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Anita Begnaud tapped to run new local development fund

Anita Begnaud, the former Downtown leader, is coming home to spearhead an effort to attract national dollars for local problem solving called the Lafayette Resource Development Initiative.

In her role at the initiative, itself debuted Tuesday by Community Foundation of Acadiana, Begnaud will operate as a kind of development director for the region’s quality of life priorities, hunting for public, philanthropic and corporate funds to finance local projects.

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Begnaud was recruited back from Virginia, where she worked as a marketing executive for the commonwealth’s economic development agency. She last worked locally as CEO of the Downtown Development Authority for five years, resigning in 2023 to take the position in Virginia where she reunited with former One Acadiana boss Jason El Koubi.

Read the press release below:

LAFAYETTE, LA – The Community Foundation of Acadiana (CFA) is proud to announce the launch of the Lafayette Resource Development Initiative (LRDI), a privately funded initiative. In conjunction with this launch, CFA and LRDI are pleased to welcome Anita Begnaud as LRDI’s first Managing Director.

In this leadership role, Begnaud will be responsible for identifying and securing external federal, state, philanthropic, and corporate resources to address community priorities and drive sustainable development in Lafayette. The LRDI will serve a crucial function in filling the current gap of a singular organization dedicated to securing external funding for the community’s broader needs.

“This initiative is very exciting – it’s about giving back to the community in a new way,” said Rob Eddy, Chair of the LRDI Advisory Committee. “We have established LRDI to be a strategic catalyst that advances development and the quality of life in Lafayette. Anita’s proven success on both the local and national stage makes her the perfect person to lead us forward and ensure this investment provides a significant impact on our home.”

Begnaud’s immediate priorities will include developing and implementing the LRDI’s strategic plan, cultivating relationships with national funders, and overseeing the development of funding proposals and grant applications. This work will be aligned with Lafayette’s investment pipeline, ensuring resources are directed to projects that will create the greatest social, economic, and environmental impact. Her experience in philanthropy, public policy, and economic development, along with a deep understanding of complex funding ecosystems, will be instrumental in convening leaders across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to advance high-impact projects.

This announcement comes on the heels of CFA unveiling a new strategic plan, Vision 2034, which is focused on driving regional and local impact, strategically growing philanthropy and connecting generous donors with the most pressing needs in our community, and building sustainability across the organization’s vital programs. Complementing CFA’s ongoing efforts, the LRDI will work to foster a culture of collaboration, promote joint ventures, and maximize the alignment of resources.

“It’s truly exciting to partner with Anita on this critical work; this initiative is a natural next step for Lafayette,” said Missy Andrade, CEO of the Community Foundation of Acadiana. “The LRDI and the Community Foundation of Acadiana are deeply aligned in a shared vision for community-led solutions. With Anita’s national expertise now focused squarely on Lafayette, we can attract and deploy external funding at a scale we’ve aspired to for years now. This external funding will further bolster the regional philanthropy CFA currently cultivates and deploys.”

“It’s great to be home, and I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and work alongside so many people I deeply respect,” said Anita Begnaud, Managing Director of the LRDI. “The LRDI is a singular opportunity to connect Lafayette’s compelling local momentum with a national ecosystem of partners and capital. Leveraging my experience from local success to state-level economic development, I’ll be focused on building alliances and executing a data-driven strategy to bring catalytic investment home and drive measurable impact for the city I love so much.”

Begnaud has been widely regarded as a catalyst for community and economic growth in Lafayette’s urban core from her previous work as CEO of the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) and Downtown Lafayette Unlimited (DLU). During her tenure, the downtown district saw the opening of a significant number of new businesses and the successful launch of key residential projects, including the new build mixed-use project Vermilion Lofts and the redevelopment of the Old Federal Courthouse – now the Municipal.

A native of Church Point and a graduate of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Begnaud brings a strong track record of securing public and philanthropic funding, building cross-sector partnerships, and leading high-impact initiatives. She joins LRDI after serving as the Vice President of Marketing and Communications for the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP), considered one of the country’s top economic development organizations.

At VEDP, Begnaud led the Commonwealth’s international marketing efforts, directing earned media and strategic media relations programs to promote Virginia as a top state for business; developed and executed a site consultant cultivation program that enhanced the state’s ability to compete for thousands of jobs and billions in capital investment; and contributed to Virginia’s innovative framework for economic growth, which secured thousands of jobs and billions in capital investment in Virginia over the past two years.