The Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, with the support of the state, is offering grant opportunities to nonprofit organizations for ongoing disaster recovery from Hurricane Ida. Grant amounts range from $1,000 to $10,000, and applications are open to organizations in the 25 parishes declared federal disaster areas.

Humanities-based nonprofit organizations from the following parishes are eligible to apply:

  • Ascension
  • East Baton Rouge
  • East Feliciana
  • Livingston
  • Tangipahoa
  • West Feliciana

In addition, nonprofits in Assumption, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafourche, Orleans, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Terrebonne, Washington and West Baton Rouge parishes are eligible to apply.

Grants will be awarded on a rolling basis until funds are fully expended. Only 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status organizations, public-facing organizations operating within accredited institutions of higher learning, state and local governmental agencies and state and federally recognized Native American tribal governments are eligible to receive grant funds.

All Emergency Recovery Grant applications will be subject to the same review process based on the following criteria:

  • Demonstrated need for long-term emergency recovery funds
  • Estimated annual audience
  • Record of strong humanities programming
  • Organization size
  • Geographic location (organization must be in one of the 25 parishes listed above that were declared a federal disaster area after Hurricane Ida)
  • Town or parish population density

Organizations reaching underserved populations are particularly encouraged to apply.

The grants provide funds for facility repairs or upgrades to reduce vulnerability, clean up, remediation, rental of temporary meeting space or other action that can mitigate the effects of past or future natural disaster damage.

Specific examples include but are not limited to:

  • Repair or cleanup of storm damage not covered by insurance;
  • Coverage or partial coverage of insurance storm deductible;
  • IT support to underwrite moving servers and other local systems vulnerable to onsite flooding to the cloud;
  • Physical repairs that reduce vulnerability;
  • Mold remediation.

“Every Louisiana community is impacted by climate or weather-related disasters and emergencies, and here at the LEH we are taking active steps to help those communities and their critical cultural infrastructure recover from these events,” said Miranda Restovic, executive director and president of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities. “We are ready to respond to the needs of the many organizations that preserve, promote and protect our state’s rich cultural heritage, providing needed funding for recovery and mitigation.”