The Charles Lamar Family Foundation
The Charles Lamar Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Established by Charles W. Lamar III in 2000, it provides financial support to nonprofit organizations, usually in the Baton Rouge area, with particular interests in Pre-K–12 education, companion animal welfare, and water resources.
The Charles Lamar Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Charles Lamar Family Foundation gave $1.5M across 47 grants in 2024 (avg $33K), mostly in Louisiana. 43% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,538,311
- +22.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 47
- +34.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $32,730
- -9.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $20,780
- Total assets
- $13,774,174
- -0.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 43% first-time grantees (20 of 47, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Louisiana (86% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Charles Lamar Family Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Applicants should submit a proposal summary and a concise narrative describing the organization, the need, the project, measurable objectives and timetable, plans for continuation and evaluation. Attachments should include staff qualifications, a detailed project budget and funding requests, board information and authorization, financial statements, and tax-exempt status documentation. The foundation states that its next grants may be limited to K–12 education, companion animal welfare, or water resources. Applicants proposing other projects are asked to submit a letter of intent describing the organization’s mission, project, budget, and requested amount, and to wait for a response before submitting a full application.
- Review Cycle
- Applications for the June round must be received by March 15; applications for the December round must be received by September 15.
- Deadline
- Applications for the June round must be received by March 15; applications for the December round must be received by…
- Contact
Application contact: Charles Lamar Family Foundation
Mailing address: PO Box 66338, Baton Rouge, LA 70896
Phone: (225) 924-3527
Website: https://lamarfamilyfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Charles Lamar Family Foundation
Who The Charles Lamar Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Cat Haven ($200K). Together the top 10 received $914K.
Grant Size Distribution
197 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 155 grants of 197 (79%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says its grants are usually for projects in the Baton Rouge, Louisiana area. Its 2024 filing states that donee organizations are generally limited to those located in or near Baton Rouge and identifies social services, arts and culture, education, animal welfare, and natural and historic conservation as fields of interest. In 2024, 86% of grant dollars went to recipients in Louisiana; other recipient-state shares were California 6%, Alabama 3%, Michigan 3%, and New Jersey 1%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 47 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Charles Lamar Family Foundation open to new grantees?
43%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 20 of 47 grantees (43%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $29K; repeat grants $35K. How we count
Medians: $18K first-time, $24K repeat.
- 43% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 43% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 102% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF 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 $980K (2020) to $1.5M (2024). In 2024 it made 47 grants totaling $1.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cat Haven Baton Rouge, LA | Charitable - funding for adoption services center expansion project | $200,000 |
| Companion Animal Alliance Baton Rouge, LA | Charitable - pets for life program & canine parvovirus program | $156,250 |
| Baton Rouge Youth Coalition Baton Rouge, LA | Charitable - Support Persistence Program | $100,000 |
| Great Hearts Harveston Baton Rouge, LA | Charitable - Support for Economically Disadvantaged Students | $100,000 |
| Knock Knock Children's Museum Baton Rouge, LA | Charitable - funding for the "knock knock access for all reduced admission" program | $100,000 |
| Teach for America Greater Baton Rouge Baton Rouge, LA | Charitable - Ignite Fellowship PRGRAM & Annual Support | $60,000 |
| Christian Outreach Center Baton Rouge, LA | Charitable - Capacity & Stablity Building | $50,000 |
| Bissel Pet Foundation Grand Rapids, MI | Charitable - fix the future program (spay & neuter in bation rouge) | $50,000 |
| Fathers on a Mission Baton Rouge, LA | Charitable - Support for Project Family Build | $50,000 |
| Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities New Orleans, LA | Charitable - support for distribution of prime time boxes and family reading programs | $47,781 |
Ready to take the next step with The Charles Lamar Family Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $13,774,174 | $1,634,660 | $1,656,925 | $1,538,311 | 47 | $1,583,320 | $1,547,953 | $1,553,497 |
| 2023 | $13,800,699 | $2,146,183 | $1,319,268 | $1,258,312 | 35 | $1,278,050 | $1,082,026 | $1,268,843 |
| 2022 | $12,973,784 | $1,042,503 | $1,272,292 | $1,199,898 | 38 | $1,217,342 | $963,975 | $1,288,865 |
| 2021 | $13,203,573 | $1,711,937 | $1,130,995 | $1,077,415 | 34 | $1,088,575 | $1,077,075 | $1,309,385 |
| 2020 | $12,622,631 | $1,216,616 | $1,040,698 | $979,714 | 43 | — | $565,276 | $992,954 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Charles Lamar Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.6M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to provide significant funds to emerging and expanding nonprofit organizations with useful missions, talented and dedicated personnel, and sound operating plans. Its general areas of interest are education, animal welfare, conservation of natural and historic resources, social services, and arts and culture. Its special interests are Pre-K–12 education, water resources, and companion animal welfare.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of its grantmaking. Cat Haven says its mission is to improve the lives of people and cats through rescue, care, shelter, adoption, and advocacy for sterilization. Companion Animal Alliance describes its mission as creating and maintaining a compassionate and safe community for pets and people through animal-welfare services. Baton Rouge Youth Coalition says it helps teens pursue post-secondary education through resources such as mentoring, ACT preparation, and college guidance. Knock Knock Children’s Museum describes its mission as providing playful learning experiences that support lifelong learning.
Grantmaking
The foundation makes grants to 501(c)(3) organizations through competitive rounds in June and December. It generally supports new or expanded activities, such as a new program, a building fund, or expansion of existing programs, and may provide bridge funding when an established organization loses a funding source. It does not provide all the funds for a project or program and expects applicants to show that the wider community is committed to the activity. Applicants should demonstrate a feasible plan to complete and sustain the funded activity. The foundation requires final reporting on the project and its actual revenues and expenses.
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 47 grants totaling $1,538,311. Individual grants ranged from $5,000 to $200,000, with a median of $20,780. The foundation’s stated award range is $5,000 to $400,000, and it reports making about 20 grants totaling around $1 million per year.
Among the larger 2024 awards were $200,000 to Cat Haven for an adoption services center expansion project; $156,250 to Companion Animal Alliance for its Pets for Life and canine parvovirus programs; and $100,000 each to Baton Rouge Youth Coalition, Great Hearts Harveston, and Knock Knock Children’s Museum. Other grants included $60,000 to Teach for America Greater Baton Rouge, $50,000 to Christian Outreach Center, and $50,000 to Fathers on a Mission.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Charles W. Lamar III as president; Carole E. Lamar as secretary/treasurer; and Allison Lamar Beard, Courtney Lamar Leader, Wyatt Beard, and Nicholas Leader as directors.
The Charles Lamar Family Foundation is led by Charles W. Lamar III, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 6 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Charles W. Lamar III
President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Allison Lamar Beard
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Courtney Lamar Leader
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Nicholas Leader
Director
New on the 2024 filing
No compensation reported
Wyatt Beard
Director
New on the 2024 filing
No compensation reported
Carole E. Lamar
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Madison C. Lamar (2020–2021) — Director
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Charles Lamar Family Foundation
How much does The Charles Lamar Family Foundation give each year?
The Charles Lamar Family Foundation gave $1.5M across 47 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.3M across 35 grants.
What is The Charles Lamar Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Charles Lamar Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $20,780, and its average grant was $32,730, across 47 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Charles Lamar Family Foundation that year got $29K on average.
Where does The Charles Lamar Family Foundation give grants?
The Charles Lamar Family Foundation gives mostly in Louisiana: 86% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was California (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Baton Rouge, LA (31 grants) and San Francisco, CA (6 grants).
Does The Charles Lamar Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 32% of The Charles Lamar Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (15 of 47) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Charles Lamar Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Charles Lamar Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Cat Haven ($200,000), Companion Animal Alliance ($156,250) and Baton Rouge Youth Coalition ($100,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 30% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Charles Lamar Family Foundation?
The Charles Lamar Family Foundation reported $13.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.6M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Charles Lamar Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to provide significant funds to emerging and expanding nonprofit organizations with useful missions, talented and dedicated personnel, and sound operating plans. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Charles Lamar Family Foundation?
Applicants should submit a proposal summary and a concise narrative describing the organization, the need, the project, measurable objectives and timetable, plans for continuation and evaluation. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Charles Lamar Family Foundation's EIN?
The Charles Lamar Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 72-1488497. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Charles Lamar Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Charles Lamar Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 8, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-charles-lamar-family-foundation-morg_31d6a5fb166f4e62a24b6a4e97080ce1
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_721488497_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Charles Lamar Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-charles-lamar-family-foundation-morg_31d6a5fb166f4e62a24b6a4e97080ce1},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-08. 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 The Charles Lamar Family Foundation'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.
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