Best Sustainability Grants in Louisiana

The American Electric Power Foundation provides grants to 501(c)(3) organizations focused on educational improvement, particularly in STEM fields, and basic human services such as hunger and housing. Organizations must operate within AEP's service territory or have a broader beneficial purpose. The Foundation also supports social justice initiatives and environmental protection efforts. Eligible applicants must affirm compliance with anti-discrimination policies and demonstrate commitment to diversity and inclusion.

The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation provides grants to early-stage social entrepreneurs working on scalable solutions to pressing social and environmental issues. By supporting organizations with innovative approaches and proven impact, they aim to uplift underserved communities globally. The foundation offers operational support, funding of up to $300,000 over three years, and fosters a collaborative community among its portfolio organizations. They focus on candidates demonstrating measurable impact and sustainable growth potential.

The First Horizon Foundation Grant aims to enhance communities in Louisiana through targeted contributions in arts, education, environment, financial literacy, and health. The foundation focuses on improving community well-being, investing in future leaders, and promoting sustainability. Eligible organizations include those in Acadiana, Baton Rouge, Monroe, New Orleans, Lake Charles, and Shreveport. However, funding is not provided for individuals, political organizations, or charities redistributing funds, ensuring support is directed where it can lead to meaningful community impact.

The Global Impact Cash Grants by Cisco Systems Foundation support innovative early-stage solutions aimed at addressing significant social problems. Targeting nonprofit and nongovernmental organizations, these grants focus on four key sectors: crisis response, education, economic empowerment, and climate regeneration. Eligible organizations must demonstrate alignment with these areas, particularly serving underserved communities. The foundation seeks to leverage technology for impactful solutions, ensuring sustainability and community resilience through strategic investments.

The Labcorp Charitable Foundation, a private 501(c)(3) entity, aims to enhance healthcare access and education for all. With grant opportunities focusing on food programs, healthcare services for underserved populations, and STEM initiatives, it seeks to support community health and well-being. Organizations eligible for funding must be U.S.-based and hold tax-exempt status. Requests are reviewed biannually, in March and September, to foster impactful community projects.

The Louisiana Forest Legacy Program aims to protect privately-owned forestlands through land acquisition and conservation easements, ensuring the sustainability of vital natural resources. This voluntary initiative, supported by the USDA Forest Service and the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, helps maintain timber production, wildlife habitats, and community benefits while preventing forest fragmentation due to development. By engaging willing landowners, the program promotes responsible forestry practices and safeguards the ecological integrity of Louisiana's forests.

South Arts, Inc. offers Professional Development Grants for Arts Organizations to enhance the skills and knowledge of Southern arts entities. These grants aim to support operational stability and growth, focusing on organizations with budgets of $500,000 or less. Eligible applicants include a range of arts organizations within South Arts' nine-state service area. The program emphasizes first-time opportunities and requires a dollar-for-dollar cash match, ensuring a commitment to professional development in the arts.

Roche Corporate Donations and Philanthropy (CDP) focuses on impactful projects that foster sustainable development, engage employees, and leverage Roche's expertise. Their philanthropic efforts prioritize humanitarian, educational, environmental, and cultural initiatives, aiming to build stronger communities and support innovative projects. Eligibility is limited to local organizations, while ineligible projects include those with political or religious ties. The foundation strives to create a positive societal impact through collaboration and strategic partnerships.

The Semnani Family Foundation, established in 1993, is dedicated to supporting marginalized communities worldwide through health, education, and disaster relief initiatives. Founded by Khosrow and Ghazaleh Semnani, it began by funding an orphanage in Romania. The foundation also operates locally, providing free healthcare through the Maliheh Free Clinic in Utah. Its commitment to human welfare drives impactful partnerships in countries such as Afghanistan, India, and South Africa, focusing on the most vulnerable populations.

The Entergy Charitable Foundation Grant focuses on supporting initiatives that foster thriving communities through education, poverty solutions, and environmental programs. The foundation prioritizes funding for 501(c)(3) organizations and similar entities. Key areas include education development, innovative poverty solutions, and environmental restoration efforts, such as coastal wetland preservation. Organizations are encouraged to apply at least three months before funding is needed, ensuring timely support for impactful community projects.

The Keller Family Foundation Grant aims to enhance the Greater New Orleans community by funding non-profit organizations and government agencies, primarily those focused on education, youth development, and social services. The Foundation prioritizes local initiatives and considers applications from outside the region only with trustee endorsement. It does not fund individual education or religious activities and avoids participation in fundraising events. Overall, it seeks to foster community growth through collaborative efforts.

The Collins C. Diboll Private Foundation, established in 1984, focuses on charitable and educational initiatives for the New Orleans community. It provides grants ranging from $1,000 to $250,000 annually to 501(c)(3) organizations that address societal issues and promote arts, education, and health. While primarily supporting local organizations, it may consider applications from other areas. However, it does not fund scholarships, grants to individuals, or for-profit entities.

The Hansen Family Foundation Grant seeks to empower organizations that uphold the American values of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Focused on diverse causes like children, education, animals, environmental conservation, humanitarian efforts, and arts, the foundation is committed to supporting initiatives that create positive change. Eligible applicants must be 501(c)(3) nonprofits, while political campaigns and organizations with high budgets or overheads are ineligible. This grant fosters impactful contributions to society.

The Charles Lamar Family Foundation Grant supports projects in K-12 education, companion animal welfare, and water resources. Established in 2000, the foundation awards approximately $1 million annually to 501(c)(3) organizations through competitive rounds. Grants typically range from $5,000 to $400,000, and applicants must demonstrate community commitment and a sustainable project plan. A letter of intent is required for projects outside the foundation's primary focus areas.

The Women's Development Initiatives Grant Program, funded by Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Foundation, focuses on enhancing education and economic opportunities for women in various communities. This initiative aims to empower women through skills training, small business development, and leadership programs, ultimately fostering their participation in economic growth. Eligible organizations must directly serve women and girls in specified locations, demonstrating measurable impacts and sustainability beyond funding.

The Robinson Foundation Grant, established in 2016, aims to alleviate hardships faced by individuals and communities, demonstrating God's love through charitable contributions. As a family-operated foundation, it focuses on creating meaningful, long-term impacts in various areas including animal welfare, education, and disaster relief. Organizations eligible for funding must be 501(c)(3) public charities. The foundation prioritizes fiscally responsible projects with the potential for tangible results, while not supporting capital projects.

The Hancock Whitney Opportunity Grant, in collaboration with the Greater New Orleans Foundation, invites applications from eligible nonprofits starting October 7, 2025. This grant aims to enhance capacity building and sustainability for organizations focused on food insecurity, workforce development, and youth programs. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) organizations serving low to moderate-income communities within Hancock Whitney's service areas, fostering impactful changes with AmeriCorps support.

The Dudley T. Dougherty Foundation Grant supports nonprofit charitable organizations recognized under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS Revenue Code. Established in 2002, the foundation aims to empower groups committed to positive change, fostering respect for life and the environment. Their vision emphasizes collaboration for a better future, encouraging applicants to embody these values in their initiatives. With a focus on impactful projects, this grant is an opportunity for organizations striving to make a critical difference in our world.

The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation offers grants to support diverse initiatives, including museums, educational programs, and environmental activities. Aiming to make a significant impact with modest funding, the Foundation targets IRS-qualified non-profits in the U.S. Grants typically range from $1,000 to $20,000, fostering community development and enhancement. Organizations focused on youth, seniors, and individuals with disabilities are particularly encouraged to apply, as the Foundation seeks to empower those in need.

The David C. J. Peters Scholarship, established by Southland Industries in honor of ASHRAE member David Peters, offers a one-year scholarship to qualified undergraduate students in mechanical or architectural engineering. Candidates must be enrolled full-time in a bachelor's program at designated institutions and maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 or be in the top 30% of their class. This initiative supports the mission of ASHRAE to promote sustainable practices in engineering.

The Region VIII Scholarship, offered by ASHRAE, is a one-year award for undergraduate pre-engineering or engineering students attending accredited institutions within Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, and Mexico. Eligible applicants must maintain a GPA of at least 3.0 or rank in the top 30% of their class. Scholarships support students pursuing degrees related to HVAC&R, fostering future leaders in sustainable built environments.

The JBF Do Good Grant, established by the Joe Burrow Foundation, aims to support innovative projects that assist underprivileged children, particularly those facing mental health challenges and food insecurity. Eligible organizations include nonprofits and public charities, with proposals up to $10,000 considered. The foundation encourages creative solutions that foster lasting impacts within communities in Greater Cincinnati and Baton Rouge. By fostering these initiatives, the foundation continues Joe Burrow's commitment to community service and social responsibility.

The United Way of Southeast Louisiana is launching its second cycle of collaborative grants aimed at eradicating poverty through community-driven initiatives. The grants focus on five priority areas aligned with their Blueprint for Prosperity, which addresses stability, prosperity, wellness, and vibrant communities. Eligible applicants must operate within specific parishes and demonstrate a commitment to systemic change and equity. Funding supports planning, implementation, and continuous improvement efforts to foster long-term community impact.

The Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities offers the Louisiana Culture Care Fund Grants to support humanities-based organizations in Louisiana. Grant amounts of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 are available based on organizational budgets. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofits, public-facing institutions, and government agencies. These grants cover essential operating costs, promoting the humanities' role in preserving cultural heritage and enhancing community engagement across the state.

About the Living Well Foundation

The Living Well Foundation is a non-profit public charity that was established upon the sale of a local public hospital in 2006. Its goals are to enhance the quality of life and health of the citizens of Ouachita Parish and the 7 surrounding parishes and to assist in collaborative and innovative networking within the region. The Living Well Foundation supports several projects in the northeast Louisiana area that seek to improve the medical, dental, and behavioral health of the population, especially kids.

Specific initiatives include dental hygiene clinics with the University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM) Department of Dental Hygiene, suicide prevention/intervention, dementia/Alzheimers cognitive deficit disorders, and school-based health centers with local school boards and medical providers, including federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) and others. Other projects that provide behavioral health support services on school campuses and in communities are supported with area non-profit agencies and clinical professionals.

Grant Information

Grants are typically awarded to non-profits whose projects address the following:

• Activities related to rendering care to the sick and injured or in the promotion of health;
• Activities designed and conducted to promote the general health of the community; and,
• Activities undertaken in cooperation with public or private institutions or agencies engaged in providing health services to residents of the District.

The Foundation favors making grants that meet one or more of the following criteria:

• The grant would help assure the continued existence or creation of accessible, affordable health care facilities or services in the District or the service area that are responsive to the needs of the community.
• The grant would support the provision of health care to the disadvantaged, the uninsured, and/or the underinsured.
• The grant would support the goal of improved health care or wellness to the service area.
• The project would include an education component within its goals for participant self-sufficiency or self-awareness over time.
• The project would have a plan of sustainability upon conclusion of Foundation funding.

The LDRCT General Operating Support Grant, offered by the Louisiana Division of the Arts, aims to provide essential funding for nonprofit arts organizations in Louisiana. These grants support operational expenses, such as salaries and facilities, over a two-year period. Organizations must demonstrate a commitment to artistic disciplines and community engagement. The program encourages diversity and inclusion, fostering the growth of the arts sector while preserving Louisiana's unique cultural heritage.

The True Inspiration Awards, established by Chick-fil-A in 2015, recognizes nonprofit organizations that significantly impact their communities. In 2025, the program will distribute $6 million in grants, ranging from $30,000 to $350,000, to sixteen selected organizations. Categories include Caring for People, Caring through Food, Community, and Caring for our Planet, with a focus on educational initiatives, food security, housing services, and environmental stewardship, honoring the legacy of founder S. Truett Cathy.