Open competitive nonprofit funding; applications due October 30, 2026. Hancock Whitney and the Greater New Orleans Foundation (GNOF) are accepting applications for the 2026 Hancock Whitney Opportunity Grant Program, supporting community economic mobility, employment skills, financial education and wealth-building opportunities across the Gulf South. This is a charitable nonprofit applicant grant, not a vendor contract or procurement solicitation.
Applicant-level financial assistance: Competitive awards of up to $25,000 per eligible nonprofit applicant. The partnership has allocated approximately $200,000 in total for the 2026 funding cycle, which is the overall funding pool and not an individual award. The official 2026 program pages do not publish a mandatory universal matching percentage or a disbursement/reimbursement schedule. Award and eligibility remain subject to competitive funder assessment.
Eligible organizations and geography: Applicants must hold qualifying 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable status, have a federal tax identification number in good IRS standing, and be located within one of Hancock Whitney’s designated assessment areas in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, or Texas. The official 2026 grant page identifies 34 assessment areas; organizations should independently confirm their specific service area/address with the grantor before applying rather than assuming that every organization throughout the five states is eligible. Focus is on underserved and low- and moderate-income communities.
Supported activities: Nonprofit job-readiness agencies, workforce and skills-training programs, financial education/literacy providers and matched-savings/individual development account programs are particularly encouraged. Proposed initiatives should strengthen financial empowerment, asset building and wealth creation, employment preparation, professional skills and access to better-paying employment through training and job placement. The official announcement does not prescribe a universal prohibited-expense list, specific match rate or permitted indirect-cost cap; applicants must comply with the full online grant form and any additional funder terms.
Application and restrictions: The 2026 cycle opened October 6 and closes Friday, October 30, 2026. Submit electronically only through the Greater New Orleans Foundation’s online grants portal; late or paper submissions are ineligible. A tax identification number and IRS compliance review are required. By applying, organizations consent to share relevant application and financial information with the grant partners for review. No exact cutoff hour or time zone is published in the official program announcement. The funder recommends using the Foundant applicant-system tutorial before submitting.
Official controlling funder sources: Greater New Orleans Foundation — Hancock Whitney Opportunity Grant 2026, applicant eligibility and application portal; Hancock Whitney official October 8, 2026 solicitation announcement. Verified October 27, 2026.