Louisiana Grants

The Carolyn W. and Charles T. Beaird Family Foundation, initially the Charles T. Beaird Foundation, was established in 1960 in Shreveport, Louisiana, to support the philanthropic endeavors of the Beaird-Poulan Corporation. Transitioning in 2009 to a stand-alone family foundation named after its founders, it now supports a range of causes in the Shreveport and Bossier City region, focusing on small, local, innovative, and possibly unpopular programs. The foundation prioritizes projects in education, housing, healthcare, social services, the arts, and community development, and encourages organizations to apply through their online system during specified grant cycles. Grant renewed every year. Annual Spring opening/closing deadline application: December 1st to January 5th. Letter of Intent January 15st to January 31st (optional)

The Carolyn W. and Charles T. Beaird Family Foundation, initially the Charles T. Beaird Foundation, was established in 1960 in Shreveport, Louisiana, to support the philanthropic endeavors of the Beaird-Poulan Corporation. Transitioning in 2009 to a stand-alone family foundation named after its founders, it now supports a range of causes in the Shreveport and Bossier City region, focusing on small, local, innovative, and possibly unpopular programs. The foundation prioritizes projects in education, housing, healthcare, social services, the arts, and community development, and encourages organizations to apply through their online system during specified grant cycles. Grant renewed every year. Annual Fall opening/closing deadline application: August 1st to August 15th. Letter of Intent July 1st to July 21st (optional)

Grant Opportunity: LEH Rebirth Grants Funding Organization: Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities (LEH) Contact Information: Contact LEH grants staff for assistance Award Details: Grant awards range from $1,000 to $5,000. LEH may award partial amounts. Matching cost share in cash or in kind is required. Eligibility: Humanities-based organizations operating within the 64 parishes of Louisiana are eligible to apply. Eligible organizations include nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status, public-facing organizations within accredited institutions of higher learning, state and local government agencies, and state or federally recognized Native American tribal governments in Louisiana. Organizations reaching underserved populations are encouraged to apply. Program and Intent: LEH Rebirth Grants support programmatic initiatives focused on the humanities. Eligible projects include public humanities programs, documentary photography, podcast and radio projects, humanities-based festivals and exhibition development, digital humanities projects, speaker series, assistance with publication projects, and humanities-based educational initiatives. Projects must involve the participation of credentialed humanities scholars. Application Timeline: Applications open on April 1 each year, with decisions announced in July. Rebirth project activities should be implemented between September 1 and October 31 of the following year. The application period for 2024 Rebirth Grants is April 1 to May 1, 2024. Funding Guidelines: Humanities scholars must play a central role in all phases of the project. Projects must focus on topics and themes drawn from the humanities or bring the analytical potential of the humanities to bear on current concerns. Programs must provide a balance of viewpoints, target public audiences, involve community representatives, and avoid advocacy and bias. LEH does not fund certain types of projects, such as creative and performing arts, research exclusively for scholarly audiences, scholarships, and political action. Nonprofit status is required, and cost share is expected. Evaluation and final reports are required for funded projects.

In 1999, the Louisiana State Legislature created the Millennium Trust to provide for the disposition of proceeds from the tobacco settlement. The same legislation that created the Millennium Trust, Louisiana Revised Statute (LRS) 39:98.1 39:98.5, also established the Education Excellence Fund (EEF) as a component of the Millennium Trust. The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) is responsible for providing the appropriations and oversight of monies from the Education Excellence Fund with the specific purpose of ensuring that all expenditures are used to support “excellence in educational practice.” The Department distributes funds to eligible local education agencies based on student enrollment: 85% of the appropriation is distributed to local school systems and charter schools based on the number of students in the most recent Minimum Foundation Program (MFP) Budget Letter. 15% of the appropriation is distributed to approved non public schools based on the number of students as reported for the previous school year.

The Louisiana Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) is a grant opportunity supported by the National Science Foundation and the Louisiana Board of Regents. The program aims to enhance Louisiana's research and development competitiveness, build partnerships among universities, national laboratories, research centers, and the private sector, and recruit students into science and engineering fields. Eligible applicants include tenured and tenure-track S&E faculty members in any Louisiana public institution of higher education or in any Louisiana higher education institution that is a member of the Louisiana Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (LAICU). Post-doctoral researchers and graduate students can participate but must be sponsored by a faculty member who will serve as the Principal Investigator (PI). Undergraduate students are also eligible but must be accompanied by a faculty member who will serve as the PI. The program provides $750 per week for subsistence expenses while visiting an industrial facility, research center, or national laboratory, with a maximum total of $6,000. Transportation cost reimbursements up to $1,000 are also provided. Proposals can be submitted from April 12, 2023, until June 30, 2024. The proposal submission must follow specific format requirements outlined in the guidelines. For more information or questions about the RFP, contact Ms. Jessica Patton at [email protected].

This grant provides financial support for nonprofit organizations and educational institutions in the Greater New Orleans area to enhance projects in arts, culture, and education, with a focus on those demonstrating excellence.

Capacity-building grants enable organizations to hire consultants to help their board and staff accomplish work that requires time, energy, expertise, and innovative thinking beyond everyday operations. In general, the most successful capacity-building projects: Address operational, management, or governance issues that affect the organization as a whole, rather than a single department or program. Focus on a single core challenge or opportunity, rather than a patchwork of unrelated issues. Are critical to the organization’s long-term success in achieving its mission. Examples of capacity-building grants may include funding for time-sensitive projects, such as executive transitions and consolidation processes such as mergers, strategic partnerships, and closing responsibly. Other types of capacity-building eligible for funding include: Data Collection and Evaluation Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Executive and Leadership Coaching Financial Management and Planning Fund Development and Sustainability Planning Governance and Board Development Human resources, staffing, and operational planning Organizational Development/ Readiness (preparing to seek foundation or government funding) Strategic Communications and Planning Strategic Planning