NOTE: Due to COVID-19, travel for professional development might not be possible. Applications will be accepted for virtual professional development opportunities as well as staff training.

New applicants are encouraged to contact the program officer to discuss eligibility prior to submitting an application. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Applications must be submitted at least 60 days prior to the project start date.

The Program

Professional Development and Artistic Planning Grants are available to support the professional development needs of Southern presenters, programmers, or curators, for strengthening program design or increasing organizational capacity. South Arts strongly believes professional development for presenters/programmers/curators is integral to success, including traveling to see new works and attending convenings. This grant program is open to film, visual arts, performing arts, traditional arts, literary arts, and multidisciplinary organizations.

This funding can support staff’s travel expenses to conferences, festivals, exhibitions, workshops, and other professional development opportunities. Funding also supports guest artists’ or guest curators’ travel expenses for onsite planning meetings with presenting organizations. These grants support travel expenses (for example, lodging and air/ground transportation), admission/registration fees, and other related expenses. In addition, these grants support expenses for virtual professional development opportunities and staff training (for example, diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility training or technology training for virtual engagements).

South Arts is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. We have prioritized this commitment to ensure that Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) led organizations, LGBTQIA+ led organizations, and organizations led by people with disabilities are represented as both applicants and grantees. In addition, we encourage applications for projects that engage BIPOC artists, LGBTQIA+ artists, and artists with disabilities.

Guidelines

Grants from National Trust Preservation Funds (NTPF) are intended to encourage preservation at the local level by supporting on-going preservation work and by providing seed money for preservation projects. These grants help stimulate public discussion, enable local groups to gain the technical expertise needed for preservation projects, introduce the public to preservation concepts and techniques, and encourage financial participation by the private sector.

A small grant at the right time can go a long way and is often the catalyst that inspires a community to take action on a preservation project. Grants generally start at $2,500 and range up to $5,000. The selection process is very competitive.

Eligible Activities

National Trust Preservation Fund grants are awarded for planning activities and education efforts focused on preservation. Grant funds can be used to launch new initiatives or to provide additional support to on-going efforts.

Planning: Supporting existing staff (nonprofit applicants only) or obtaining professional expertise in areas such as architecture, archaeology, engineering, preservation planning, land-use planning, and law. Eligible planning activities include, but are not limited to:

• Hiring a preservation architect or landscape architect, or funding existing staff with expertise in these areas, to produce a historic structure report or historic landscape master plan.
• Hiring a preservation planner, or funding existing staff with expertise in this area, to produce design guidelines for a historic district.
• Hiring a real estate development consultant, or funding existing staff with expertise in this area, to produce an economic feasibility study for the reuse of a threatened structure.
• Sponsoring a community forum to develop a shared vision for the future of a historic neighborhood.
• Organizational capacity building activities such as hiring fundraising consultants, conducting board training, etc.

Education and Outreach: Support for preservation education activities aimed at the public. The National Trust is particularly interested in programs aimed at reaching new audiences. Funding will be provided to projects that employ innovative techniques and formats aimed at introducing new audiences to the preservation movement, whether that be through education programming or conference sessions.

NOTE: All applicants must be invited to apply for a grant from Bayer Fund. Invitation codes can be requested from the Bayer site in your community or through the Contact Us page.

We support high-quality educational programming by schools and nonprofit organizations that enable access to knowledge and information and empower students and teachers in communities around the nation, with a focus on furthering STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) education. Priority is given to programs that take place during the school day, but also includes after school and summer programs, technical training programs, and academic programs that enrich or supplement school programs.

The in-school educational programs we support target grades K-12 and under-served students (50%+ students qualify for free/reduced lunch) and take place during the school day. The after school and summer programs we support include those offered by youth development organizations that take place outside of the regular school day and provide students in grades K-12 with opportunities to enhance their skills and interests through exposure to STEM fields.

All funding requests and budgets must be for program activities and expenses that start after funding decisions are made. All programs must be completed within one year of the start date, except in limited situations where longer term programs have been agreed upon. Grant award amounts vary, depending on the size of the community, the type of programming, and the reach/impact of the organization.

NOTE: The Foundation will not accept new applications for IMPACT grants in 2023. The Foundation plans to announce an updated strategy and release an RFP for new organizations to apply for IMPACT funding across the five categories in spring 2024.

Impact Grants

To support the region in the following categories: arts & culture, education, youth development, health, and social services.

Purpose

The Greater New Orleans Foundation is proud to be the steward of more than 800 donor-advised and donor-designated funds. Our donors make more than $23 million in grants to diverse nonprofits of all sizes throughout the region, according to their specific areas of interest.

IMPACT is the Greater New Orleans Foundation’s discretionary grants program. Its goal is to promote a resilient, vibrant, and equitable region in which the special character of the Greater New Orleans region and its people is preserved, celebrated, and given the means to thrive. Funding for IMPACT comes from a portion of our assets, field of interest funds, and unrestricted funds. We are committed to increasing the dollars we have available for IMPACT through our fundraising efforts; however, at this time our IMPACT funding remains limited.

In 2017 the Foundation made the decision to adopt a multi-year, renewal-based grantmaking strategy. By providing nonprofit organizations general operating support for multiple years, we are giving organizations what they need most—time and money. In collaboration with our nonprofit partners, we will be able to devote more attention to our community’s most pressing problems. Organizations that receive general support IMPACT grants will be eligible to renew their grants for an additional two years. This will create a rolling cohort of organizations working to help the Greater New Orleans Foundation to achieve its programmatic goals.

Priority Areas

Our priorities are informed by thoughtful analysis of pressing community needs, corresponding data, service delivery gaps, and best practices, as well as by available funding. We draw from the collective wisdom of our nonprofit partners, our staff, and the field of grantmaking. Accordingly, we have developed a theory of change statement for each area of funding. These theories of change statements guide our investments in the five program areas described below.

As we seek to be responsive and strategic, we will refine and adjust our priorities over time. Feedback and guidance are always welcome.

Arts & Culture

Support is available to organizations and programs that help preserve and grow Greater New Orleans’ unique, rich cultural heritage.

Priority will be given to work that aims to:

• Improve the quality of life and economic opportunities for indigenous culture bearers, artists, and performers.
• Advocate to preserve existing public support for the arts.

Social Services

Support is available to organizations that form and promote strategic partnerships to meet the needs of low-income individuals and families and help them move towards self-sufficiency.

Priority will be given to work that aims to:

• Provide high quality and well-coordinated social services related to crisis management and treatment; intake assessment and screening; early intervention; and job skills training, career planning, job retention, and career advancement.
• Improve communication, coordination, and collaboration between social service organizations so that individuals and families can be provided with comprehensive, wrap-around services through strong referral networks and shared practices. 

Health

Support is available to organizations that increase access to healthcare services for low-income, disabled, and older adult individuals and organizations that work to increase access to mental health services.

Priority will be given to work that aims to:

• Help increase Medicaid/LACHIP, Medicare, or Affordable Care Act Marketplace enrollment for low-income, disabled, and older adult individuals in Louisiana.
• Advocate for equal access to quality primary care, behavioral health, and preventive healthcare for all.
• Increase access to trauma-informed and culturally relevant mental health services.

Youth Development

Support is available to organizations that ensure youth have access to high quality programs that extend learning beyond the classroom and build connections to caring adults, education, and employment.

Priority will be given to work that aims to:

• Provide youth workers with the education, tools, and professional development opportunities that will help improve their knowledge, skills, and attitudes in the areas of social-emotional learning, trauma informed care, equity, and healing.
• Increase the advocacy capacity of youth serving organizations on issues such as juvenile justice reform, workforce training, appropriate educational options, and transition supports for opportunity youth— individuals between the ages of 16 and 24 who are not connected to education or employment.

Education

Support is available to organizations that ensure all young people enrolled in public K-12 schools receive a rigorous, high quality education that prepares them for post-secondary education and entering the workforce. GNOF also supports organizations that advocate for adult literacy.

Priority will be given to work that aims to:

• Support the equitable provision of social-emotional academic instruction, trauma informed approaches, and mental health services to students in school settings.
• Advocate at the local and state levels for equitable policies regarding special education, school discipline, and diverse educational options that meet the needs of underserved students.
• Increase college matriculation, graduation, or post-secondary training and completion by encouraging students to explore options and supporting them through the enrollment process and beyond.

Amount

The average grant size is $20,000; grants may be larger or smaller.

Grants Types

IMPACT will support:

• General operations
• Programs
• Advocacy, including legislative, judicial, or executive advocacy; community organizing; community leadership development; and policy development

Special Funding

Grants will also be awarded in four special funding categories: Kahn-Oppenheim Trust, Michael R. Boh Fund, Gulf States Eye Surgery Fund, and Harold W. Newman Jr. Charitable Trust.

Harold W. Newman, Jr. Charitable Trust (up to $220,000) – Funding for organizations that provide health care assistance to residents of New Orleans whose U.S. adjusted gross income for the preceding tax year, when added to any tax-exempt income and income from a spouse for that same year, is at least $75,000 but not more than $200,000. The health care assistance must be for cancer, heart disease, or Alzheimer’s.

Kahn-Oppenheim Trust (up to $130,000) – Funding for the development and/or improvement of public health outreach and education programs to inform people about ways to prevent diseases like asthma, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, HIV/AIDS, and others, insofar as these programs involve physical, nutritional, or dietary regimens.

Gulf States Eye Surgery Fund (up to $40,000) – Funding for organizations that defray the expenses of poor or indigent patients requiring or receiving eye surgery, care, or treatment.

Michael R. Boh Fund (up to $80,000) – Funding for organizations that help children and their families who have been rejected by the institutions that most children rely on for their development.

Priority will be given to organizations that demonstrate one or more of the following:

• Strong leadership at the staff and board level
• Good fiscal management
• Growing track record of success
• Commitment to equity for communities and populations in high need
• Thoughtful involvement of community members as leaders and advisors
• Key contributions to the health and vibrancy of the communities they serve
• Advocacy on behalf of underserved communities at the community, legislative, judicial, and/or executive levels
• Creative engagement of multiple stakeholders to promote the creation of new public sources of support for nonprofit work
• Integration of individual, family, and community views into the assessment of needs and services as well as needed policy and advocacy initiatives

NOTE: To begin, you must first register. Once you have completed our registration, you will be directed to a screen to register your organization, or request access to become a grant administrator. Applications for approval as a grants administrator (pre-proposal deadline) must be received 7 days before a deadline (full proposal deadlines).

Purpose

Since it was founded nearly 60 years ago, Turner Industries has grown to be one of the nation’s leading heavy industrial contractors. Founder Bert S. Turner (now deceased) and his wife, Sue, and their children have taken an interest from the very beginning in steadily investing charitable dollars back into the communities in which the company works. As the company has grown in size and number of locations across the country, so have the number of recipients the company has been able to assist. Turner Industries benefits workforce development and community improvement as it relates to health and education.

The Turner Industries Fund at the Baton Rouge Area Foundation invites you to apply for grant funding for your organization through this process. The Fund committee meets on a semi-annual basis to review grant requests and will look forward to reviewing your submission.

Values

Organizations eligible for funding should have values consistent with those of Turner Industries:

• A top priority of everyone is to honor commitments, both personally and professionally. 
• The workplace atmosphere is one of openness and fairness where everyone communicates directly and honestly, and is governed by the same rules.
• A goal of everyone is to grow, personally and professionally, and to contribute to the achievement of the organization.
• The importance of innovation is recognized and peak performers are rewarded.
• The value of excellence in produce quality, customer service and financial performance is stressed.

Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities (LEH)

All LEH projects must focus on topics and themes drawn from the humanities or bring the analytical potential of the humanities to bear on current political, social, or economic concerns and issues.

The 1965 legislation that established the National Endowment for the Humanities, defines the humanities as follows: “The term ‘humanities’ includes, but is not limited to, the study and interpretation of the following: language, both modern and classical; linguistics; literature; history; jurisprudence; philosophy; archaeology; comparative religion; ethics; the history, criticism and theory of the arts; those aspects of the social sciences which have humanistic content and employ humanistic methods; and the study and application of the humanities to the human environment with particular attention to reflecting our diverse heritage, traditions, and history and to the relevance of the humanities to the current conditions of national life.”

LEH projects should include:

• Humanities Scholars Involvement - Humanities scholars must play a central role in all phases of an LEH-funded project as planners, speakers, resource persons, panelists, and/or evaluators. The LEH defines a humanities scholar as an individual professionally trained and primarily engaged in the study, research, writing, and/or teaching of humanities disciplines. The individual can be employed in their field, retired, not employed, or on temporary leave from a professional position in the humanities. Affiliation with a college or university is usual but not mandatory. Scholars usually have a PhD in a humanities discipline or at least alternative credentials.

• Balanced Viewpoints - To avoid advocacy and bias, programs sponsored by the LEH must provide for a balance of viewpoints, especially those projects dealing with controversial contemporary issues. For example, a project addressing the First Amendment’s relation to religion in public schools should provide subject matter for both sides of the issue.

• Public Audiences - Programs must be designed to address the out-of-school public rather than exclusively the scholarly community. The LEH especially encourages applications from minority-serving institutions and organizations as well as from rural and underserved areas of the state, but applications are welcome regardless of an organization’s size, audience, and location. The LEH encourages research and publishing project proposals to include a public component as well.

• Community Involvement - Representatives of the community must be involved in all phases of a project to complement the presence of the humanities scholars. The LEH encourages advance planning with community groups.

Rebirth Grant  

Rebirth project activities should be implemented between September 1, 2022, and October 31, 2023.

Rebirth fundable formats include:

• DISCUSSION - This category includes projects that enable humanities scholars to meet directly, whether in-person or virtually, with a public audience. Discussion projects may take the form of symposia, community forums, debates, conferences, seminars, workshops, discussion groups, lectures, or panel discussions.
• PODCASTS/RADIO DOCUMENTARIES - This category provides funds for the production of audio programs. All documentary projects must use one or more humanities disciplines to examine a topic(s) of Louisiana history and/or culture.
• DIGITAL MEDIA - Accessible to the public through the internet, this format consists of interpretive virtual exhibits of local history and culture, folklore/folkways, and museum exhibits. The site developed may also be interactive and include teacher guidelines and curriculum materials.
• EXHIBITION DEVELOPMENT - Exhibitions using artifacts, documents, works of art, and/or other cultural objects to interpret ideas and concepts are eligible. Funds may be used to assist in interpreting the permanent collections or temporary exhibitions of museums, or to assemble permanent or traveling exhibitions. In addition, eligible applicants may apply for funds for the interpretation of historic sites.
• PUBLICATION  - Consists of the production of Louisiana humanities publications and photo documentaries; interpretive brochures, guides, and booklets; catalogues; and teacher manuals. Under this format, the LEH also supports the development of interpretive and historically/culturally significant community walking/driving tours.
• SCHOLAR-IN-RESIDENCE - This format allows for the placement of a humanities scholar within an eligible sponsoring organization for a period not to exceed four months. Such a scholar could aid the sponsor in the planning and implementation of humanities programs; long-range planning efforts; defining and clarifying public policy issues; and increasing cooperative activities between the sponsor and local humanities resources.

Louisiana Project Grants

Mission

The Louisiana Division of the Arts (LDOA) in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council (LSAC) is the catalyst for participation, education, development and promotion of excellence in the arts.

Vision

It is the responsibility of LDOA to support established arts institutions, nurture both emerging arts organizations and our overall cultural economy, assist individual artists, encourage the expansion of audiences and stimulate public participation in the arts in Louisiana.

Core Values

The arts are an essential and unique aspect of life in Louisiana to which each citizen has a right. Access to the arts should not depend on your geographical location, physical abilities, or income. All residents should have an equitable stake in the arts in Louisiana, which provide a wonderful quality of life and add to our rich cultural heritage.

LDOA Equity Statement: LDOA aspires to intentionally advance diversity, equity and inclusion in every aspect of our work. LDOA celebrates our state’s diversity and promotes the role of the arts to connect people, bridge our differences, and inspire an appreciation of our shared humanity. LDOA is committed to integrating DEI into the fabric of our organization and our work, from our internal culture to how we partner with communities and other organizations to how we use our resources. We continually seek ways to expand our impact and improve our performance on these measures.

Louisiana Project Grant (LPG) Goals

• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
• Stimulate healthy competition in grant proposal submissions
• Increase the level of creativity, innovation and awareness of new trends in project development
• Encourage professional artists to undertake projects that have meaningful community involvement and collaboration
• Leverage additional local and national support for the arts in Louisiana

LPG Priorities

• Must be an ART project involving dance, design arts, folklife, literature, media, music, theatre, or visual arts
• Must show how the project accounts for the population of the region and promotes diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility
• Emphasis on Innovation and Artistry
• Risk Taking/Trying something new
• Focus on learning as an outcome as well as quantitative outcomes
• Cross-parish partnerships between larger, urban organizations and their rural counterparts or vice versa
• Projects that have a trajectory to continue to enhance the region beyond the funding period

Artistic Disciplines

Louisiana Project Grants provide funding for arts projects. The artistic disciplines described below are considered eligible art forms:

• Dance - Dance projects can focus on ballet, modern, jazz or ethnic dance. Dance project grants assist artists and organizations to make innovative dance programs that meet a need in their community and are accessible to all.

• Design - Design Arts projects can involve the design fields of architecture; landscape architecture; urban design; historic preservation and planning; interior design; industrial design; graphic design; and fashion design. This project area provides an opportunity for visual arts and design professionals to collaborate on projects involving design practice, media, theory, research, and education about design. Projects may include publications, audiovisual presentations, or conferences. Design arts do not include purchase of plantings, seeds, gardening equipment, construction equipment, or building supplies.

• Folklife - Folklife refers to traditions currently practiced within a community that have been passed down informally over time and not learned through workshops, classes, or magazines. Folklife includes Performing Traditions (music, dance, storytelling) and Traditional Arts & Crafts (occupational, festive and food ways traditions). See definition of folk artist in the glossary. Folk traditions are created within specific cultural contexts that need to be understood to be appreciated. Most folklife projects are greatly enhanced with the services of a professional folklorist or other trained cultural specialists such as those with academic training in folklore, cultural anthropology, ethnomusicology or other related fields. Cultural specialists should be involved in planning and implementation phases of a project. Folklife does not include historical re-enacting or living history. Folklife projects are evaluated for the cultural significance of the art form and the involvement of trained cultural specialists (folklorists, anthropologists, ethnomusicologists).

• Literature - Literature project grants are intended to support innovative projects that utilize the literary arts such as works of poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction to meet a community need and promote diversity, equity and inclusion. In addition, the category supports not-for-profit small presses and magazines that publish fiction, poetry, creative prose, or literary criticism for production and distribution projects. Such magazines must have been published at least once.

• Media - Media project grants provide financial assistance to organizations and artists involved in film, video, radio, or related media. Projects should focus on the development of film, video, and radio as art forms where experimentation, technique and, creative processes are included in the project design.

• Music - Music project grants assist artists or organizations sponsoring musical programming or the presentation and development of musicians, composers, and/or music ensembles and orchestras in all genres, including band, chamber, choral, ethnic, jazz, new, opera, orchestral, popular, solo/recital.

• Theater - Theater project grants are intended to use dramatic and musical theater to engage the public, promote diversity, equity and inclusion and help meet a community need or support the development of nonprofit professional and community theater, puppetry, mime, and storytelling.

• Visual Arts and Crafts -Visual Arts and Crafts project grants are intended to support projects or services of museums, art galleries, art centers, and other community organizations concerned with visual arts. This includes drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, photography, glass, ceramics, fiber, wood, metal, mixed media, and art in public places.

Introduction and Intent

Louisiana Project Grants are administered jointly by the Louisiana Division of the Arts (LDOA) and nine regional arts councils across the state. This program provides a system for funding arts projects in all regions of the state by giving artists, nonprofit arts organizations, nonprofit organizations, public and private schools, school boards, colleges and universities, and local government agencies in each region the opportunity to develop arts projects that meet their local needs. The purpose of the program is to cultivate innovative arts projects that have a lasting impact within each region of our state.

Louisiana Project Grants are funded by the LDOA. Due to a substantial decrease in state general funds for the LDOA, Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser transfers $1 Million from the Louisiana Office of Tourism to fund this program. Funds are provided to each region on a per capita basis utilizing the most recent U.S. Census figures. The Louisiana Division of the Arts oversees the Louisiana Project Grants program and disburses the funds to nine Regional Arts Councils (RAC), which in turn re-grant those dollars within their regions.

Recognized Artistic Disciplines

Louisiana Project Grants provide funds for a wide variety of arts projects that can impact their region and/or meet specific community needs. Arts projects funded must focus on one or more of the recognized arts disciplines listed below.

Dance

Dance projects can focus on ballet, modern, jazz or ethnic dance. Dance project grants assist artists and organizations to make innovative dance programs that meet a need in their community and are accessible to all.

Design

Design Arts projects can involve the design fields of architecture; landscape architecture; urban design; historic preservation and planning; interior design; industrial design; graphic design; and fashion design. This project area provides an opportunity for visual arts and design professionals to collaborate on projects involving design practice, media, theory, research, and education about design. Projects may include publications, audiovisual presentations, or conferences. Design arts do not include purchase of plantings, seeds, gardening equipment, construction equipment, or building supplies.

Folklife

Folklife refers to traditions currently practiced within a community that have been passed down informally over time and not learned through workshops, classes, or magazines. Folklife includes Performing Traditions (music, dance, storytelling) and Traditional Arts & Crafts (occupational, festive and food ways traditions). See definition of folk artist in Glossary of Terms. Folk traditions are created within specific cultural contexts that need to be understood to be appreciated. Most folklife projects are greatly enhanced with the services of a professional folklorist or other trained cultural  specialists such as those with academic training in folklore, cultural anthropology, ethnomusicology or other related fields. Cultural specialists should be involved in planning and implementation phases of a project. Folklife does not include historical re-enacting or living history.

Folklife projects are evaluated for the cultural significance of the art form and the involvement of trained cultural specialists (folklorists, anthropologists, ethnomusicologists).

Literature

Literature project grants are intended to support innovative projects that utilize the literary arts such as works of poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction to meet a community need and promote diversity, equity and inclusion. In addition, the category supports not-for-profit small presses and magazines that publish fiction, poetry, creative prose, or literary criticism for production and distribution projects. Such magazines must have been published at least once.

Media

Media project grants provide financial assistance to organizations and artists involved in film, video, radio, or related media. Projects should focus on the development of film, video, and radio as art forms where experimentation, technique and, creative processes are included in the project design.

Music

Music project grants assist artists or organizations sponsoring musical programming or the presentation and development of musicians, composers, and/or music ensembles and orchestras in all genres, including band, chamber, choral, ethnic, jazz, new, opera, orchestral, popular, solo/recital.

Theater

Theater project grants are intended to use dramatic and musical theater to engage the public, promote diversity, equity and inclusion and help meet a community need or support the development of nonprofit professional and community theater, puppetry, mime, and storytelling.

Visual Arts and Crafts

Visual Arts and Crafts project grants are intended to support projects or services of museums, art galleries, art centers, and other community organizations concerned with visual arts. This includes drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, photography, glass, ceramics, fiber, wood, metal, mixed media, and art in public places.