This funding opportunity supports nonprofit organizations engaged in cultural and humanities-based programming across Louisiana. It is designed to strengthen public institutions, museums, libraries, historical societies, and other organizations that preserve and interpret the stories, history, and heritage of the region. The grant provides assistance for both operational stability and project-based efforts that connect communities with Louisiana’s diverse cultural identity.
Organizations may apply for funding to support general operations, such as staff salaries, benefits, rent, utilities, insurance, and other essential expenses that maintain day-to-day functioning. In addition, funding is available for public programming, including lectures, community events, exhibitions, oral history projects, educational series, podcasts, and other humanities-related initiatives that engage audiences in critical conversations about culture, heritage, and identity.
Typical awards for smaller projects range from $1,000 to $5,000, intended to encourage community-based programming and innovative approaches to public humanities. Larger allocations, distributed among multiple organizations statewide, may range from $5,000 to $15,000 per recipient, with an overall annual pool of approximately $200,000. These funds help sustain organizations that are vital to the cultural life of Louisiana and ensure that the humanities remain accessible to residents of all backgrounds and regions.
Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations classified as 501(c)(3) entities, public colleges and universities, government agencies, and state or federally recognized tribal entities located within Louisiana’s 64 parishes. Priority consideration is often given to institutions that serve historically underrepresented populations or operate in rural or economically challenged areas.
The funds are intended to promote cultural understanding, community engagement, and educational enrichment. Individual applicants and for-profit businesses are not eligible. The purpose of this opportunity is to ensure that Louisiana’s cultural and historical voices continue to be preserved, explored, and shared through the work of nonprofit institutions dedicated to advancing the humanities.
