Tesson Foundation

## Approach Strategy

The Tesson Foundation is a Metairie/Covington, Louisiana-based private foundation focused exclusively on education innovation in Southeast Louisiana. With $2.5M in assets and a tiered grant structure covering projects from under $10,000 to $50,000+, the foundation supports educators and education nonprofits seeking to bring innovative learning to Louisiana classrooms.

What makes the Tesson Foundation distinctive is its educator-centric eligibility model: the applicant must be the person directly involved in delivering the program, not an administrator or executive with budget authority. This explicitly excludes principals and presidents — a design choice that prioritizes grassroots classroom innovation over institutional grant-seeking by administrators.

The three-tiered grant structure (Early Impact / Educational Excellence / Multi-Year Transformation) creates a pathway from small experiments to large multi-year programs, suggesting the foundation values both rapid small-scale testing and sustained multi-year commitments for proven approaches.

The online application form is open on a rolling basis, making this an always-accessible funder for Louisiana educators with strong educational program ideas.

## Funding Patterns

• Asset Base: ~$2.51 million (EIN 72-1285110, Metairie LA / Covington LA)
• Geographic Restriction: Southeast Louisiana only — no exceptions
• Grant Tiers:
• - Early Impact Grant: Under $10,000 / spent within calendar year
• - Educational Excellence Grant: Over $10,000 / spent over 2 calendar years
• - Multi-Year Transformation Grant: Under $50,000 / spent over 4 calendar years
• Applicant Eligibility: Must be directly involved in the program being funded (educators, classroom teachers, nonprofit program staff) — Principals/presidents/budget controllers NOT eligible
• Recipient: Must be tax-exempt
• Application: Online rolling form — no specific deadline noted
• Reporting: Quarterly proof-of-performance reports required (March 31, June 30, September 30, December 15)
• Ineligible: Capital requests (buildings, vehicles), endowments, salaries, fundraising sponsorships, non-educational expenses
• Mailing Address: P.O. Box 2877, Covington, LA 70434-2877

## Peer Comparison

Education innovation funders in Louisiana and the Gulf South:

• Tulane University Education Fund — New Orleans education funder; larger scale but overlapping metro focus
• Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities — State-wide humanities/education funder; more traditional approach vs. Tesson's innovation focus
• New Schools for New Orleans — Education reform funder in New Orleans; charter school focus
• Greater New Orleans Foundation — Community foundation including education; broader mandate
• Windgate Foundation — Arts education funder; partially overlapping Southeast US focus

What distinguishes Tesson: (1) the teacher/educator-first eligibility model that actively excludes administrative grant-seekers; (2) the tiered structure that scales from $10K classroom projects to $50K+ multi-year transformation programs; (3) the quarterly reporting requirement creates accountability but also deep engagement with grantees; (4) Southeast Louisiana specificity means they are one of the few dedicated innovation funders for rural and suburban Louisiana schools outside New Orleans proper.

## Recent Activity

• Stories from 2020: Foundation published COVID-era stories about partnering with local institutions and STEM distance learning — responsive to acute needs
• Physical Education/Healthy Lifestyles: Funded program with Healthy Lifestyle Choices (Louisiana-based) focused on nutrition, fitness, and attention spans in students
• Rolling Application: Foundation maintains active online application form — currently accepting applications
• Website: tessonfoundation.org active with full program and application infrastructure; some pages (where-we-give, grant guidelines) returning 404 — website in partial maintenance
• Mailing: P.O. Box 2877, Covington, LA 70434-2877

## Application Tips

The Tesson Foundation accepts rolling applications from educators and nonprofits in Southeast Louisiana. This is one of the few local education foundations with an open, accessible application.

Step 1: Confirm Eligibility - Are you directly involved in delivering the program? (If yes, you're eligible; if you're the principal/president who approves budgets, you're not) - Is the program in Southeast Louisiana? (Required) - Is the recipient tax-exempt? (Required) - Does the program improve education/learning? (Required) - Is this NOT a capital project, endowment, or salary request? (Restrictions)

Step 2: Choose Your Grant Tier - Early Impact (<$10K): Good for classroom pilots, small equipment, curriculum development, one-semester programs - Educational Excellence (>$10K): Better for programs requiring two years to implement and demonstrate results - Multi-Year Transformation (<$50K): Best for district-level or multi-school programs with 4-year implementation plans

Step 3: Prepare Your Application - Short bio, educational background, passion statement - Minimum 200-word description of purpose/program - 2 references - Letters of support from knowledgeable community members (up to 5 files) - Timeline for program implementation

Step 4: Commit to Reporting You will need to submit quarterly proof-of-performance reports (March 31, June 30, September 30, December 15). An interview upon completion of the project is also required.

Apply at: tessonfoundation.org/application-process/ (online form, rolling)

What Will NOT Fit: Buildings, renovations, vehicles, endowments, administrative salaries, table sponsorships, fundraising events, or programs outside Louisiana.