The Carolyn W. and Charles
T. Beaird Family Foundation began life as the Charles T. Beaird Foundation on December 28, 1960, in
Shreveport, Louisiana. At the time, the Foundation's primary
purpose was to facilitate the philanthropic interests of the
Beaird-Poulan Corporation. It later became a stand-alone Family Foundation
with no affiliation to any business, and its assets consist
of contributions made by the Beaird family. It was renamed the Carolyn W. and Charles T. Beaird Family Foundation in 2009.
Dr. Charles T.
Beaird (Ph.D. in Philosophy, Columbia University) was an industrialist,
a newspaper publisher, an investor, a college professor,
a collector and a philanthropist who was a life-long resident
of Shreveport. He and his wife, Carolyn Williams Beaird, were
widely recognized, locally and nationally, for their civic and
charitable work. The Foundation they established continues their
work under the direction of their family's second, third and fourth generations.
While most foundations
have a Board of Directors, as do we, the Beaird Foundation also has a separate
designation called Members. Any descendant -- or spouse of a descendant -- of Carolyn W. and Charles T. Beaird who has reached the age
of 18 may become a Member if he or she chooses. The Members elect
up to nine of their own to serve on the Board of Directors, and
the Board elects the Foundation's officers. The entire Membership
meets annually, and the Board has at least two other meetings
during the year to consider requests for grants. Day-to-day operations
are the duties of the Foundation's executive
director.
The Foundation
awards grants to qualified nonprofit organizations, mostly in
the Shreveport-Bossier City region of northwest Louisiana. It
has supported a wide range of interests, including education, housing, health care,
social services, the arts and community development.
From its small
beginnings in 1960, the Carolyn W. and Charles T. Beaird Family Foundation has grown, enabling its Board to award $1,031,483 in grants in 2012.
