Jonesboro State Bank – Pledge 10 Grants

$2,500–$10,000 Grants for Innovative Community Projects in Four Louisiana Parishes

Jonesboro State Bank is accepting applications for its Spring 2027 Pledge 10 Grant Program, providing grants of $2,500 to $10,000 for new and creative projects addressing community needs in north-central Louisiana.

Pledge 10 supports projects in four focus areas: Education, Youth Development, Financial Literacy, and Community Enrichment. Eligible projects must benefit people in Jackson, Bienville, Winn, or Lincoln Parish.

The fall application deadline is March 15, 2027.

Organization: Jonesboro State Bank
Program: Pledge 10 Grant Program
Support Type: Community grants
Funding Amount: $2,500–$10,000
Geographic Focus: Jackson, Bienville, Winn, and Lincoln Parishes, Louisiana
Deadline: March 15, 2027

New to corporate grant fundraising?

Read our Corporate Grants for Nonprofits: Ultimate Guide to learn how corporate funding works.

➡️ https://corporategrantsguide.com/corporate-grants-101/

About the Funder

Jonesboro State Bank created Pledge 10 as a commitment to reinvest 10% of its profits back into the community.

The program seeks to create opportunities for residents and strengthen communities within Jonesboro State Bank’s service area. Pledge 10 grants are awarded twice each year through spring and fall funding cycles.

In Spring 2026 alone, Jonesboro State Bank awarded more than $75,000 through the program.

What This Program Supports

Pledge 10 focuses on four primary areas.

Education

Projects that create or expand educational opportunities for children, youth, adults, schools, or communities.

Youth Development

Programs that help young people develop skills, confidence, leadership, educational opportunities, or other resources that contribute to their long-term success.

Financial Literacy

Projects that improve financial knowledge, money-management skills, economic understanding, or financial wellbeing.

Community Enrichment

Creative projects that improve quality of life, strengthen local resources, address unmet needs, or create new opportunities for area residents.

Applicants may identify up to two Pledge 10 focus areas for their proposed project.

Geographic Eligibility

Funded projects must benefit people in at least one of the following Louisiana parishes:

• Jackson Parish
• Bienville Parish
• Winn Parish
• Lincoln Parish

An applying organization does not have to be headquartered within these four parishes as long as the proposed project serves people within the eligible area.

Projects may serve a single eligible parish and do not need to cover the entire four-parish region.

Eligible Organizations

Organizations eligible to apply include:

• Charitable organizations
• Government organizations
• Accredited public schools
• Accredited private schools
• Colleges and universities
• Churches and houses of worship, when the proposed project benefits the broader community rather than only the congregation

Applicants must provide documentation demonstrating their organization’s legitimacy and good standing.

A banking relationship with Jonesboro State Bank is not required.

Organizations may submit up to two proposals per grant cycle.

What Makes a Strong Project

Jonesboro State Bank places particular emphasis on projects that are:

New & Creative

Pledge 10 is intended to support new, innovative projects rather than simply maintaining existing services.

The bank particularly encourages projects that can serve as pilots for larger initiatives or future grant opportunities.

Addressing an Identified Community Need

Applicants should clearly explain the problem or need within the community and how the proposed project will address it.

Local data, community feedback, surveys, or other supporting information may strengthen an application.

Capable of Producing Meaningful Impact

Applicants should demonstrate:

• How many people will benefit
• What activities will be completed
• How outcomes will be measured
• How the organization will manage the project
• How grant funding will create meaningful community benefit

Leveraging Other Resources

Jonesboro State Bank encourages applicants to show how Pledge 10 funding will work alongside other resources.

These may include:

• Organization funds
• In-kind contributions
• Community partnerships
• Other grants
• Volunteer support
• Outside financial contributions

Ineligible Requests

Pledge 10 does not fund:

• Existing or ongoing services
• Current salaries
• Ongoing administrative costs
• Contests or pageants
• Requests benefiting only one person or family
• Projects involving domestic or international travel
• Political candidates, campaigns, causes, or organizations
• College, university, or vocational scholarships
• Re-granting funds to another organization

Projects that have already received Pledge 10 funding twice are also not eligible for a third award for the same or substantially equivalent project.

Funding Amounts

💰 Minimum Grant: $2,500

💰 Maximum Grant: $10,000

Partial awards may be made.

Applicants are asked to explain how their project could be modified, reduced, delayed, or supplemented with other resources if Jonesboro State Bank is unable to fund the full request.

Project Timeline

Projects funded through the fall cycle must generally:

• Begin approximately 6–12 weeks after the March 15 application deadline
• Be completed within 12 months
• Represent a new project or meaningful expansion rather than an ongoing service

Applicants should create a realistic project timeline and clearly identify who will be responsible for major activities.

Application Requirements

Applicants should be prepared to provide information including:

• Organization type and documentation
• Project name
• Project description
• Community need
• Alignment with Pledge 10 priorities
• Number of people expected to benefit
• Organization budget, when required
• Detailed project budget
• Amount requested
• Organization and outside resources supporting the project
• Plan for partial funding
• Organization mission and capacity
• Project director experience
• Project management plan
• Evaluation strategy
• Explanation of what makes the project innovative
• Long-term vision for the project
• Plan for recognizing Jonesboro State Bank’s support

Jonesboro State Bank strongly encourages applicants to review its detailed Applicant Guide and Model Application before submitting.

Timeline & Review

📅 Spring Application Period: January 15 – March 15, 2027

📅 Deadline: March 15, 2027

📅 Award Decisions: Generally communicated about six weeks after the application cycle closes

Jonesboro State Bank accepts Pledge 10 applications twice annually:

Spring: January 15 – March 15
Fall: July 15 – September 15

Application / Request Process

Applications must be completed online during an active funding cycle.

Jonesboro State Bank notes that applications are evaluated closely based on how well applicants follow the published guidelines, so organizations should review the Applicant Guide before preparing their responses.

The bank also provides a Model Application showing examples of responses that have historically scored well with reviewers.

Apply / Learn More

➡️ https://www.jonesborostatebank.com/grant-application

Spring 2027 Deadline: March 15, 2027

Why This Opportunity Is a Good Fit

This opportunity is especially strong for organizations that:

• Serve Jackson, Bienville, Winn, or Lincoln Parish
• Need between $2,500 and $10,000 for a defined project
• Have a new or innovative idea rather than an ongoing operating need
• Work in education, youth development, financial literacy, or community enrichment
• Have relatively limited budgets or funding flexibility
• Can demonstrate a specific unmet community need
• Have a clear implementation and evaluation plan
• Want to test a pilot project that could later attract larger funding

Pledge 10 stands out because Jonesboro State Bank explicitly welcomes smaller organizations and applicants that may be relatively new to grant funding. Strong community need, a practical plan, and a creative project idea may be more important than organizational size.

Corporate Grants Guide Notes

Deadline: March 15, 2027
Funding Amount: $2,500–$10,000
Review Type: Competitive semiannual grant cycle
Geographic Focus: Jackson, Bienville, Winn, and Lincoln Parishes, Louisiana
Focus Areas: Education, Youth Development, Financial Literacy, and Community Enrichment
Best Suited For: Local organizations with new, clearly defined projects addressing unmet community needs