Achievements

Since its establishment in 1983, the Greater New Orleans Foundation has accrued a number of accomplishments affecting both the region and the greater New Orleans community. The following are a recent sampling…

• Stand Up For Our Children is a partnership the Foundation has with the Kellogg Foundation. It promotes a healthier start in life for children 0 to 8.
• Our partnership with the Ford Foundation is called Metropolitan Opportunities. It’s looking at how to create vibrant communities beyond housing—how to make sure there are grocery stores and other daily needs nearby; how to connect people to jobs close to where they live; and, how to make public transportation accessible.
• The Gulf Coast Oil Spill Fund has raised over $1 million and continues to make grants directed to environmental concerns resulting from last year’s BP Deepwater Horizon disaster.
• The Foundation has attracted over $150 million in capital for our region’s charities.
• Supported early education reform efforts like New Schools for New Orleans.

• Since June 2011, the Foundation has returned 9,000 families to their homes after the hurricanes.
• April 19, 2011 the Foundation launched its Coastal 5+1 Initative, uniting coastal parishes in environmental initiatives.
• March 2011, GNOF sponsored the Idea Village’s Water Challenge. This is a competition whereby we’re turning to entrepreneurs to come up with solutions on how we learn to live with water.
• On February 23, the Greater New Orleans Foundation was featured on an episode of National TV’s BRAVO TOP CHEF, along with guest chef John Besh.
• On February 15, 2011 the Foundation and the City of New Orleans was one of six cities awarded $300,000 over two years awarded a grant from the National Fund for Workforce Solutions for job training.
• In January 2011, the Foundation welcomed Joann Ricci, VP of Organizational Effectiveness, and created the Department of Organizational Effectiveness. Joann will work to strengthen the region’s nonprofit organizations and to increase the effectiveness of the Foundation’s grantmaking.
• The Muses Apartment Homes in New Orleans, located at the edge of the Central City National Historic District, is a 263-unit, mixed-income development that transforms nearly five acres of abandoned, urban infill property into a neighborhood hub and a bridge to the economic activity along St. Charles Avenue and the Garden District. In 2011, the Muses Apartment Homes recently won the Novogradac Award.
• In 2011, the Communications & Marketing Department received three awards: the Council on Foundations’ Wilmer Shields Rich gold awards for our annual report, website, and newsletter.
• IMPACT 2010, the highly competitive grantmaking program, awarded $800,000 to 42 nonprofits organizations in six categories: arts & culture, civic engagement, education, health, human & social services, and youth development.
• In 2010, our IMPACT 2010 program received 301 letters of interest as of the September 3rd deadline.
• In 2010, the Greater New Orleans Foundation awarded slightly over $20 million in grants. Of that amount, $14.2 million was awarded from donor directed funds and $6.4 million was awarded from Foundation-directed funds.
• In 2010, the Foundation’s Communications & Marketing Department received two awards: the Council on Foundations’ Wilmer Shields Rich silver award for our website, and a gold award — top of our class — for our annual report.