Overview

Foundation for Louisiana’s Telling Our Truths grant opportunity is designed to support Louisiana-based organizations advancing racial healing through narrative change and truth-telling in Louisiana. This grant provides funds for developing and implementing strategic communications that challenge harmful dominant narratives about race, tell truths that foster racial healing, and build awareness of racial justice work in the region. 

The fund is rooted in the Kellogg Foundation’s Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation (TRHT) framework, which emphasizes the importance of truth-telling as a foundation for racial healing and equity.

At Foundation for Louisiana, we think of narrative change as:

• Telling the truth about our country’s history and amplifying the voices of those who have been silenced
• Deliberately channeling the stories of under- and misrepresented communities into the mainstream
• Dismantling oppressive myths and engaging Louisianians in the development and dissemination of new transformative narratives of joy, creativity, and power

By transforming damaging narratives regarding people and communities of the global majority, we:

• Decenter narratives that enshrine whiteness as rightness and dismantle white supremacy and its by-products
• Move toward a future in which all people are free, respected, and loved.

Questions about this opportunity, eligibility, or how to prepare your application materials? Other questions or concerns?  Email us at grants@foundationforlouisiana.org.

What the Fund Supports:

The Telling Our Truths grant is designed to support organizations in improving their ability to create and share messages that promote racial equity and challenge harmful stereotypes. Recognizing that narrative change is a multi-step process, this grant offers financial support to organizations at various points in their narrative change journey, including:

• Creation: The creation of honest, well-rounded stories that challenge harmful ideas and highlight the voices of communities who have been targets of marginalization. The funding can be used for research, workshops, and hiring writers or artists.
• Sharing: After narratives are created, they need to be shared widely. This might include producing videos, social media campaigns, and public events. The grant can cover costs for content creation, marketing, and event production.
• Long-Term Impact: For lasting change, these new stories need to be embedded in our systems and institutions. This could involve policy changes or leadership training. The grant can support policy advocacy campaigns, training programs, and the development of educational resources.
   

Eligibility:

Eligible organizations must:

• Have 501c3 determination or a fiscal sponsor
• Be located and work in Louisiana

Grant Amounts:

10 Louisiana-based organizations will be awarded up to $25,000 each.

Timeline:

• May 12: Application opens
• June 20: Applications due by 11:59 pm
• July 21: Notifications
• August 1: Grant start date
• July 31, 2026: Grant end date

More Information

A FAQ with more information about eligibility and funding range can be found here.

Resources and support for using our online application portal Submittable is available here.

Questions about this opportunity, eligibility, or how to prepare your application materials? Other questions or concerns?  Email us at grants@foundationforlouisiana.org.

To discuss accommodations for people with disabilities, please contact Jamie Schmill at jschmill@foundationforlouisiana.org.
 

Instructions

This application has four sections: 

1. Contact Information & Organization Overview 

2. Narrative

3.  Budget

4. Supporting Documents. 

Remember you can save your work and return to it as needed.

Foundation for Louisiana requests applications from prospective and current college students for the Armature Scholarship Fund. The Armature Scholarship Fund is a scholarship program that supports LGBTQIA+ students and students of color who reside in Louisiana and are pursuing higher education in the arts during the 2025-26 academic year.

ELIGIBILITY

   To qualify for the Armature Scholarship, students must be:
 

• A Louisiana resident for at least four years*
• Black, Indigenous, or a person of color and/or  LGBTQIA+ identifying
• Pursuing post-secondary education in the arts, such as, but not limited to: visual arts, photography, videography, film, graphic design, animation, set design, theater, literature, culinary arts, music, media/ recording/ sound, cosmetology, or fashion (up to a bachelor's degree; master's and doctoral degrees currently do not qualify)
• Planning to attend or currently enrolled in a higher education program during the 2025-26 academic year**
  
     * Undocumented students are encouraged to apply.
     ** The institution of higher education can be located anywhere in the United States.
  
  
  BEFORE STARTING THE APPLICATION, YOU WILL NEED:
   
• Proof of four years of Louisiana residency, such as: a lease, mortgage, utility bills, voter or vehicle registration, student ID, driver's license, recent high school or GED transcript, evidence of Louisiana employment, or other documentation. Submitting documentation not listed here that can demonstrate four years of Louisiana residency is welcome if other documents are not available.
• Statement of financial need, such as: FAFSA, tax returns, paystubs, monthly budget or banking transactions showing income and expenses (please do not share account, routing, or card numbers), receipt of public assistance benefits, Pell Grant award, student loans, or other relevant documentation.
• (Optional) A reference letter or video from a teacher, professor, mentor, colleague/ employer, or any member of the community who can speak to why you're a great candidate for this scholarship. You can submit a reference letter you have used for other applications if the context works for the Armature Scholarship. There is also an option to include your reference's email address and we will contact them on your behalf to request the letter.

APPLICATION TIMELINE
 

• June 1, 2025 - Application Opens
• June 30, 2025 - Application Deadline
•  July 31, 2025 - Notification of Selection or Declination
   

ACCESSIBILITY & TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
   Applicants who need assistance submitting materials or have general questions about the application and eligibility can email Foundation for Louisiana at scholarships@foundationforlouisiana.org.