News & Resources

Welcome to News & Resources. Here you will find the latest updates about Foundation for Louisiana programs, news from our partners, and links to informative reports, toolkits, Citizen’s Guides, and other resources produced by FFL, our grantees, partners, and friends. Use the drop down menus to the right to narrow your search by category or keyword tag.

Media contact:
David Lee Simmons
Communications Specialist
504-352-2539
dsimmons@foundationforlouisiana.org

NOW HIRING: Communications Manager for FFL

To be a good fit for this job, you must thrive in environments that call for independent creative thinking, fast-moving collaborative work, and high-stakes judgement calls. You must be a fast learner with a hustle oriented mentality. You must be an impactful campaign strategist with a passionate commitment to racial and social justice, have the skills to create movement driven narrative change, and be a natural interpersonal communicator.

Inaugural New Orleans Catering Showcase helps connect local vendors with organizations

Nearly 20 caterers, featuring entrepreneurs who are women and/or people of color, connected with organizations so that both parties can gain new opportunities and insights for their respective work. This invitation-only event on historic Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard featured samples of the caterers’ culinary creations along with refreshments courtesy of three featured vendors: Drinks by Divas, Second Line Brewing and Seven Three Distilling Co.

FFL, three other organizations honored with the 2017 NCRP Impact Awards

"Foundation for Louisiana is humbled and excited to receive the first-of-its-kind 'Mover and Shaker' Award for Bold Peer Organizing,” said Flozell Daniels, Jr., FFL's president and CEO. "This work is powered by our incredible grantee partners, talented staff and board, our public sector partners and, most important, the wisdom of community in the pursuit of greater equity outcomes. Considering the task at hand, this is just the beginning."

FFL launches Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation process in Baton Rouge and New Orleans

TRHT is a comprehensive, national and community-based process to plan for and bring about transformational and sustainable change, and to address the historic and contemporary effects of racism. It was initiated in January 2016 with a year-long design phase and builds upon and complements the Kellogg Foundation’s decades-long commitment to advancing racial equity and racial healing throughout the United States.

FFL Rapid Response Fund Statement of Intent August 2017 Flooding

One of the biggest concerns during the most recent events was the inability of the city to effectively disseminate news about the flooding risks. Residents were caught off-guard and unaware. It also quickly became obvious that despite the numerous disasters that have affected the city, not all local residents have been able to take the personal mitigation and preparedness actions that could help them remain safe.

LA SAFE table hosts sharpen facilitation skills at workshop

Table hosts need to be well prepared for the complicated process of guiding residents through conversations about their parishes' respective futures in the face of increasing land loss and flood. Thanks to FFL's LEAD the Coast program that directly addresses such issues, community leaders learn to become better table hosts.

LA SAFE parishwide meetings set (July 24-Aug. 3)

The parishwide meetings will allow residents to begin the process of drafting strategies based on the feedback generated during the community-meeting process. This will lead to the design of specific parishwide adaptation strategies with at least one project, program or policy that would be funded through LA SAFE—a planning initiative coordinated by the Louisiana Office of Community Development’s (OCD) Disaster Recovery Unit, in partnership with Foundation for Louisiana’s Coastal Resilience Leverage Fund.

FFL welcomes new staffers to our team!

In other staff news, Tanya Gulliver-Garcia has been promoted to Associate Director of Programs and Planning.Also, Liz Williams who has been promoted to Coastal Communities Resilience Director, while Rachelle Thomason has been named Programs Associate for our Coastal Resilience Leverage Fund after coming on board FFL as a fellow working under Williams.

LA SAFE launches series of parish-wide public meetings for coastal parish residents

The public meetings, coordinated by LA SAFE and partners including Foundation for Louisiana, help give coastal residents a broad and often historical overview of how the coastline has come to suffer from the kind of erosion that's threatening the economic, cultural and social fabrics of diverse communities. But then as the meetings continue, residents learn how they can become participants and leaders in their own future as they learn to recognize and adapt to challenges by recognizing opportunities.

Foundation's LEAD Program kicks off leadership workshop March 25

Participants learned about FFL's work and mission and were introduced to some of the skills and issues that will be covered in the workshop: civic participation, neighborhood transformation, social justice, leadership development, and civic values, rights and responsibilities. The LEAD Program stands for "Leadership, Engagement, Advocacy, Development."

FFL offers bridge loans to nonprofits in times of need

Our bridge loans offer nonprofit organizations the working capital they need to continue providing critical services to communities and individuals. For nonprofits waiting for committed funds from government agencies and foundations or other contracts, our loan can help your organization continue operating.

Work TOGETHER to take the LEAD in your community; sign up for our 2017 class

This seven-week program brings in guest experts to host skill-building sessions in a variety of fields like community organizing, advocacy, public policy, and land use and development. LEAD graduates develop the skills that they need to enact positive change through their organizations and communities while building strong relationships with other neighborhood leaders from across the city. Deadline to apply: Feb. 10, 2017.

LEAD the Coast offers training skills to help residents address coastal challenges

Training begins Nov. 5. Skills from this training will be useful for other work where residents may be involved. The information will break down the science, policies and realities facing Louisiana's coastal communities. Residents trained in this program will also have a chance to be employed as Community Fellows throughout FFL's coastal community engagement and planning efforts. This program will provide payment for participation, childcare, breakfast and lunch each day and cover travel expenses.

LGBTQ Statewide Summit empowers volunteers, activists and thought leaders

The summit also featured the panel discussion "Organizing for Political Change," moderated by Sebastian Rey (LGBT Community Center of New Orleans) and featuring panelists Frank Perez (LGBT+ Archives of LA), Cherry Galette (National Performance Network), Dylan Waguespack (Equity Louisiana and Louisiana Progress) and Shaena Johnson (BreakOUT!).

FFL receives grant to address LGBTQ issues

The Out in the South Fund has two main goals: 1) build up local LGBTQ funds as sustainable sources of locally rooted LGBTQ funding; and 2) strengthen the capacity of local community organizations making a positive impact on the lives of LGBTQ Southerners.

Rapid Response Fund

“We’re reminded by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his letter from a Birmingham jail, ‘We must use time creatively, in the knowledge that the time is always ripe to do right,.’ Now, more than ever, we must honor the many innocent lives lost to police violence by resourcing the people who are leading the charge to achieve justice and equal accountability for everyone. These are times for courage, unabridged love for humanity and laser-focused attention on practices that work to ensure everyone receives justice and safety.” — Flozell Daniels Jr., Foundation for Louisiana’s CEO.

FFL supports community efforts to remove blight in Monroe

Foundation for Louisiana (FFL) has been working in partnership with SCIA since 2011 to help residents build their advocacy and organizing capacity while also addressing blight and other community concerns. Recently, FFL also has supported the City of Monroe’s efforts to address the growing problem of blighted and abandoned properties. In doing so, the city is developing local ordinances and revamping some code enforcement practices with technical support from the national non-profit Center for Community Progress.

FFL’s 2nd Core Committee meeting helps Plaquemines Parish leaders plan for engagement on coastal challenges

This 2nd Core Committee Meeting was sponsored by Foundation for Louisiana through its Coastal Resiliency Leverage Fund and continued the work that began with an initial gathering that called for community leaders to participate. The latest meeting was held at the Belle Chasse Auditorium and was facilitated by members of a multi-group Support Team that includes the Restore the Mississippi River Delta Coalition, Gulf Coast Center for Law & Policy, Gulf Restoration Network, Concordia, and FFL among others. Leaders included respected neighbors, a few elected officials, business people as well as community advocates.

FFL’s staff additions, board leadership change

As FFL’s work grows and evolves with Louisiana’s people, we’re pleased to announce the latest changes in board and staff leadership that promise to strengthen our mission to invest in people and practices that work to reduce vulnerability and build stronger, more sustainable communities statewide.

Public-radio series “The Working Coast” (May 9-13) to chronicle impact of low oil prices on Louisiana economy, families

“The Working Coast,” a product of WWNO’s recently created Coastal Desk, is a five-part series that examine how low and unpredictable oil prices in Louisiana have impacted on the state’s workers and their families. The series premieres on WWNO (89.9 FM) on Monday (May 9) at 7:45 a.m. and will air daily through Friday (May 13) as a local component of the nationally syndicated NPR show “Morning Edition,” according to station Marketing and Development Manager Ron Biava.

LEAD alumnus Tyrone Casby picked as interim principal

Casby, who also serves as the Big Chief of the Mohawk Hunters, is a 2014 alumnus of Foundation for Louisiana's LEAD Community Training Program that trains citizens in the community on best practices for leadership and engagement.

Learn more about FFL's Coastal Resilience Leverage Fund

In order to face the resulting challenges of losing land and a rising sea level in Coastal Louisiana, an abundance of NGOs, business groups, and philanthropists is growing alongside increasing government agency participation at the federal, state, and local scale. Often, this multiplicity of interested players and government agencies can contribute to duplicative as well as absent efforts and simultaneously leave economic inequalities to be exposed by relevant disasters. Coupled with the multiplicity of interwoven efforts, plans and commitments have been established throughout various agencies within local, state, and federal government.

Foundation for Louisiana Hires New Director of the Community Investment Fund

“Foundation for Louisiana is excited to have Lydia Cutrer join the team to build on a legacy of meaningful investments that expand economic opportunities for Louisianans,” CEO, Flozell Daniels, Jr. said. “With a deep and diverse background in community development finance and project management, a values-driven commitment to strengthen communities through more equitable outcomes, and a Louisiana native’s perspective on the landscape, we are confident Lydia’s leadership will advance FFL’s mission and the goals of our partners at the One Table initiative.”

Foundation for Louisiana awards 2014 TOGETHER Initiative grants

Grants double last year's foundation investments in New Orleans' resident-driven policy change; will address affordable housing, cultural preservation/cultural economy, economic opportunity, environmental sustainability, neighborhood safety and transportation.