Baton Rouge Area Foundation
Contact information:
402 N. Fourth St.
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
Phone: 225-387-6126
Fax: 225-387-6153 or 225-408-8125
Website: http://www.braf.org/braf/
Type of foundation: Community
Types of grants: Scholarships, program, building renovation, seed money
Description: The Foundation works with its donors to connect them to nonprofits meeting community needs. It also invests in "pivotal projects" that can change the community. These include, among others, a downtown revitalization initiative and a collaborative effort to build an economic corridor from the North Shore to Lake Charles. The Foundation also partners with the Northshore Community Foundation and with the Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana.
The Foundation offers a number of competitive grant opportunities. A full list, with downloadable guidelines, is available online. Opportunities include:
- Community Coffee Fund: supporting programs that will improve the results of pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade education.
- Credit Bureau of Baton Rouge: supporting programs to educate the public about the consumer credit system and the wise use of consumer credit.
- E.J. and Marjory B. Ourso Foundation: supporting organizations in South Louisiana working in the areas of education, health care, human services and religion.
- Powell Group Fund: making grants in the areas of arts and humanities, community development, education, environment, health care and human services.
- Soul Survivors Fund: promoting breast cancer awareness.
Sample grants:
- $57,007 to WRKF Public Radio (2008).
- $38,750 to International Center for Journalists (2008).
- $11,000 to Louisiana Public Broadcasting (2008).
- $9,100 to Friends of Louisiana Public Broadcasting (2008).
- $1,125 to WRKF Public Radio (2008).
- $1,200 to WYES-TV (2008).
- $500 to International Women's Media Foundation (2008).
Fit for public broadcasting: The Foundation makes several grants to public media, although it is not clear which are made through donor-advised funds and which are made through competitive funds. Some of the competitive funds appear to have potential overlap with public media.
Eligibility: Grants are generally available to nonprofits working in East and West Baton Rouge Parish, East and West Feliciana, Ascension, Livingston, Iberville and Pointe Coupee. Only nonprofits that are registered as 501(c)(3) can apply.
Deadline: Each competitive fund has its own deadlines.
How to apply: Review the available competitive grant opportunities and their guidelines. All proposals must be accompanied by a Proposal Summary Sheet.
Giving range: $250 – $400,000
Assets: $530 million (2008)
Total giving: $15,165,720
View 2008 Annual Report (PDF).
