Community Foundation of North Louisiana
The Community Foundation of North Louisiana is a public charity based in Shreveport, Louisiana, established in 1961. It brings donors and community resources together to address regional needs through grants, scholarships, donor-advised giving, and other philanthropic programs.
Community Foundation of North Louisiana at a glance
In short: Community Foundation of North Louisiana gave $11.3M across 191 grants in 2024 (avg $59K), mostly in Louisiana. 17% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $11,295,230
- +10.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 191
- +7.9% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $59,137
- +2.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $19,750
- Total assets
- $193,177,949
- +5.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 17% first-time grantees (33 of 190, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Louisiana (88% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Community Foundation of North Louisiana
- How to Apply
-
The Foundation accepts applications for eligible competitive grants through its application process. Primary and Arts applicants begin with a letter of intent; Small Organization applicants submit a full application in the single-stage cycle. Review the eligibility criteria and required materials for the selected category.
- Review Cycle
- The published August 1–21, 2026 letter-of-intent window has passed. For applicants invited to Stage Two in Primary or Arts, and for Small Organization applicants in the 2027 cycle, the published application window is October 15–November 15, 2026. Awards are announced in April, with funds available June 1 or later.
- Deadline
- The published August 1–21, 2026 letter-of-intent window has passed.
- Contact
Mailing address: 401 Edwards Street Suite 105, Shreveport, LA 71101
Phone: (318) 221-0582
Website: https://cfnla.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
9 open opportunities from Community Foundation of North Louisiana
Colonel Steven L. dePyssler Mission Support Scholarship Grant
Community Foundation of North Louisiana
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Competitive Grant- Arts & Culture Grants
Community Foundation of North Louisiana
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Competitive Grants
Community Foundation of North Louisiana
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Community Foundation of North Louisiana funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Volunteers of America of North Louisiana ($745K). Together the top 10 received $4.3M.
Organizations only. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($213,702), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
831 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 604 grants of 831 (73%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation says it serves residents of Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Claiborne, DeSoto, Jackson, Lincoln, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Red River, Sabine, Union, and Webster parishes. Its 2024 grant dollars went primarily to Louisiana recipients (88%), with 6% to Virginia, 2% to Texas, and 1% each to New Hampshire and Arkansas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 191 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Community Foundation of North Louisiana open to new grantees?
17%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 33 of 190 grantees (17%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $38K; repeat grants $64K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $22K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $7.4M (2020) to $11.3M (2024). In 2024 it made 191 grants totaling $11.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Volunteers of America of North Louisiana Shreveport, LA | For communities in schools and lighthouse, the evergreen society; for general support; give for good grant | $745,181 |
| Washington & Lee University Lexington, VA | For the harold j. Quinn jr. Faculty support endowment; for general support | $702,500 |
| Caddo Parish School Board Shreveport, LA | For scholarships for students attending early childhood education program | $500,000 |
| Providence House Shreveport, LA | For general support; give for good grant; for child development center and shelter operating support | $452,415 |
| The Advocate Baton Rouge, LA | For Local Investigative and in-Depth Journalism | $427,500 |
| The Arc Caddo-Bossier Shreveport, LA | Give for good grant; for the goldman school; for the goldman school at the highland center; for the great program; for the hap house program; for general support | $342,672 |
| Food Bank of Northwest Louisiana Shreveport, LA | For general support; give for good grant; food pantry and education center | $320,599 |
| Holy Angels Residentical Facility Shreveport, LA | For general support; give for good grant; for angel university | $299,684 |
| Volunteers for Youth Justice Shreveport, LA | For general support; for truancy assessment service center (TASC), give for good grant | $274,786 |
| Centenary College of Louisiana Shreveport, LA | For general suport; to provide need-based grain-in-aid to one or more students; for mickle hall renovations; give for good grant; for the beast feast and annual fund | $252,674 |
Ready to take the next step with Community Foundation of North Louisiana?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The Foundation’s website states that it oversees more than $243 million in assets.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $193,177,949 | $28,609,748 | $13,194,152 | $11,295,230 | 191 | $20,061,895 |
| 2023 | $183,016,377 | $18,524,782 | $12,274,398 | $10,217,048 | 177 | $3,919,665 |
| 2022 | $162,443,222 | $15,241,034 | $10,651,363 | $8,784,118 | 158 | $5,295,263 |
| 2021 | $175,456,336 | $19,128,968 | $9,856,595 | $8,076,830 | 153 | $9,317,312 |
| 2020 | $154,534,783 | $16,289,106 | $9,020,794 | $7,394,533 | 152 | $6,012,332 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s mission is to promote philanthropy and improve quality of life in the North Louisiana community. Its stated program work includes addressing poverty, health, and education needs; expanding access to early childhood education in Caddo and Bossier parishes; and supporting children’s success through Step Forward. It also describes Community Counts as a data and reporting initiative intended to inform grantmaking and community discussion.
The Foundation’s 2024 grant purposes included general support, early childhood education scholarships, journalism, food pantry and education services, child development and shelter operations, and programs serving youth and people with disabilities. Among the grantees described in their own words, Providence House says it supports homeless families with children; The Arc Caddo-Bossier says it creates opportunities for people with disabilities; and the Northwest Louisiana Food Bank says its mission is to fight hunger in the region. Holy Angels describes work supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, while Volunteers for Youth Justice describes advocacy and diversion services for young people and children in foster care.
Grantmaking
The 2024 filing reports 191 grants totaling $11,295,230. Grant amounts ranged from $5,083 to $745,181, with a median of $19,750. The Foundation’s website separately reports that it awarded $11.6 million to 355 organizations in 2024.
Among the largest grants listed in the 2024 filing were $745,181 to Volunteers of America of North Louisiana, $702,500 to Washington & Lee University, $500,000 to Caddo Parish School Board for scholarships for students attending early childhood education programs, and $452,415 to Providence House. Other large awards included $427,500 to The Advocate for local investigative and in-depth journalism and $320,599 to the Food Bank of Northwest Louisiana.
The Foundation describes several funding routes, including competitive grants, donor-advised grants, scholarships, and Give For Good. Its competitive grants are available through Primary Grants, Arts Grants, and Small Organization Grants; eligible organizations may submit only one application annually and may not apply in multiple categories. Primary Grants are typically for existing organizations with annual revenue of at least $250,000, and proposed programs must serve Caddo and/or Bossier parishes and align with a listed program area. Applicants must meet IRS-status and filing requirements and provide financial materials specified by the Foundation. Primary and Arts Grants use a letter-of-intent stage followed by a full application for invited applicants; Small Organization Grants use a single-stage application for the 2027 cycle. The Foundation also requires certain applicants that have not received a competitive grant in the prior three years to contact its grants department or schedule a meeting, as described in its category guidance.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Kristi Gustavson as CEO and Paige Carlisle as CFO. It also lists Lisa C. Cronin as chairman, C. Dewitt Caruthers as vice chairman, Steve Walker as treasurer, Wanda H. Thomas as secretary, and Lisa Childs, Glenn Kinsey, and Jerry Edwards Jr. as directors. The Foundation’s website describes its Board of Directors as a seven-member volunteer board.
Community Foundation of North Louisiana is led by Kristi Gustavson, CEO on every filing since 2020; 2 of 9 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Kristi Gustavson
CEO
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$146K (2020) → $177K (2024)
Lisa C. Cronin
Chairman
Secretary → Vice Chairman, 2023
Vice Chairman → Chairman, 2024
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Glenn Kinsey
Director
Vice Chairman → Chairman, 2021
Chairman → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jerry Edwards Jr.
Director
Vice Chairman → Chairman, 2023
Chairman → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lisa Childs
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Paige Carlisle
CFO
On filings since 2020
42 hrs/week
$104K (2020) → $131K (2024)
C. Dewitt Caruthers
Vice Chairman
Treasurer → Secretary, 2023
Secretary → Vice Chairman, 2024
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Wanda H. Thomas
Secretary
Director → Treasurer, 2023
Treasurer → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Steve Walker
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Terry Davis (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Thomas H. Murphy (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Margaret M. Thompson (2020) — Secretary
- Former: Rand Falbaum (2020) — Chairman
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $177K, to Kristi Gustavson (CEO). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Community Foundation of North Louisiana
How much does Community Foundation of North Louisiana give each year?
Community Foundation of North Louisiana gave $11.3M across 191 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $10.2M across 177 grants.
What is Community Foundation of North Louisiana's typical grant size?
Community Foundation of North Louisiana's median grant in 2024 was $19,750, and its average grant was $59,137, across 191 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Community Foundation of North Louisiana that year got $38K on average.
Where does Community Foundation of North Louisiana give grants?
Community Foundation of North Louisiana gives mostly in Louisiana: 88% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was Virginia (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Shreveport, LA (108 grants), Ruston, LA (13 grants), Baton Rouge, LA (6 grants) and Bossier City, LA (6 grants).
Does Community Foundation of North Louisiana give general operating support?
Yes: 55% of Community Foundation of North Louisiana's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (106 of 191) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990. Recurring purposes include "Give for Good Grant" (40 grants).
Who are Community Foundation of North Louisiana's largest grantees?
Community Foundation of North Louisiana's largest 2024 grantees include Volunteers of America of North Louisiana ($745,181), Washington & Lee University ($702,500) and Caddo Parish School Board ($500,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($213,702), which are not listed by name. Together they received 17% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Community Foundation of North Louisiana?
Community Foundation of North Louisiana reported $193.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $28.6M.
What does Community Foundation of North Louisiana fund?
The Foundation’s mission is to promote philanthropy and improve quality of life in the North Louisiana community. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Community Foundation of North Louisiana?
The Foundation accepts applications for eligible competitive grants through its application process. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Community Foundation of North Louisiana's EIN?
Community Foundation of North Louisiana's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 72-6022365. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS October 29, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 31, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 2, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 11, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Community Foundation of North Louisiana's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Community Foundation of North Louisiana funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/community-foundation-of-north-louisiana-morg_960d687987db4341bdc5e85fa5a079ab
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_726022365_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Community Foundation of North Louisiana funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/community-foundation-of-north-louisiana-morg_960d687987db4341bdc5e85fa5a079ab},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Community Foundation of North Louisiana's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Community Foundation of North Louisiana down — hundreds of funders to go?