Grants for Louisiana nonprofits address a wide range of focus areas, from education grants to human services. Learn more about grants for Louisiana with our Grantfinder search tool. Become a member.
Giving Trends in Louisiana
One of the smaller grantmaking landscapes in the South, grants for nonprofits in Louisiana have decreased and plateaued in the past decade. In 2018, foundations made $265.2 million in grants. It remains to be seen if grantmaking in Louisiana will increase in a state that continuously ranks in the bottom for child welfare, health and economic outcomes.
Knowledge about giving in Louisiana largely filters through Philanthropy Southeast, which found that growing areas of grantmaking interest include more funding for children, education, mental health, women’s health, substance abuse, toxic stress, criminal justice reform, and poverty prevention. To do so, many foundations in Louisiana have noted the need for more collaboration between local funders and other key stakeholders to fill the gaps left by governmental deregulation and lack of support for basic human needs.
Louisiana’s top funders include a mix of private, public and community foundations, which maintain it’s grantmaking profile. Major funders in Louisiana include the Kemper and Leila Williams Foundation, The Greater New Orleans Foundation, Baptist Community Ministries, the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, the Irene W. & C. B. Pennington Foundation, Huey and Angelina Wilson Foundation, Joe W. & Dorothy Dorsett Brown Foundation, and Community Foundation of North Louisiana, among others.
Foundations in Louisiana
MARY REYNOLDS BABCOCK FOUNDATION
The Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation supports democracy and civic engagement initiatives, such as community organizing, voter education, and voter registration, in eleven southeastern states.
BATON ROUGE AREA FOUNDATION
The Baton Rouge Area Foundation supports human services, education, health, religion, financial education, community development, and women and girls in the Baton Rouge region of Southern Louisiana.
BAYOU COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
BCF supports nonprofits in Terrebonne Parish, Lafourche Parish, and Grand Isle, Louisiana. Top interests are education, coastal protection, and human services.
GAYLE AND TOM BENSON CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
The Gayle and Tom Benson Charitable Foundation primarily funds grantmaking related to healthcare, education, and Catholic causes. It also earmarks funds for the arts.
JOE W. AND DOROTHY DORSETT BROWN FOUNDATION
The Joe W. and Dorothy Dorsett Brown Foundation supports human services, medical, health and science, education, community benefit, and conservation and environment in Louisiana.
CENTRAL LOUISIANA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
The Central Louisiana Community Foundation supports community development, art and culture, youth, health, food, housing, and human services in 12 parishes in Central Louisiana.
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF ACADIANA
The Community Foundation of Acadiana supports education, music, language, and community efforts in the Louisiana parishes of Acadia, Evangeline, Iberia, Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Mary, St. Martin, and Vermilion.
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF NORTH LOUISIANA
The Community Foundation of North Louisiana supports education, youth, environment, health, arts and culture, and social services in a 14-parish area of North Louisiana.
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA
The Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana supports human services, the environment, youth, education, and workforce readiness in Lake Charles and elsewhere in Southwest Louisiana.
ELLA WEST FREEMAN FOUNDATION
Supports education, arts, community improvement, and human services nonprofits in the New Orleans area. Grants are awarded twice per year, and unsolicited inquiries are welcome.
EMERGING PHILANTHROPISTS OF NEW ORLEANS
The Emerging Philanthropists of New Orleans supports housing, youth, economic and workforce development, arts and culture, education, environment and healthcare in Louisiana.
GREATER NEW ORLEANS FOUNDATION
This funder supports New Orleans and the surrounding 13 parishes in Southeast Louisiana. Funding causes include the arts, elderly issues, the environment, job training, LGBT community, housing, education, and health.
KELLER FAMILY FOUNDATION
This private family funder supports nonprofits in the Greater New Orleans region, in the areas of education, youth development, human services, and public affairs.
METHODIST HEALTH SYSTEM FOUNDATION
The Methodist Health System Foundation supports physical, emotional and mental health in Louisiana.
NORTHSHORE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
The Northshore Community Foundation supports human services, economic development, children and youth, healthy food, and environmental efforts along the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana.
IRENE W. & C. B. PENNINGTON FOUNDATION
The Irene W. & C. B. Pennington Foundation supports arts, humanities, community development, public safety, disaster resilience, social and emotional learning, human services, medical and mental health and the environment in Louisiana.
PRO BONO PUBLICO FOUNDATION
The foundation supports public education in New Orleans, especially charter schools. It was formed by the Rex Organization, has strong Mardi Gras ties, and awards grants once per year.
RAPIDES FOUNDATION
This funder supports nonprofits in nine Central Louisiana parishes in the fields of healthcare access, obesity, tobacco/alcohol/drug use prevention, education, economic development, and community development.
ROSAMARY FOUNDATION
RosaMary Foundation supports education, human services, arts, community development, and governmental oversight in Greater New Orleans. This foundation and the Ella West Freeman Foundation were established by A.B. Freeman.
KEMPER AND LEILA WILLIAMS FOUNDATION
The Kemper and Leila Williams Foundation supports historical preservation, museums, arts and culture and parks in Louisiana.
HUEY AND ANGELINA WILSON FOUNDATION
The Huey and Angelina Wilson Foundation supports human services, healthcare, education and prison reentry in Louisiana.
