Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana

OVERVIEW: The Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana supports human services, the environment, youth, education, and workforce readiness in Lake Charles and elsewhere in Southwest Louisiana.

IP TAKE: This funder does not make the all of its grant opportunities accessible to local nonprofits and tends to award larger grants to pre-selected organizations.

PROFILE: Established in 2008, the Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana (CFSL) is a community foundation based in Lake Charles, Louisiana. This funder connects philanthropists to nonprofits and also collaborates with public and private organizations for civic improvement projects. It is the local community foundation for this region of Louisiana and has over 93 charitable funds. CFSL funds local education, youth, environment, and workforce readiness efforts.

Grants for Education, Environment, Work and Economic Opportunity, and Community Development

The Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana awards both scholarships and grants in the local communities of this region. In addition to the numerous scholarship funds, CFSL also awards grants through the Kyle Broussard Memorial Fund to local families who have children receiving cancer treatments. The foundation has been involved in the region’s bike-share system to improve health and enhance neighborhoods. It has also been involved in local tree-planting efforts, environmental protection, and workforce readiness training seminars to improve Southwest Louisiana communities.

Past local grantees include the Children’s Museum of Lake Charles, the Whistle Stop, and Louisiana United Methodist Children and Family Services.

Important Grant Details

Grants range between about $5,000 and $50,000. Grantmaking focuses on the city of Lake Charles and the surrounding communities in Southwest Louisiana.

This foundation accepts unsolicited grant applications from nonprofits for select grant and scholarship opportunities. Other opportunities appear to be available on an invitation-only basis. Direct general questions to the staff at dvaughan@foundationswla.org or 337-491-6688.

PEOPLE:

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