies to better withstand the impacts of natural disasters.

This funding opportunity supports conservation projects that provide employment and training for young adults and veterans, helping them gain experience in environmental stewardship and resource management on public lands.

This grant provides funding for projects that restore and enhance forests and wetlands in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley, benefiting wildlife and promoting community resilience, particularly for local landowners and conservation organizations.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to organizations that deliver high-quality early childhood education and family engagement services for low-income children and their families across multiple states.

This grant provides funding for nonprofits and public organizations in Louisiana to create small-scale humanities projects that engage local communities and explore the state's unique history and culture.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to organizations in the Gulf States to develop training programs that prepare young individuals for careers in the evolving energy sector.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) is extending the application deadline for the Commercial and Charter Vessel Access Grant Program, funded through the LDWF 2019 Flood Disaster Grant. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) allocated funds to mitigate the effects of freshwater flooding on Louisiana’s saltwater resources. Grants of up to $500,000 will be awarded to public and private entities for constructing new facilities, acquiring land, or improving access for saltwater commercial and charter fishing vessels. The new application deadline is May 31, 2024, extending from the original date of May 15, 2024. Projects must be in coastal areas impacted by the 2019 flood and accessible to the public. Recipients must maintain facilities for at least 20 years.

The Central Louisiana Community Foundation's Opportunity Grants Program offers small grants ranging from $250 to $2,000 to eligible organizations within the 12-parish region it serves. This program aligns with the foundation's broader mission of fostering community impact by providing accessible funding for diverse initiatives. The grants are intended to support programs with a duration of 12 months or less, ensuring a focused and timely impact on the local communities. Target beneficiaries for these grants include a wide array of 501(C)3 organizations, such as churches, hospitals, medical research organizations, schools, colleges, and universities. Additionally, 501(C)19 organizations, government entities, and pre-approved Louisiana not-for-profits that align with the CLCF's mission are eligible. The primary impact goal is to support programs and organizations that directly benefit the communities within the Central Louisiana Community Foundation's service area. The program prioritizes initiatives that take place within the CLCF's 12-parish service region and are domiciled there. While not explicitly stated as "strategic priorities" or a "theory of change," the program's focus on small, short-term grants suggests a strategy of enabling numerous localized efforts that contribute to the overall well-being of the region. This approach allows the foundation to support a diverse range of community needs without committing to long-term, large-scale projects through this specific program. Expected outcomes include the successful implementation of various community-focused projects by eligible organizations. Measurable results would depend on the individual projects funded, but the program structure implies a goal of fostering numerous, smaller-scale positive impacts across the service area. The program also allows organizations to receive both a Community Impact grant and an Opportunity grant in the same calendar year, provided they are for different purposes, further expanding the potential for positive outcomes within the community. Exclusions for funding highlight areas where the foundation does not provide support through this program, such as annual fundraising campaigns, endowment creation, debt payment, political purposes, or personnel and capital expenses. These exclusions help define the program's scope and ensure that the grants are directed towards specific programmatic activities that directly benefit the community. The program's design, therefore, implicitly outlines a strategic approach to grantmaking that emphasizes direct community benefit and operational support for diverse non-profit and governmental initiatives within Central Louisiana.

Deadline: May 31, 2024, at 4 p.m. CDT. Eligible Recipients: Not-for-profit organizations with preservation, conservation, cultural, historical, or archeological missions, including HBCUs, tribal nations, and government entities. Eligible Projects: Must be within the Delta Region, focusing on cultural heritage, public roads, regional music, museums, and more. Priority Criteria: Projects addressing immediate needs, new initiatives, completed within 18 months, and enhancing heritage tourism. Where: Projects within the Delta Region, not on federal property. When: Applications open April 15, 2024, and close May 31, 2024, at 4 p.m. CDT. Selected projects announced by September 2024. Webinar: Optional webinar on April 24 at 10 a.m. CDT. Register here. Contact: For project inquiries, email us. For technical support, contact [email protected].

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is inviting proposals for its ConocoPhillips SPIRIT of Conservation program, which is specifically designed to advance bird species and habitat conservation. This program directly aligns with NFWF's mission to address the alarming loss of 3 billion birds since 1970. The foundation's strategic priority is to support projects that conserve, restore, or enhance critical habitats and to gather essential bird population data, ultimately aiming to reverse population declines. The primary beneficiaries of this program are bird populations, both migratory and non-migratory, particularly those inhabiting grassland, wetland, sage-steppe, and coastal habitats. The program's impact goals include improving habitat quality and quantity, enhancing breeding and wintering grounds, and supporting stopover periods for birds along major migratory routes. Expected outcomes include a measurable increase in bird populations, improved habitat conditions, and the collection of vital data to inform future conservation efforts. The program's priorities and focuses are centered on implementing science-driven and strategic conservation. This involves addressing habitat degradation, fragmentation, and loss. Geographic focal areas are critical, spanning major migratory routes from the northern slope of Alaska to the north-south axis of the central United States, including the Gulf Coast regions of Texas and Louisiana. The program emphasizes innovative methods for gathering lacking bird population data and conserving specific habitat types. Grant awards typically range from $100,000 to $275,000, with projects expected to be completed within two years. Eligible applicants include a broad range of non-profit organizations, government agencies (U.S. federal, state, local, municipal, tribal), and educational institutions. This inclusive eligibility criteria reflects NFWF's theory of change, which recognizes that collaborative efforts across various sectors are essential for achieving large-scale, sustainable conservation impacts for bird populations and their habitats.

The 2024 States’ Economic Development Assistance Program (SEDAP), announced by the Delta Regional Authority (DRA), seeks applications for grants to target federal resources toward communities in the Mississippi River Delta and Alabama Black Belt regions. With a focus on economically distressed counties and parishes, SEDAP aims to invest in community-based and regional projects across four congressionally mandated funding categories: basic public infrastructure, transportation infrastructure, business development with an emphasis on entrepreneurship, and workforce development. The program is designed to encourage job creation, regional collaboration, and funding partnerships, leveraging a total of $16,930,642, allocated across the eight-state DRA region with awards ranging from $50,000 to $500,000 depending on project type and application score.

The Louisiana Project Grants (LPG) program, funded by The Louisiana Division of the Arts (LDOA) and administered by The Acadiana Center for the Arts for Region 4, aims to cultivate innovative arts projects with lasting impact. Replacing the Decentralized Arts Funding (DAF) program that began in 1995, LPG supports arts projects that address local needs and provide artistic value within communities. The program offers funding for a wide variety of arts initiatives that meet specific community requirements. Applications for the FY25 cycle open on May 1, 2024, and must be submitted online by June 28, 2024. Eligible applicants include nonprofit arts organizations, nonprofit organizations, public and private schools, local government agencies, and colleges and universities within Acadiana’s Region 4. The funding period spans from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025, with grant amounts ranging from $2,500 to $7,500.

This initiative provides funding and support to nonprofit organizations, local governments, and Tribal governments in coal-impacted communities to develop and scale innovative economic projects that create job opportunities and foster local economic transformation.

The National Academy of Sciences Gulf Research Program is investing $50 million in the Gulf Futures Challenge to fund projects addressing critical challenges in the Gulf region. The Challenge aims to discover and promote innovative and transformative solutions by leveraging the talent and knowledge of the Gulf's people. The competition focuses on three main areas: energy transition, environmental change along the coast, and healthy and resilient communities. Up to ten finalists will receive up to $1 million in project development support, with two finalists awarded $20 million each to implement their solutions. Eligible applicants include nonprofits, state, local, and tribal governments, and academic institutions from Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, or Texas, with projects located within 100 miles of the Gulf coastline. The registration deadline is August 20, 2024, and the application deadline is September 20, 2024.

This funding opportunity supports educational projects that enhance community resilience and environmental literacy in the Gulf States by engaging learners of all ages in addressing local environmental challenges.

This program provides financial support to rural nonprofit and governmental organizations in select Southern states for presenting touring artists across various disciplines, including film, performing arts, and visual arts.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofit organizations, local governments, and public schools in selected states to implement sustainability initiatives, workforce development, and community resilience programs that enhance the quality of life and economic vitality in their communities.

This grant provides funding to under-resourced communities in the Mississippi River Delta and Alabama Black Belt regions to develop strategic plans that address local economic development challenges.