Baton Rouge State Fair Foundation

BATON ROUGE STATE FAIR FOUNDATION

Worthy Cause Grant Program

HISTORY AND PURPOSE

The Greater Baton Rouge State Fair and Trade Show began in 1965 in an effort to fund community service projects of the Baton Rouge Jaycees. That relationship continued until 1986, when the Fair Corporation was spun off from the Jaycee organization. The Baton Rouge State Fair Foundation was formed in the same year and took responsibility for managing the proceeds of the Fair Event and distributing grants throughout the community at that time.

Total funds disbursed to the community since 1987, including Fair contracts with nonprofit organizations and “use of space” payments to BREC, are near $5,000,000. That number does not include the considerable value of the equity in the Airline Highway Fairgrounds donated to BREC in 1986.

The objective of the Foundation's Worthy Cause Program is to promote educational, cultural, and other opportunities with a preference for children and young people in the greater Baton Rouge area who have demonstrated achievement or who may be in need by funding initiatives developed and managed by local non-profit organizations.

Worthy Cause Grants are awarded to qualifying non-profit organizations for support of projects which align with the Worthy Cause Program objective.

Qualifying non-profit organizations may apply for Sponsorships for fundraising, awareness, or celebratory events which align with the mission, vision, and interests of the Foundation.

Grants for programming and capital expenditures are exactly that and are often tied together in the same grant. Grants for Capital Expenditures are considered on a case-by-case basis. Please contact the Baton Rouge State Fair Foundation directly.

ELIGIBILITY

Each grant applicant must be a nonprofit volunteer organization serving the greater Baton Rouge area and must demonstrate that it manages its operations efficiently. The proposal must show how the project furthers the objective of the Foundation's Worthy Cause Program and that the proposed project can achieve its expected results. At the conclusion of the funded project, the Foundation requires each applicant who received a grant to submit both financial and narrative reports on the use of its grant and the impact that the grant may have had on the community it serves.

Grant applications must follow the format outlined in the following pages. Each grant proposal must be submitted via email to the Foundation NO LATER THAN MARCH 31, 2024. At the conclusion of the project, the grant evaluation document(s) must be transmitted in the same way.

For clarification or additional information, you may contact Renee Chatelain at rchatelain@artsbr.org. Applications submitted in any form other than electronic will not be considered.

Baton Rouge State Fair Foundation

Worthy Cause Program Grant Application Outline

Part One: Sponsoring Organization

Please select at least one option.

State the name of the Sponsoring Organization *

Address 1 *

Address 2

City/Town *

State/Province *

Zip Code *

Phone number *

Email address *

Name of Grant Contact *

Address of Grant Contact *

Phone number of Grant Contact *

Email of Grant Contact *

Title of Grant Contact *

Organization Narrative: What is the Mission Statement of the sponsoring organization? *

Attach a copy of the financial statement of the organization’s most recent fiscal year. (Do NOT provide a copy of a recent audit or tax return unless specifically requested.) *

Attach a copy of the current year’s budget of the organization showing income sources and expenses. (Do NOT provide a copy of a recent audit or tax return unless specifically requested.) *

Governance: Attach a list of the organization’s Board of Directors. *

Nonprofit/Tax-exempt Status: *

Part Two: Project Information

Please select at least one option.

Name of the Project *

In addition to the name of the project, what type of grant is requested? (Note: there is no inherent advantage in requesting one type of grant over another.) *

Please select at least one option.

Sponsorship

Programming

Capital Expenditures

Amount of Grant Request *

Purpose of the Project *

Why is the Project needed? *

What is the community to be served? *

Community/Parish *

Parish or Parishes where the project will take place *

How will the project meet the stated need? Include measurable goals and objectives. *

Summary of the Project: Include a BRIEF history of the project, if any, as well as an outline of the current plan to conduct the project, including dates. *

Publicity: What are the plans for publicity for the project? How will the Foundation be included in that publicity? *

Budget: Include an outline of income and expenses for the project. Highlight what portion of the income will come from this grant. Identify other sources of income for the project: self-generated funds, support from the sponsoring organization, other grants (both pending and approved), taxpayer funds, etc. *

Summary Statement: How will this project promote the stated objective of the Foundation's Worthy Cause Program? (To promote educational, cultural, and other opportunities for children and young people in the greater Baton Rouge area who have demonstrated achievement or who may be in need.) *

Authorizing Official First Name *

Authorizing Official Last Name *

Authorization *

Please select at least one option.

As an authorized official of the applicant organization, by checking this box, I certify that all information contained within this application is true and complete. I further certify that the applicant will comply with grant guidelines, will administer the activities proposed in the grant application, and will use all grant funds received as a result of this application for payment of allowable expenditures.

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