Overview

Creating Vitality, Resiliency, and Sustainability

“Either we are witnessing the death of something truly great in America or the start of something even better, something new and blessedly permanent.”
— Mike Tidwell, Bayou Farewell

Because the way we respond to our unique environmental challenges will determine every aspect of our region’s future—from the shape of our communities to the strength of our economy—we at the Foundation believe that our environmental work is critically important.

The Environmental Fund was established in 1994 using the settlement money from a legal dispute involving a phenol spill that tainted drinking water in the Mississippi River. The original gift of $6 million was invested and has grown to $10 million. The endowed fund’s goal is to—year after year—encourage ecological, economic, and cultural vitality, resilience, and sustainability through environmentally focused policies, programs, and projects.

The Foundation partners with environmental experts and community leaders to set goals and chart effective strategies, in order to purposefully support work that is critical to the health and resiliency of our region.

Applying for a Grant from the Environmental Fund

The Environmental Fund only accepts applications through the RFP process. Please do not send us any unsolicited applications. We invite you to subscribe to GNOF’s email newsletter so that you will be notified of when the next request for proposals is issued.

Give Us Your Feedback

Visit the Goals, Objectives & Rationales section of our website to give us feedback on our environmental work. We welcome your comments and suggestions.

Environmental Staff

For more information about the Environmental Fund at the Greater New Orleans Foundation, please contact:

Marco Cocito-Monoc, Ph.D.
Director of Regional Initiatives

Image courtesy of the America’s WETLAND Foundation