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The Maraist Family Foundation seeks to promote economic mobility and joyful community bonds in coastal Louisiana by supporting educational, cultural, and human service organizations that do transformative work. Funding and grant recipients include:
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette Bayou Teche Museum The Clifton Chenier Memorial Scholarship Fund The Paul & Lulu Hilliard Museum Love Our Schools ArtSpark Program Southern Mutual Help Association Faith House of Acadiana Kites Above Acadiana Healing Garden Boys & Girls Club of Acadiana The Accelerating Reading Program at Holy Family School W.D. & Mary Baker Smith Career Center Big Towns Prime Time Head Start and Early Head Start FoodNet Food Bank |
Congratulations to our 2026 Grantee Cohort!
ABOUT THE 2026 GRANTEES:
upLFT Capital Access: This organization creates greater access to mortgages and business capital. Their grant from the Foundation will contribute to
a revolving Loan fund to support entrepreneurs and small business owners in Lafayette Parish who face barriers to capital access. Their loan fund, with affordable rates and flexible returns, helps community-rooted businesses in underserved neighborhoods launch, grow, and sustain themselves. It’s not only enriching individual lives of new business owners, but it impacts whole communities by creating direct and immediate economic impact where it is needed most.
Basin Arts’ BARE Walls: BARE Walls is an innovative art subscription service created by Basin Arts that transforms "BARE" business walls into vibrant gallery spaces featuring original artwork by Acadiana artists. BARE Walls generates income for artists who are able to show their work on the walls of local businesses, restaurants, even the airport. Artists gain greater exposure and sales, and businesses are able to re-beautify their spaces every three months with new work. The grant will provide seed funding for a new administrative position to grow additional revenue to sustain the program.
The Foundation for South Louisiana Community College: The Foundation for SoLA CC will create an endowed scholarship fund called the Maraist Foundation Scholarships in Workforce Training Programs at SoLAcc. By reducing or eliminating the financial burden of workforce training, the scholarship program opens doors to economic mobility and strengthens the local workforce pipeline. This scholarship program ensures that motivated individuals are not prevented from pursuing high-demand credentials simply because they can’t afford the training they need to take the next step in their careers.
Holy Family Catholic School: HFCS develops children into thriving, academically successful community citizens. Under the visionary leadership of Principal Loretta Williams-Durand and Development Director Ross Cockrell, the school has provided scholarships and outreach, as well as incredible learning and mentoring opportunities, to children who are vulnerable to food insecurity and housing stability. HFCS will use the grant to implement a free Financial Literacy Sports Camp, which balances healthy physical activity and life-skills learning with academic engagement to fight against the summer slide in math and reading.
Hilliard Art Museum: This grant will enable the Museum's education team to expand the “Create and Play Café,” a monthly program that transforms art education into engaging family experiences with hands-on creative activities that make museum concepts accessible to young minds. Under the leadership of Education Director, Barbara Helveston, the Museum will bring in new audiences of young viewers from low income and rural communities, showing them that world-class art is for them and using art as a catalytic connection to expansive learning and community.
The Thensted Center: The Thensted Center serves the rural community surrounding Grand Coteau by providing educational opportunities, basic life necessities like food and diapers, and a place for seniors, veterans, single parents, kids, and people with disabilities to gather in a safe space. The Thensted Center brings together folks who are separated by vast distances in the prairies to ensure that they have access to resources and feel neighborly support. Through the Thensted Center, help is only a phone call away. Their grant will allow them to repave the basket ball court kids can safely play and the Center can hold outdoor events that boost community and connection.
Lafayette Tool Library: Across Acadiana, many homeowners face rising costs of materials and skilled labor, which causes them to defer routine home maintenance. Minor issues soon become major issues and the expensive but necessary repairs place significant financial strain on households. The Lafayette Tool Library provides access to free tools, hands-on workshops, and practical knowledge about home maintenance and repair, as well as hurricane preparedness for the home. The grant from the Maraist Family Foundation will enable the Lafayette Tool Library to spread the word about their free resources to more households, ultimately saving thousands of dollars for Lafayette residents.
WOW Girl Magic: WOW's Girl Magic program provides leadership and mentoring to girls in under-served local schools, helping them to grow with confidence, develop strong life skills, and prepare for productive lives. The rate of high school graduates from high-needs schools in Lafayette Parish who enroll in college is only half the Louisiana average. Girl Magic helps girls build a foundation for success through facilitated sessions, shared activities, and supported mentoring. The grant from the Maraist Family Foundation will enable WOW to expand to a new age group by developing a curriculum for Grades 3-5, thus increasing girls’ access to the program for up to six years.
OUR 2026 GRANT APPLICATION PORTAL HAS CLOSED
Please download and complete the application form. Forms may be mailed to
[email protected]
Note that with your application form, we ask that you submit a project budget and a copy of your most recent IRS Form 990.
If you have trouble downloading the PDF, reach out and we can send it as an attachment.
If you have any questions or wish to discuss your application, please email us at: [email protected]
[email protected]
Note that with your application form, we ask that you submit a project budget and a copy of your most recent IRS Form 990.
If you have trouble downloading the PDF, reach out and we can send it as an attachment.
If you have any questions or wish to discuss your application, please email us at: [email protected]