Keep Louisiana Beautiful invites you to improve the appearance of your community through two new grant opportunities for trash receptacles and beautification projects.
2024-25 Keep Louisiana Beautiful Trash Receptacle Grant Application
Grant Purpose
The purpose of the Keep Louisiana Beautiful (KLB) Trash Receptacle Grant is to reduce litter in public spaces by providing high-quality trash receptacles in communities throughout Louisiana.
Data collected by KLB over the last several years shows a reduction of litter by 78% in areas where trash receptacles are properly installed and maintained. One of KLB’s key initiatives is to help build infrastructure that supports clean, beautiful communities. Funding trash receptacles is one way we do that.
This grant is made possible with funding from the State of Louisiana and the Office of the Lieutenant Governor.
Description
Applicants will choose to receive up to ten high-quality trash receptacles to be installed in public spaces. KLB has identified three styles of trash receptacles that meet the needs of most communities. There are no substitutions or requests for other receptacle styles. If awarded, KLB will order, purchase, and arrange for the delivery of up to ten trash receptacles to your designated location.
Timeline
- October 15: Deadline to submit application
- January: Grant awards announced. Mandatory webinar for all grant recipients. MOU sent, signed, and returned.
- February – March: Receptacles delivered and installed including KLB signs. Acknowledgement letter and press release sent. “After” litter assessments performed and photos taken.
- April 1: Final Reports due.
Eligibility
Louisiana parishes, municipalities, state agencies, governmental entities, political subdivisions, universities and colleges and KLB Affiliates in good standing are eligible to apply.
Requirements and Terms
- Receptacles must be installed prior to April 1, 2025, at predetermined, high-traffic public spaces where there is a need for receptacles.
- A Memorandum of Understanding must be signed between KLB and the grant applicant outlining ownership, delivery, storage, installation, maintenance, and service requirements.
- Applying for this grant must be pre-approved by the applying entity’s highest authorizing official.
- A litter prevention sign, provided by KLB, must be installed by the grant recipient on both sides of each receptacle. The signs must be installed properly according to the provided directions.
- Locations of the receptacles must be determined and indicated when applying.
- Pre- and post-receptacle installation litter scans must be conducted at each location. Data from the pre-installation litter scans must be submitted with the application. Data from the post-installation litter scans must be submitted with the final grant report.
- Applicant must select trash receptacles from the predetermined selection on the application. No exceptions will be made.
- There will be no option to change the selected trash receptacle style or quantity once the application is submitted.
- A grant award acknowledgment letter must be sent to your State House of Representatives and Senator. A copy is required to be uploaded with the final report.
- A press release announcing that you received a KLB grant must be sent to the local media. A copy is required to be uploaded with the final report.
- Photographs of each receptacle with signs attached must be submitted with the final report.
- Applicant must register for, conduct, and submit a report for a KLB Love the Boot Week event – tentatively scheduled during Earth Week, April 2025.
- A completed final grant report including photographs, press release, acknowledgment letters, and litter scans must be submitted to KLB by April 1, 2025.
- When a KLB Affiliate is seated in local government, only one application should be submitted. The application may be submitted by either the governmental entity or the Affiliate, but not both.
- Failure to abide by all the requirements and/or submit the completed final report by April 1, 2025 will result in ineligibility during the next grant cycle.
Memorandum of Understanding
- A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will be created for approved applicants to clarify the roles and responsibilities between KLB, the grant applicant, and third party, when applicable.
- The MOU must be signed and executed between KLB and the grant applicant outlining ownership, delivery, storage, installation, maintenance, and service requirements.
- The MOU will be sent to the grantee for signature only after attendance at a mandatory webinar where terms and requirements will be reviewed.
Directions
Before you start the application process, we recommend downloading the sample application, gathering your information, and preparing your responses. When you start your online application, you will be given a link to return and complete your work, if necessary. Please save the provided link, as KLB cannot provide this to you. Follow these suggested steps to complete your application:
Step 1: Download the sample application by clicking the button below. Review the application, gather information for required uploads, determine receptacle locations, conduct litter scans, select the quantity and the style of your receptacle, and prepare responses to the application questions.
2024-25 Keep Louisiana Beautiful Beautification Grant Application
Grant Description
Grant Purpose: The KLB Beautification Grant provides funding to help improve the appearance of communities throughout Louisiana by creating beautiful, well-maintained public spaces. People are less likely to litter in areas that display community pride and that are well maintained and beautiful, so reducing litter in highly visible areas is an additional key driver of this grant. Priority planting projects include improving and beautifying entry points to cities, highway corridors and medians, downtown roadways and intersections, and other highly visible and highly used public spaces. KLB seeks projects that have diverse community support, volunteer involvement, collaboration with stakeholders and benefit many community members.
Grant Type: KLB will award reimbursement grants from $1,000 to $10,000 to fund planting projects in highly visible areas to enhance the beauty of public spaces, promote community pride, and help reduce litter. A minimum 15% cash match, in-kind donation or equivalent volunteer hours value is required. The project must be on public property and completed on or before May 22, 2025.
Funding: The grant focus is to fund the purchase of native trees, shrubs, and perennial plants. Plantings must account for a sizable portion of the project. The grant project must be completed on or before May 22, 2025. Reimbursements will be dispersed once the project is completed and the Final Report, including proper reimbursement request documentation is submitted to KLB by May 22, 2025.
- 25% of the plantings must be native to Louisiana
- Annual plants will not be funded
- Soil, mulch, pavers, and edging when incorporated into a planting project may not exceed 25% of grant request
- Welcome sign materials when incorporated into a planting project may not exceed 25% of grant request
- Contractors to assist with the project may not exceed 25% of grant request
- A 15% in-kind or cash match, or equivalent volunteer hours value is required
This grant is made possible with funding from the State of Louisiana and the Office of the Lt. Governor.
Timeline:
- May 30, 2024: Deadline to submit application.
- July 2024: Grant awards announced. Mandatory webinar for all grant recipients. Grant Agreement signed and returned.
- July 2024 – May 2025: Projects implemented including all grant requirements
- May 22, 2025: Projects completed. Final report and reimbursement requests and documentation due.
Eligible to Apply:
- Louisiana parishes, municipalities, state agencies, governmental entities
- KLB Community Affiliates who are current Circle of Excellence recipients and KLB Community Affiliates in formation in cooperation with their municipality’s highest authorizing official agreeing to allow the project to be executed on public property and agreeing to maintain the project
- KLB University Affiliates and University Affiliates in formation in cooperation with their university’s highest authorizing official agreeing to allow the project to be executed on university property and agreeing to maintain the project
- All applicants must submit Form W-9
- All applicants must be in good standing with the Louisiana Secretary of State
- All applicants must be a State Certified Vendor. Register: doa.la.gov/doa/osp/vendor-resources/
Requirements and Terms: Failure to abide by all the requirements and/or submit the completed final report by May 22, 2025, will result in non-reimbursement for this grant and ineligibility for subsequent KLB grants. To be awarded a grant, applicants agree to the following:
- Gardens and plantings must be on public property or on Louisiana university campuses.
- Applying for this grant must be pre-approved by the applying entity’s highest authorizing official. A letter from the highest authorizing official, approving use of the public space for this grant project and agreeing to maintain the project must be uploaded with this application.
- A Grant Agreement (Agreement) must be signed between KLB (Grantor), the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism (DCRT) and the grant recipient (Grantee) before reimbursable work or purchases can begin on the grant project. Grantee must abide by the approved grant budget documented in the Agreement.
- All Grantees must attend a mandatory scheduled webinar before KLB will issue the Agreement.
- A minimum 15% in-kind or cash match, or equivalent volunteer hours value is required.
- Any project that requests funding for a “Welcome” sign must include some type of planting (garden or trees) to enhance the area surrounding the signage.
- Projects must have an irrigation plan and a maintenance plan. Plans must be uploaded with the application.
- Projects must have a plant design that must be uploaded with the application. The design does not have to be done by a professional landscape designer. It can be a sketch, but it must have sufficient detail to describe the project and show that the project has been well thought out. Plant and tree types, quantity and placement, and hardscape materials and placement must be identified.
- Community engagement and volunteer support are required.
- A small sign provided by KLB must be staked in the garden area acknowledging KLB’s and the Lt. Governor’s support of the project for at least one month after the project has been completed. A photo of the sign at the final project site must be uploaded in the Final Report.
- A grant award acknowledgement letter must be sent to Grantee’s state representatives and senator. A copy must be uploaded with the Final Report.
- A press release announcing that grantee received a KLB grant must be sent to the local media. A copy must be uploaded with the Final Report.
- Two social media posts must be made:
- By 30 days after Agreement is executed, Grantee must announce on social media channels that Grantee received a KLB Beautification Grant and how the grant will help the community. Tag Keep Louisiana Beautiful – on Facebook and Instagram tag @keeplouisianabeautiful and – on Twitter tag @keeplabeautiful.
- At the conclusion of the project, a second social media post must be made announcing the outcome and photos of the completed project tagging as instructed above. Photos of both media posts must be uploaded in the Final Report.
- Photos of both media posts must be uploaded in the Final Report.
- “Before” photographs of the proposed project site must be submitted with the application, and “after” photographs of the project, including the KLB acknowledgement sign, must be submitted with the Final Report.
- Beautification Grant projects must be completed on or before May 22, 2025.
- Changes in grant scope and/or budget as outlined in the Agreement must be pre-approved by KLB.
- A completed Final Report, photographs, press release, acknowledgement letters, social media photos and reimbursement request with proper receipts and documentation must be submitted to KLB by May 22, 2025. The Final Report may be submitted before the deadline upon project completion but will not be accepted after May 22, 2025.
- Grantees must register for, conduct, and submit a report for a KLB Love the Boot Week event tentatively scheduled for April 18-27, 2025.
- The grant cycle begins once the Grantee attends the mandatory grant webinar and the Grant Agreement is signed by the Grantee and executed by the Executive Director of KLB and DCRT’s Appointing Authority. The grant cycle ends for all grantees on May 22, 2025.
Directions
Before beginning an application, download the sample application, gather information, and prepare responses. 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. Follow these suggested steps to completing the application successfully:
Download the sample application by clicking the button below.
