Healthy Communities Grant

Since 2004, Keep Louisiana Beautiful has awarded over $7.7 million in grants to local communities in the areas of litter abatement, waste reduction, recycling, and environmental education.  

Grant Description

The 2025-26 grant application is open and will close on June 20,2025. 

Grant Purpose: The KLB Healthy Communities Grant (HCG) provides funding for local projects and programs bringing about behavioral changes needed to improve the appearance of communities in Louisiana. Grant projects should focus on litter removal, prevention, and education; best practices for waste management, waste reduction, recycling, reusing, and refusing; litter enforcement and other mission related efforts. KLB seeks to fund projects with diverse community support, volunteer involvement, collaboration with stakeholders and community benefit.

Grant Type:  

• $2,500-$10,000 Reimbursement grant that funds projects and programs as described above 
• Minimum 15% cash match, in-kind donation or volunteer hours value required

This grant is made possible with funding from the State of Louisiana and Office of the Lt. Governor.

Eligibility Guidelines

• Louisiana parishes, municipalities, state agencies, governmental entities schools, colleges, universities, non-profit organizations, KLB Community Affiliates who are current Circle of Excellence recipients and KLB University Affiliates
• Non-profit organization applicants must submit IRS Determination Letter  
• All applicants must submit Form W-9  
• All applicants must be in good standing with the Secretary of State  
• All applicants must be a State Certified Vendor. Register: doa.la.gov/doa/osp/vendor-resources/  
• Application must be submitted by the deadline and be completed in its entirety 

Funding Guidelines: Projects and programs with measurable goals and sustainable impacts in one or more of the following areas:  

ELIGIBLE for Funding:   

• Litter removal 
• Litter prevention  
• Waste management and reduction  
• Recycling, reusing, reducing, and repurposing  
• Litter and illegal dumping enforcement   
• Education on litter prevention, recycling and environmental stewardship  

NOT Eligible for Funding:

• Gardening projects and tree planting   
• Computers, electronics, and printers  
• Travel expenses, rental of motorized vehicles and fuel 
• Food and beverage 
• Registration fees   
• Cash awards, insurance and salaries, employee compensation  
• Expenses associated with fundraising activities  
• Projects or activities conducted on private property  
• Excessive disposable materials or activities producing excess waste/litter (e.g. balloon release) 

Terms and Requirements: Failure to abide by all the requirements and/or submit the completed final report by May 1, 2026, will result in non-reimbursement for this grant and ineligibility during the next grant cycle.  To be awarded a grant, applicants agree to the following:  

• A Grant Agreement must be signed between the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism (DCRT) and the grant recipient (Grantee) before reimbursable work can begin on the grant project. Grantees must abide by the approved grant budget as documented in the Agreement.    
• All Grantees must attend a mandatory informational webinar before KLB will issue an Agreement.  
• A minimum 15% cash match, in-kind donation or equivalent volunteer hours value is required.  
• Community engagement and volunteer support are required.  
• Grant projects must be completed on or before May 1, 2026.   
• A grant award acknowledgement letter must be sent to the Grantee’s state representatives and senator. A copy must be submitted with the Final Report.  
• A press release announcing the award of the KLB grant must be sent to the local media. A copy must be submitted with the final report.  
• Two social media posts must be made:  
  • Within 30 days of the Agreement being executed, announce on Grantee social media channels the award of a KLB Healthy Communities Grant and how the grant will help the community. Tag @LouisianaLtGov and Keep Louisiana Beautiful – on Facebook and Instagram tag @keeplouisianabeautiful and – on Twitter tag @keeplabeautiful.
  • At the grant project’s end, Grantees must make a second social media post with photographs highlighting its impact. Tag the post as instructed above.
  • Photos of both media posts must be uploaded in the Final Report.    
• KLB’s logo must be printed on all grant related print materials, t-shirts, signage, banners and other marketing and educational materials funded by this grant. 
• Changes in the grant scope and/or budget as outlined in the Agreement must be pre-approved by KLB.  
• A completed Final Report including photographs, press release, acknowledgement letters, social media posts and reimbursement request with proper receipts and documentation must be submitted to KLB by May 1, 2026. The report may be submitted before the deadline upon project completion but will not be accepted after May 1, 2026
• Grantees must register for, conduct, and submit a report for a KLB Love the Boot Week event tentatively scheduled for April, 2026.  
• The grant cycle begins once the Grant Agreement is signed by the Grantee and executed by DCRT’s Appointing Authority. The grant cycle ends for all Grantees on May 1, 2026.

Timeline

• June 20, 2025: Deadline to submit application  
• May 1, 2026: Projects completed. Final Report including reimbursement requests and documentation due.

Directions: Before beginning an application, download the sample application below, gather information and prepare responses. Return here and click below to reach the online application. After starting the online application, a link will be provided to return to and complete the application, if necessary. Save the provided link, as KLB cannot provide this.

2025-26 SAMPLE  Healthy Communities Grant Application

APPLY

2024-2025 Grant recipients by parish:

Beauregard Parish

Beauregard Parish Police Jury: Beauregard Parish Police Jury will host an event for waste collection and engage K-12 schools with litter and waste education.

Bossier Parish

Keep Bossier Beautiful: Keep Bossier Beautiful will use the funds for a marketing and media campaign bringing awareness to roadside litter and ways to prevent it from happening in the first place.

Lafayette Parish

City of Carencro: The City of Carencro will use the funds for an educational campaign about curbside recycling to increase citizen participation.

Livingston Parish

Livingston Parish: Livingston Parish will use the funds to support a litter abatement program, which will promote litter prevention, cleanup, and school education.

Orleans Parish

Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL): CRCL will implement a volunteer kayak cleanup program in Bayou Bienvenue.

Glassroots: Glassroots will use the grant funds to continue and expand their existing glass recycling program in the Lower Ninth Ward.

Ouachita Parish

Ouachita Green: Ouachita Green will use the funds to support a Household Hazardous Waste event.

Tangipahoa Parish

City of Hammond/Keep Hammond Beautiful: Funds will be used to purchase liners for public trash receptacles and trash bags.

St. Tammany Parish

Keep Abita Beautiful: Keep Abita Beautiful will use the funds for anti-litter signage, glass recycling events, and recycling event supplies.

Keep Covington Beautiful: Keep Covington Beautiful will use the funds for litter collection devices in local waterways.

Terrebonne Parish

Terrebonne Parish: Terrebonne Parish will purchase a supply trailer, receptacles, and signage to address litter and recycling challenges during and after community events.

Washington Parish

Washington Parish: Washington Parish will implement a litter and waste initiative incorporating litter clean up and education for K-8 schools.

Grant projects are subject to change.