$5k Dr. Homer J. Dupuy Grant for Louisiana Heritage Languages

From facebook.com/nousfdn

NEW ORLEANS (press release) – The New Orleans Foundation for Francophone Cultures (Nous) invites applications for the second cycle of its Dr. Homer J. Dupuy Grant Program, supporting cultural and educational projects that advance the visibility and presence of Louisiana French, Louisiana Creole (Kouri-Vini), Indigenous languages and Isleño Spanish in public life.

For the fall call for applications, Nous invites individuals and organizations with projects scheduled to take place between January and September 2027 to apply by Dec. 21, 2026. 

Projects across Louisiana’s 64 parishes are eligible. Program information and the application form are available online. 

Dr. Homer J. Dupuy Grant Program

Launched in 2025, the program addresses a major barrier to heritage language transmission: access to funding for the people and organizations keeping these languages alive. 

Named in honor of Dr. Homer J. Dupuy (1913–2005), a lifelong advocate for French in Louisiana, the grants invest directly in cultural keepers and artists. 

Grants up to $5000 are awarded each cycle. Laureates from last year’s inaugural cycle included:

• Composer Ryan Harrison
• The Ho-Minti Society
• The Institute for Public Ethnomusicology
• Musician Jermaine Butler
• And the Louisiana Parents for French Immersion

Past projects include Nous’s support for composer Ryan Harrison’s collaboration with the Paris Opera on Mové Sang: Créole Archipel, bringing Louisiana’s musical and linguistic heritage into an international artistic collaboration. 

The first cohort also reflects the breadth of work eligible for support, bringing together musicians, community organizations and advocates for language education.

“With this second cycle, we want to create more opportunities for Louisiana’s heritage languages to be heard and shared,” said Nous Co-founder and Executive Director Scott Bazenet-Tilton. “That means investing directly in the people who keep these languages alive and pass them on to new generations.”

Founded in 2020, Nous is a nonprofit cultural institution dedicated to promoting and revitalizing Louisiana’s living cultures, with a focus on Cadien (Cajun), Creole and Indigenous communities.