The Selley Foundation

The Selley Foundation (Selley) is a donor-advised fund of the Greater New Orleans Foundation. Selley supports nonprofits serving the greater New Orleans Region with an emphasis on capital and programmatic needs. The Selley Foundation prefers to support organizations with at least a ten-year record of success. The maximum grant award amount is $75,000.00.

Program Areas

• Arts and Culture – support for organizations including museums, educational, and other cultural institutions that work to advance classical and contemporary arts across multiple disciplines.
• Education – support for private higher learning institutions and high schools including schools governed by Charter Management Organizations, and education support initiatives.
• Environment – support for water management, Coastal restoration, and wildlife conservation.

Types of Grant Awards

Selley makes Grants for the Following:

• Programs – grants that allow the Selley Foundation to invest in expanding or sustaining an organization’s mission.
• Capital – grants that allow the Selley Foundation to support capital projects that expand programming, forge partnerships, increase revenue, and/or strengthen work culture. Capital projects include construction, renovation, acquisition of land or buildings, major equipment, or furnishings.

How to Apply

Selley requires a two-step application process, and all submissions are to be done electronically using the Foundation’s online grant portal, which can be accessed by clicking here.

• Step 1– access and complete the Selley LOI.
• Step 2 – If invited, submit a full grant application for programming or capital request including all required documents. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

What We Fund

• In general, Selley does not support athletics, general operating budgets, special events, or fundraising benefits.
• Selley does not support social service organization/programs
• Selley prefers to support projects with at least 50% funding, but in special instances will support up to 100% of a project.
• Selley will not make grants to organizations that do not have at least 75% board giving. The Selley Trustees encourage organizations to prioritize board giving, noting that participation at any level is more significant than amount given.
• The Selley Foundation prefers to support organizations with at least a ten-year record of success.

When to Apply            

Proposals should be submitted via the online portal no later than the cycle due date. Selley has two annual grantmaking cycles, one in the spring and one in the fall.

Dates for spring grantmaking cycle:

• Selley’s online portal opens on January  2
• LOIs are due on or before February 4
• LOIs are considered by the Selley Trustees in March  
• If an organization is invited to submit a full grant application, the invitation will include procedures and a due date.
• Full applications will be considered at the Selley Trustees’ meeting in May

Deadlines for fall grantmaking cycle:

• Selley’s online portalopens on July 1
• LOIs are due on or beforeAugust 2
• LOIs are considered by the Selley Trustees in September
• If an organization is invited to submit a full grant application, the invitation will include procedures and a due date.
• Full applications will be considered at the Selley Trustees’ meeting in November