Best Grants for Mentoring Programs in Louisiana

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) and 509(a) organizations offering tutoring, mentoring, and other educational or human services programs can seek US $2,000 - US $10,000 in support from McGraw Foundation. Although grants generally favor the greater Chicago area, organizations working on after-school tutoring, special needs education, literacy, and youth enrichment may be eligible alongside related mentoring efforts.

Undergraduate students and recent college graduates in Louisiana interested in public health and healthcare careers can access a full-time, 10-week summer internship focused on mentoring and real-world experience. Focused on tutoring and mentoring, John Muir Health invites diverse, underrepresented, and first-generation students to gain exposure, networking, and support toward health-related career pathways.

High school, undergraduate, and medical students in Louisiana interested in healthcare career mentoring can apply for John Muir Health’s CLIMB Near Peer Mentorship Program. This year-long, multi-level virtual program develops family medicine learners, pairing them with medical student mentors and opportunities to mentor high school students interested in medicine.

Focused on film music, New Music USA invites U.S.-based developing film composers, including those in Louisiana, to seek support for feature-length narrative or documentary projects in production or post-production. Grants of approximately US $20,000 fund scoring-related costs and provide high-impact mentorship to help advance composers’ careers and improve project quality.

Louisiana tutoring and mentoring programs serving low-income, college-bound youth interested in law may be eligible if their students are Shawn Carter Foundation scholars. Louisiana mentoring organizations can access funding through Shawn Carter Scholarship Fund’s Josh Dubin Fellowship, which offers a seven-week paid legal development experience plus additional scholarship support for participants’ educational expenses.

Individuals with bachelor’s or master’s degrees planning PhD studies in fields like computer science, data science, or AI can access intensive research mentoring through this predoctoral program, including candidates from Louisiana. Grants from The Allen Institute For Artificial Intelligence help emerging scholars gain mentoring, publish with senior researchers, and strengthen future graduate applications.

High school seniors pursuing business or engineering with strong character and interest in mentorship can receive renewable scholarship support and one-on-one mentoring, offered nationally by the Bradley Family Foundation. Louisiana students in Conroe Independent School District may be eligible, gaining up to four years of financial assistance plus guidance from accomplished professional mentors.

Undergraduate, master’s, and medical students interested in pediatric oncology research can receive up to US $5,000 for a mentored summer research internship through Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. With a mission to change the lives of children with cancer, this program supports hands-on research training in the U.S. and Canada, including Louisiana mentoring settings.

High school seniors seeking mentoring and higher education support in Louisiana may be eligible for US $3,000 - US $5,000 scholarships that include guidance and academic encouragement. With a mission to invest in future leaders, Rotary Club of Milwaukee provides financial aid plus mentoring for students pursuing two- or four-year or technical colleges.

Individuals interested in developing credentialed youth mentoring as a profession in the U.S. can access funding through the Bergel Institute to pursue a year-long, part-time fellowship focused on research and project development. Fellows design training, certification, and licensing frameworks and help launch a pilot mentoring site, with US $30,000 in support and two funded trips to Florida.

Early-career production managers in live entertainment, including those based in Louisiana, can apply for the Carolyn A. Satter Production Management Mentorship Program, which awards US $2,000 for conference-related expenses and intensive mentorship. Offered by United Institute for Theatre Technology, this opportunity supports hands-on management experience at the USITT Annual Conference & Stage Expo.

Faculty developing or expanding undergraduate mentoring and discussion-based programs in Louisiana can apply for Institute for Humane Studies’ Free Society Grants to support liberal tradition–grounded coursework and co-curricular activities. Eligible projects include faculty-led mentorship, reading groups, workshops, and symposia that foster sustained engagement with political, economic, and civic questions; adjunct and visiting faculty may be considered.

First-generation master’s and doctoral students in exercise physiology, sports science, kinesiology, or sports nutrition at U.S. schools can receive US $4,000 - US $6,000 for research plus 1:1 mentorship. With a mission to advance health and human performance, American College of Sports Medicine Foundation provides Louisiana mentoring-focused graduate researchers with funding, professional guidance, and conference participation opportunities.

Louisiana students seeking higher education and mentoring support can access funding through the Pizza Hut Foundation’s scholarship and mentorship program, available to legal residents of the U.S., Guam, or D.C. Eligible applicants are ages 17–26 with at least a 2.5 GPA, enrolled or planning to enroll in accredited postsecondary programs and eligible for federal student aid.

Community-rooted early childhood leaders in Louisiana testing new mentoring or tutoring ideas can receive US $20,000 to pilot transformative solutions. Promise Venture Studio’s Imagine Award pairs flexible funding with a six-month cohort, one-on-one support, mentoring, and workshops to help leaders design, test, and refine pilots grounded in equity and community voice.

The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) offers research training programs aimed at advancing education research through two key initiatives: the Early Career Development and Mentoring Program and the Methods Training Program. These programs support emerging researchers in developing their skills and enhancing their research capabilities to address vital education issues. The funding is designed for early career investigators and current education researchers, fostering rigorous and relevant research that informs education policy and practice.

Chicken & Egg Pictures Inc

Chicken & Egg Films was founded in 2005 by documentary film industry veterans Julie Parker Benello, Wendy Ettinger, and Judith Helfand. As filmmakers, teachers, funders, and impact producers, they were inspired to utilize their collective expertise to uplift the power of fellow women storytellers. Chicken & Egg was thus created to help address financial and creative challenges uniquely faced by women in the field–a model that married funding with mentorship to create not just an organization, but a growing community. 

Chicken & Egg Films shapes a more equitable and just world with the catalytic power of documentary films by providing funding, mentorship and industry access to a global community of women and gender-expansive filmmakers. 

Chicken & Egg Award

The Chicken & Egg Award recognizes women and gender-expansive filmmakers at advanced stages in their careers who are poised to reach new heights in their creative and impact trajectories across the world.

Despite progress by talented women and gender-expansive documentary filmmakers across the globe, there are often still numerous roadblocks that stand in the way of a true industry breakthrough. These barriers are often tied to gender, race, class, disability, and geography. Only a few women and gender-expansive nonfiction directors in the United States and abroad are able to work full time as independent storytellers, and few are folks of color, from working-class backgrounds, or from under-represented countries. 

There are, however, a growing number who are getting close. Each has made several films, and each is an influential leader for the issues they explore on screen. With this Award, Chicken & Egg Films is making a bold investment in these creatives and a statement about gender equity. A greater diversity of voices participating in storytelling drives change. We believe this effort is inextricably connected to elevating critical social justice, environmental, and human rights issues. 

The Chicken & Egg Award consists of a $75,000 USD cash award and a year-long mentorship program. Of the total, $50,000 is unrestricted, allowing filmmakers to decide how to use the funding to support their creative and business practices. The additional $25,000 is a grant for the project(s) the filmmaker will work on during their program year. Our in-depth mentorship program is focused on strengthening Awardees’ professional infrastructure, increasing their visibility, and fulfilling their personal and creative goals.

The Established Clinician Investigator Award to Support Mentoring (KS1) is designed to provide established clinician investigators with dedicated time for mentoring early-career clinician research scientists. This initiative by the US Dept. of Health & Human Services: National Institutes of Health (NIH) aims to enhance the quality of mentorship, fostering the development of future leaders in clinical research. It supports a sustained commitment to training and guidance, ensuring a robust pipeline of skilled professionals.

The Mentored Career Transition Award (KT1/R00) offers a biphasic funding opportunity for up to 5 years, supporting the transition of postdoctoral researchers to independent faculty positions. The first phase provides 1-2 years of mentored career development, while the second phase grants up to 3 years of independent research support, contingent upon satisfactory progress and faculty appointment. This grant aims to enhance the capacity of early-career researchers in achieving research-intensive roles.

The Mentored Clinician Research Scientist Career Development Award (KC1) from the NIH supports clinician research scientists for up to five years, providing dedicated time for intensive research career development. This award aims to guide candidates with clinical doctoral degrees towards achieving research independence by pairing them with experienced mentors who can help navigate their career paths.

The Mentored Research Scientist Career Development Award (KR1) offers crucial support for researchers aiming for independence. Funded by the US Dept. of Health & Human Services through the NIH, this award allows candidates to engage in intensive research training under a mentor's guidance for up to five years. It is designed for those with research doctoral degrees, facilitating their transition into independent research roles and enhancing their contributions to the scientific community.

About

Building a community of journalists committed to better health care reporting.

We believe accurate, contextual and balanced health care reporting is more important than ever.

People depend on health care stories to make life-altering decisions every day.

AHCJ International Health Study Fellowships

A fellowship for experienced journalists with a focus on international health.

In comparing the U.S. health care system to its global counterparts, journalists traveling to different countries as part of the AHCJ International Fellowship program can produce projects that provide valuable insights that can help inform policy decisions, improve health care outcomes and contribute to the ongoing evolution of health care systems worldwide.

Through the AHCJ International Health Study Fellowships, supported by The Commonwealth Fund, you can pursue a story or project comparing a facet of the U.S. health care system to that of another country. 

For 2027, the focus will be on the U.K. and France in comparison with the U.S. health care system. You’ll pursue the projects with the support of your newsrooms or arranged outlets, which commit to publish or air the work.

This fellowship allows highly experienced journalists to maintain their regular employment while working to evaluate a key component of the health care system, a health outcome, access, performance, providers, efficiency or other focal point over a six-month period.

That period allows for preparatory time, a site visit to the chosen European country, interviews and information gathering, as well as follow-up and writing time. Guidance is provided through seminars, conference calls and consultations with AHCJ fellowship leaders, a mentor and exposure to various topic experts.

About

Building a community of journalists committed to better health care reporting.

We believe accurate, contextual and balanced health care reporting is more important than ever.

People depend on health care stories to make life-altering decisions every day.

AHCJ U.S. Health System Reporting Fellowship

This opportunity is for U.S.-based journalists.

Issues with the U.S. health care system are often obvious — from large swaths of uninsured residents and junk insurance plans, to high maternal mortality rates and preventable medical errors. But what is at the root of issues like these? What could an equitable health care system look like? 

Through the U.S. Health System Reporting Fellowship, supported by The Commonwealth Fund, you can pursue a significant reporting project related to the U.S. health care system at the local, regional and/or national level.

This fellowship allows mid-career journalists to maintain their regular employment while working on a major project over a 12-month calendar year. You’ll pursue the projects with the support of your newsrooms or arranged outlets, which commit to publish or air the work.

We believe that issues of health equity impact every facet of the health care system, which is why we’re specifically interested in projects focused on health equity. This might include racial disparities within a community, gaps in public health inclusion, unstable housing, insurance access, food insecurity, violence as a health issue, how health care institutions or systems are applying a racial equity lens to their policies and practices or otherwise addressing inequities or disparities, or other examinations of systemic problems that have become so apparent over the last few years.

Guidance is provided by AHCJ mentors through customized seminars on health care systems, conference calls and email consultations. The fellowship covers the cost of attending the seminars and the annual AHCJ conference, as well as a $2,500 project allowance to defray the cost of field reporting, health data analysis and other project-related research. In addition, you will receive a $5,000 fellowship award upon the successful completion of the project.

The Retina Society, Inc.

The Retina Society was founded in 1968 exclusively for educational and scientific purposes concerning the diagnosis, care and treatment of diseases and injuries to the retina. The Retina Society began as an outgrowth of alumni meetings of Retina Associates, a retina practice founded in Boston in 1951 by Charles L. Schepens. Dr. Schepens is credited with establishing retina surgery as a sub-specialty.  

Our mission is to reduce worldwide visual disability and blindness by promoting the education and professional interaction of vitreoretinal specialists, providing optimal care for patients with vitreoretinal diseases, and encouraging, through clinical and basic research, the discovery and development of new means to further patient care.

Retina Society Underrepresented in Medicine (RESOURCE) Mentoring Program

The Retina Society Underrepresented in Medicine (RESOURCE) Mentoring Program was created to engage and interest ophthalmology residents from underrepresented populations* in research and in pursuing careers in the retina subspecialty through dedicated mentoring exposure. The program will pair ophthalmology residents from underrepresented backgrounds with Retina Society mentors, with the goal of providing the residents with research and career mentorship.

*The American Association of Medical Colleges definition of underrepresented in medicine is: "Underrepresented in medicine means those racial and ethnic populations that are underrepresented in the medical profession relative to their numbers in the general population." We define the following groups as underrepresented: Black (African American or African), Latino/Hispanic, American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. We will also be considering applicants from LGBTQIA+ and socioeconomically underprivileged backgrounds.

Mentors will work with their designated mentees on research projects that will be presented at the Retina Society Annual Meeting in 2027 and submitted for publication consideration. Mentors and mentees will be acknowledged at the Retina Society Annual Meeting.

Dennis Van der Meer Tennis Foundation

A 2021 International Tennis Hall of Famer, Dennis was the founder of the Professional Tennis Registry Foundation (PTR Foundation), now called Dennis Van der Meer Tennis Foundation, Professional Tennis Registry (PTR), and the Van Der Meer Tennis University.

Dennis Van der Meer Tennis Foundation is a nonprofit organization exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The Dennis Van der Meer Tennis Foundation provides support to deserving individuals and organizations globally. The foundation is also focused on bringing tennis within reach to countless people worldwide.

Nehemiah Atkinson Humanitarian Grant

This grant reflects the Foundation’s dedication to giving and serving others. It is awarded to individuals who have shown an extraordinary commitment to enhancing the lives of those around them.

The Foundation supports projects that promote and preserve the legacy, vision, and spirit of our founder, Dennis Van der Meer. We will only consider funding for educational, life enrichment, mentoring, and tennis programs.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations offering education, tutoring, or mentoring programs in Louisiana and other U.S. regions can apply for grants of US $5,000 - US $20,000. Focused on educational opportunity, the John Ben Snow Memorial Trust also considers youth initiatives, community programs, arts education, and related services for disadvantaged or underserved populations.

The Wilson Foundation's Empower Grant supports transformative projects in North Baton Rouge, particularly in ZIP codes 70802, 70805, 70806, 70807, 70811, and 70812. With a focus on housing, education, community wellness, and economic vitality, the foundation seeks to empower local residents through collaborative efforts. By prioritizing community engagement and sustainable change, the grant aims to address the underlying social and economic challenges faced by over 124,000 residents in the region.