They handed out more than $23,000 in February, and they are ready to do it again. You just have to ask.

“They” represents the members of the River Region Arts & Humanities Council, which presented 32 grants or sponsorships totaling $23,337 during their February meeting.

Now Council members are putting the word out about how to apply for similar funding this year.

2016 grants are available to schools, theater groups, libraries, art guilds and other non-profit organizations in the River Parishes interested in presenting arts programs or humanities projects. Grants are also open to individuals pursuing developmental activities in the area of the arts and humanities.

In speaking about the impact locally of the arts, Council President Kristie Gough said many people don’t realize how everyone is impacted on a regular basis by some form of art, such as music, visual and performance art.

“The arts need to be supported, and the River Region Arts and Humanities Council does just that,” Gough told L’OBSERVATEUR. “The organization works hard to be sure that the arts have a voice and the means to grow in the River Parishes, which ultimately affects other communities. The Council has been able to award many grants through fundraisers and donations, which help support the local community’s arts programs.”

2016 grants wil1 not exceed $1,000 per application, and those applications are available at rrahc.org, by contacting the Council at Post Office Box 1411, LaPlace, Louisiana, 70069-1411 or by calling the 2016 Grant Committee member Harold Flynn Jr. at 985-651-9090.

Applications must be post marked by Oct. 30 and received by the 2016 Grants Committee by Nov. 6.

The list of groups and organizations that benefited this year in St. John the Baptist Parish include St. Joan of Arc Catholic School, Riverside Academy, San Francisco Plantation Foundation, Ascension of Our Lord School, St. Timothy’s Episcopal School, St. Charles Catholic High School, St. Peter Catholic School, St. John Parish Library, St. John Theatre and Garyville Timber Museum Association.

2016 grant recipients will be announced in mid-December, and recipients will receive their awards in January.

Since 2000, organizers said they have raised more than $370,000 toward their cause.

Why not make your organization the beneficiary of next year’s funding surge.