The Lake Charles Partnership Grant Program, funded by the City of Lake Charles and administered by the Arts & Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana, supports arts and cultural projects within the city limits. This program ensures a high quality of cultural programming through a competitive grant process where applicants compete locally. The initiative seeks to make the arts more accessible to the community by providing funding opportunities for local artists, nonprofit organizations, and community groups. The funding aims to strengthen arts organizations, promote community engagement, and support diverse artistic disciplines.

The program offers two grant categories: Project Assistance and Organizational Support. The Project Assistance category provides grants ranging from $500 to $3,000 to support specific arts projects, which can be one-time or recurring. The Organizational Support category is limited to nonprofit arts organizations with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status and provides up to 25% of the previous year's operating expenses, with a maximum award of $2,000. Both grants seek to fund arts-related activities that contribute to cultural enrichment and community involvement.

Eligible applicants include nonprofit arts organizations, general nonprofit organizations, governmental agencies, public and private schools, school boards, colleges, universities, and individuals with a fiscal agent. All applicants for project assistance must hold their events within the city of Lake Charles, while organizations seeking operational support must be domiciled in the city. Fiscal agents may be used for applicants who do not have nonprofit status but are responsible for the legal and financial oversight of the grant.

The grant does not fund activities occurring outside of the grant period (April 1, 2025 – March 31, 2026), capital improvements, debt retirement, hospitality expenses, fundraising events, projects primarily serving religious or social purposes, or activities closed to the general public. Additionally, applicants receiving other City of Lake Charles funds are ineligible.

Applications are due by Friday, February 14, 2025, at 5:00 PM, and must be submitted via email with all required documentation, including proof of nonprofit status, a board of directors list, and, where applicable, letters of support. The grant review process includes an evaluation panel considering artistic merit, community need, planning quality, and administrative capacity. Partial funding is likely due to the competitive nature of the grant.

Funding decisions are made through a panel review process, and successful applicants must adhere to reporting requirements, including tracking financial and performance indicators. Awarded funds are distributed in two payments: an initial 75% upon signing the contract, and the remaining 25% upon submission of the final report. Organizations must publicly acknowledge the City of Lake Charles and the Arts & Humanities Council in promotional materials. Non-compliance may result in grant forfeiture and future ineligibility.

For questions and assistance, applicants can contact Erica Barrios, Community Development Coordinator, at ericab@artscouncilswla.org.