A Lafayette nonprofit built on next steps
Everyone hits a moment where the next step feels out of reach. We exist to help people take it.
Who we are
Next Step Charity, Inc. is a Louisiana nonprofit corporation based in Lafayette. We were organized for charitable and educational purposes: to relieve poverty and distress for individuals and families in need, and to advance K-12 education by awarding scholarships to eligible students.
We run two programs, each with its own fund. Money given to our K-12 Scholarship Fund is kept and spent separately from our General Assistance Fund. We do not award college or university scholarships; our scholarship program is for kindergarten through grade 12.
Our founder
Michael P. Peatross is the founder and President of Next Step Charity. A Lafayette resident, Michael started the organization to give neighbors a hand up during hard times and to help more Louisiana families afford the K-12 education that fits their child.
How we work
- Help is given to people selected under fair, objective, written criteria, never to insiders or their families.
- Scholarship gifts go into a separate account used only for the scholarship program.
- Over 90% of scholarship donations go directly to student scholarships, with overhead capped below 10%.
- Scholarships are not earmarked by donors for a particular student.
Where we are today
- Incorporated in Louisiana. Articles of Incorporation filed with the Louisiana Secretary of State in November 2026.
- Federal tax-exempt status. Our application with the IRS is in process. We'll post our determination here once we receive it.
- Online giving. Opens once our bank accounts are set up for each fund.
Next Step Charity, Inc. is a Louisiana nonprofit corporation. Our application for federal tax-exempt status is in process; we'll update this page once the IRS recognizes us. Until then, we are not able to say that gifts are tax-deductible.