LOUISIANA JUSTICE FUND

CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM REFORM LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY SMALL GRANTS

Louisiana Spring 2026 Legislative Session 

About Foundation for Louisiana 

Foundation for Louisiana (FFL) is a social justice philanthropic intermediary founded in 2005 as the Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation to invest in the immediate recovery of Louisiana’s communities after Hurricane Katrina. Founded after Hurricane Katrina, FFL’s founders recognized the need to confront the longstanding inequities that have shaped life outcomes for Louisiana’s most marginalized people. Our programs grew in response to these needs, and today FFL focuses on racial justice, climate justice, criminal justice reform, economic opportunity, LGBTQ organizing, and support for Louisiana's vibrant arts and culture via a three-pronged strategy: 

• Invest: FFL makes grants and loans to support organizations and movements throughout Louisiana in our key program areas. We attract and invest resources to support on-the-ground projects, many of which can’t access traditional philanthropy. Through fiscal sponsorship, we support innovative ideas responding to unmet needs throughout Louisiana.
• Build: We build power to effect change in Louisiana communities. Our TOGETHER initiative convenes community leaders and provides training in organizing, policy change, leadership, public speaking, and facilitation to tackle climate change, police accountability, health disparities, housing access, and more.
• Transform: By fortifying movements, we shift systems and shape regional and national narratives. We reimagine how our communities are governed and funded to redefine how residents can thrive in them.

Since its inception, FFL has invested $60 million in more than 260 mission-critical nonprofit organizations working across the state towards building a more just Louisiana. As a social justice philanthropic intermediary, FFL’s work unapologetically advances racial justice while moving Louisiana forward. The foundation engages communities in program co-design and the grant-making process to expand opportunities and move communities towards a more just future. 

Overview of the Opportunity

The Louisiana Justice Fund (LJF) is a pooled fund housed at FFL that supports projects that reduce incarceration, improve reentry outcomes, and remove barriers to economic mobility for individuals disproportionately affected by the criminal legal system. The Fund strategically invests resources to drive meaningful and lasting change. LJF values collaboration, capacity building, and strategic advocacy in its efforts to bring about  lasting change in Louisiana's criminal legal landscape. LJF aims to achieve this through strategic investments in north Louisiana, central Louisiana, southwest Louisiana, Greater New Orleans, and Greater Baton Rouge areas through three grantmaking goals: 1) strengthen the ecosystem of criminal legal system reform organizations, 2) invest in organizations to shift narratives on safety, crime, and accountability, and 3) increase economic mobility for criminal legal system impacted folks.

LJF invites select nonprofit organizations to apply for small grants to support legislative advocacy advancing criminal legal system reform during the 2026 Louisiana legislative session. This invitation-only opportunity is designed to strengthen timely, strategic advocacy that advances safety, justice, racial equity, and community well-being.

Funding will support 501(c)(3)-permissible advocacy activities that influence policy, funding, and public narratives related to the criminal legal system in Louisiana.

Eligibility

Organizations must:

• Be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit or have a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor
• Engage in nonpartisan advocacy compliant with federal guidelines
• Demonstrate alignment with criminal legal system reform in Louisiana
• Have the capacity to execute advocacy strategies during the legislative session 

Purpose 

This initiative seeks to resource organizations working to transform Louisiana’s criminal legal system by advancing policies, practices, and investments that:

1. Create Safer Communities by Shifting Criminal Legal Policies, Practices, and Funding

• Reduce over-incarceration
• Advance alternatives to incarceration
• Prioritize prevention, restoration, and community-based safety strategies

2. Build an Enabling Environment for Criminal Legal System Reform

• Strengthen the capacity of nonprofit partners to engage in effective advocacy
• Shift dominant narratives on safety, crime, and accountability toward prevention, racial equity, and restoration
• Counter misinformation and harmful narratives that undermine reform

3. Increase Economic Mobility for People Impacted by the Criminal Legal System

• Expand access to employment and economic opportunity for people with arrest and conviction histories
• Reduce barriers that contribute to recidivism
• Support reentry pathways that strengthen families and communities

Recommended Legislative Focus Areas (not limited to):  While applicants may pursue a range of advocacy strategies, proposals may align with current Louisiana legislative priorities and emerging issues such as:

• Sentencing reform and reduction of excessive penalties
• Parole, probation, and supervision reform
• Pretrial justice and bail reform
• Expansion of alternatives to incarceration and diversion programs
• Reentry supports, including housing, workforce access, and occupational licensing reform
• Reduction of fines, fees, and financial burdens tied to system involvement
• Data transparency and reporting on incarceration, arrests, and outcomes
• Protection of prior criminal justice reform gains from rollback efforts

Funding Priorities

We are particularly interested in supporting organizations that:

• Advance criminal legal system reform policies at the state and local level during the legislative session
• Engage in both proactive and defensive advocacy, including protecting prior reforms from rollback
• Promote decarceration, sentencing reform, and alternatives to incarceration
• Advance reentry, workforce access, and barrier reduction for impacted individuals
• Implement strategic communications and narrative change efforts to shift public understanding of safety and justice
• Use data, research, and lived experience to inform advocacy efforts

Recommended Issue Areas for Advocacy (not limited to):  Strong applications may include, but are not limited to, efforts addressing:

• Limiting incarceration for nonviolent offenses and expanding earned release opportunities
• Improving conditions and oversight within jails and prisons
• Removing statutory and administrative barriers to employment for people with records
• Expanding access to behavioral health and community-based services as alternatives to incarceration
• Strengthening data systems to better track outcomes and disparities within the criminal legal system
• Advancing policies that reduce racial disparities and promote fairness in sentencing and enforcement

Expected Outcomes

Funded efforts are expected to contribute to measurable progress in criminal legal system reform, including:

1. Advocacy Capacity & Policy Defense

• Increased capacity of criminal justice-focused nonprofits to engage in effective legislative advocacy, including both proactive and defensive strategies
• Strengthened ability to defend and protect past criminal justice reform wins

2. Policy Impact

• Advancement of criminal legal system reforms resulting in:               
  • Cost savings through reduced incarceration and system efficiencies
  • Positive impact on individuals returning home from incarceration
  • Incarceration years reduced

   

3. Narrative Change

• Increased number of policy champions, including voices from less traditional sectors
• Greater visibility of advocacy successes to counter false or harmful narratives about crime and safety

4. Economic Mobility & Reentry

• Elimination or reduction of barriers to employment for at least 25,000 individuals with arrest or conviction histories
• Increased availability of reentry services and supports

5. Data & Systems Change

• Improved access to accurate, actionable data on individuals impacted by the criminal legal system
• Stronger use of data to inform policy decisions and public discourse 

Allowable Activities

Funding may support:

• Legislative advocacy (within 501(c)(3) limits) on criminal justice policy
• Policy research, analysis, and bill tracking
• Strategic communications and narrative change campaigns
• Community education and public awareness efforts on criminal justice issues
• Rapid response advocacy tied to legislative developments

Grant Amounts

Grant amounts will range from $10,000 to $30,000, depending on the scope, scale, and intensity of proposed advocacy efforts. We anticipate making multiple awards to support a range of advocacy strategies during the legislative session.

Funding will support activities conducted during the current Louisiana legislative session, with timelines aligned to session milestones and rapid-response advocacy needs.

Selection Criteria

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and evaluated based on:

• Alignment with criminal legal system reform goals
• Strength, clarity, and timeliness of advocacy strategy
• Potential for measurable policy impact
• Organizational capacity
• Contribution to racial equity, narrative change, and long-term systems transformation

To Apply

We use Submittable to accept and review our submissions.  Please access the application here.

More Information

Resources and support for our online application portal, Submittable, are available here.

For questions about this opportunity, eligibility, or how to prepare your application materials. Email us at ljfsupport@foundationforlouisiana.org.

Want to learn more about how our application has been designed to be inclusive of Louisianans with disabilities?  Learn more here. To discuss accommodations, please contact Jilla Tombar at jtombar@foundationforlouisiana.org or call us at (225)383-1672.  Please refrain from emailing or calling this number except to discuss accommodations.

Foundation for Louisiana follows an equal opportunity employment policy, hiring personnel without regard to race, creed, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, age, physical or mental ability, veteran status, military obligations, criminal legal background, or marital status.

This policy also applies to internal promotions, training, opportunities for advancement, terminations, outside vendors, members and customers, service clients, use of contractors and consultants, grantees, board members, and dealings with the general public. 

For more information about Foundation for Louisiana, visit our website at www.foundationforlouisiana.org

About the Solidarity Fund

Foundation for Louisiana (FFL) invests in communities and ideas, builds partnerships, and transforms policies and systems for an equitable, stronger Louisiana.

With support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Solidarity Fund offers sponsorships to Louisiana-based nonprofits as part of a strategy to increase racial justice in philanthropy—particularly for grassroots organizations working in and for Louisiana.

FFL defines racial justice as the liberatory and transformational vision of what society could be—and must become—once we eliminate racial hierarchies, advance collective liberation, and ensure that People of the Global Majority have the resources, dignity, power, and self-determination to thrive fully and wholly.

We understand racial equity as the enactment and reinforcement of policies, practices, attitudes, and actions that produce power, access, opportunities, treatment, and outcomes for all—while accounting for the ongoing impact of historical and contemporary racial disparities.

Eligibility & Funding Guidelines

To be eligible for support from the Solidarity Fund, applicants must:

•  Be a Louisiana-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization or be fiscally sponsored by one
•  Submit a complete sponsorship application at least 60 days before the event
•  Propose an activity that takes place on or before December 31, 2026

We prioritize applications from organizations that have historically lacked access to flexible funding due to systemic exclusions based on racism, sexism, classism, ableism, and heterosexism.

What We Fund

Sponsorships can be used to support:

•  Community events, convenings, and gatherings
•  Fundraisers and benefit performances
•  Learning opportunities or public awareness campaigns
•  Organizing events and cultural programming

Projects that do not generally receive consideration:

• The private benefit of any specific individual
• Public or private secondary schools (Pre-K - 12) 

Funding Parameters

•  Maximum award: $25,000
•  Average award: $5,000
•  One award per organization per FFL fiscal year
•  Applications are accepted on a rolling basis while funds remain available

What We Look For

We assess applications based on:

•  Alignment with FFL’s mission and program areas, including racial justice, climate justice, and criminal justice
•  Support for our strategic priorities: arts and culture, economic opportunity, and community leadership and wisdom
•  The feasibility, urgency, and community impact of the proposed activity  

Please contact Tiffany Hall, Grants & Special Projects Manager, at thall@foundationforlouisiana.org with any questions.

About the Fund

The Armature Scholarship Fund supports Louisiana students pursuing higher education in the arts. Established at Foundation for Louisiana, the fund was created to expand access to educational opportunities for LGBTQIA+ students and students of color who are developing their artistic practice and creative voice.

In the arts, an armature is the internal structure that supports a work while it is being formed. In that same spirit, the Armature Scholarship Fund helps create the foundation that makes it possible for emerging artists to continue their education and creative work.

The scholarship recognizes the role that artists play in shaping culture, building community, and contributing to a more vibrant and inclusive creative landscape.

Guidelines

Foundation for Louisiana invites prospective and current college students to apply for the Armature Scholarship Fund. The Armature Scholarship Fund is a scholarship program that supports LGBTQIA+ undergraduate students and students of color who reside in Louisiana and are pursuing higher education in the arts during the 2026–27 academic year.

Awards are distributed annually and may be up to $15,000 per award

ELIGIBILITY

To qualify for the Armature Scholarship, students must be:

• A Louisiana resident for at least three years*
• Black, Indigenous, or a person of color and/or identify as LGBTQIA+
• Pursuing an undergraduate degree (Associate's or Bachelor's) in the arts. (Master's and doctoral programs do not qualify.)
• Planning to attend or currently enrolled in a higher education program during the 2026-27 academic year**

     * Undocumented students are encouraged to apply.

     ** The institution of higher education can be located anywhere in the United States.

Armature Scholarship Values

The Armature Scholarship Fund is grounded in a commitment to equity, creativity, and respect for the diverse communities that shape Louisiana’s cultural landscape.

While applicants from all backgrounds are welcome, the scholarship was designed to expand access to higher education for LGBTQIA+ students and students of color. The fund centers and affirms the experiences of these communities while supporting artists who contribute to inclusive and respectful creative environments.

Armature Scholars are expected to uphold these values throughout their participation in the program. Conduct that is discriminatory or harmful toward LGBTQIA+ people, people of color, or other marginalized communities is inconsistent with the purpose of this scholarship.

Required Application Materials:

1. Proof of Louisiana Residency

Applicants must have lived in Louisiana for at least three years.

Acceptable Documentation demonstrating Louisiana Residency May Include:

 • Louisiana high school transcript showing enrollment in a Louisiana school

 • GED transcript from a Louisiana program   • Louisiana driver’s license or state ID   • Voter registration or vehicle registration   • Lease, mortgage statement, or utility bill (in the name of the applicant or parent/guardian)   • Documentation of Louisiana employment   • School records or other official documents confirming Louisiana residency

Multiple documents may be combined to demonstrate residency. If you have documentation not listed above that shows you have lived in Louisiana for at least three years, you are welcome to submit it.

2. Statement of financial nee:

Applicants should provide documentation demonstrating financial need.

Preferred documentation:   • Financial Aid Award Letter from your college or university

Other documentation may be submitted if an award letter is not yet available:   • FAFSA Submission Summary   • Documentation showing Pell Grant eligibility

Selected applicants may be asked to provide additional financial aid documentation prior to award disbursement.

3. Optional reference

A reference letter or short video from a teacher, professor, mentor, colleague/employer, or community member who can speak to why you are a strong candidate for the Armature Scholarship.

You may submit a reference letter previously used for another application if the context is relevant to this scholarship. You may also provide your reference’s email address and we will contact them directly to request the letter.

Armature Scholarship Key Dates

• April 1, 2026 - Application Opens
• May 24, 2026 - Application Deadline
• June 29, 2026 - Notification of Selection

ACCESSIBILITY & TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

Applicants who need assistance submitting materials or have questions about the application or eligibility requirements may contact Foundation for Louisiana at scholarships@foundationforlouisiana.org