Community-Led Green Infrastructure
Community-Led Green Infrastructure
This initiative, supported by federal funding, aims to reduce stormwater flooding and advance environmental well-being through development, implementation, and evaluation of community-led green stormwater infrastructure projects focused in vulnerable and underserved communities in the Greater New Orleans region.
Community-Led Green Infrastructure – Round 2 Grants
Issued by: New Orleans Community Support Foundation (NOCSF), a supporting organization of the Greater New Orleans Foundation
Available Subaward Funding: $62,500 – $150,000
Expression of Interest Deadline: September 30, 2026
Contact: alyssa@gnof.org
I. Overview
The New Orleans Community Support Foundation (NOCSF) invites Expressions of Interest (EOI) from eligible nonprofit and community-based organizations for grants under the Community-Led Green Infrastructure initiative. This initiative, supported by federal funding, aims to advance environmental well-being and community resilience through the implementation and evaluation of community-led green infrastructure projects focused on flood and stormwater mitigation to improve community resilience and water quality in vulnerable and underserved communities in the Greater New Orleans region.
II. Program Goals and Objectives
This initiative will:
- Increase the resiliency of Southeast Louisiana communities through green stormwater infrastructure projects that are developed, implemented, and evaluated by members of the communities that the projects serve with a focus on creating community-led green infrastructure in the most vulnerable and underserved communities.
- Increase the number of individuals with improved understanding of environmental issues in their community through their involvement in the implementation and evaluation of community-led green infrastructure projects; and
- Ensure that grantee partners have improved their abilities to identify, successfully apply for, and effectively manage grants related to green infrastructure and water quality improvement in underserved communities that are adversely and disproportionately affected by environmental and human health harms or risks.
III. Geographic Focus
Projects must be located in one or more of the following parishes in the Greater New Orleans region:
Assumption, Jefferson, Lafourche, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Tammany, Terrebonne, Tangipahoa, or Washington.
IV. Available Grants
The one-year grant period will begin in March of 2027. Applicants may apply under one of two project stages:
Stage 2: Community-Owned Implementation
- Award Amount: $150,000
- Purpose: Support the implementation of community-led green infrastructure projects addressing stormwater, resilience, and pollution issues.
- Number of Awards: 4
Stage 3: Community Evaluation & Storytelling
- Award Amount: $62,500
- Purpose: Support community-led evaluation, storytelling, and communication efforts that capture lessons learned and impact of existing community-led green infrastructure projects.
- Number of Awards: 2
Applicants may only apply for one grant per round. Round 2 total funding available is up to $725,00, for a total of $1.75 million distributed over both rounds.
V. Eligibility Criteria
Eligible applicants must:
- Be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a defined community mission or a project fiscally sponsored by a a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization ;
- Be located in, or demonstrate a strong track record of working with, vulnerable or underserved communities in the region;
- Demonstrate experience with green infrastructure and community collaboration;
- Attend a technical assistance session, either virtually or in person, during either rounds of the application process;
- Ensure capacity to participate in technical assistance, the Community of Practice, and program evaluation activities;
- Have a Unique Entity Identifier and registration with SAM.gov If you do not have a Unique Entity Identifier, pre-award technical assistance will be available to help you obtain one.
- Have written policy and procedures in alignment with federal standards and the Code of Federal Regulations; *Please note that pre-award technical assistance will support in the development of these policies for organizations that do not already have them in place
- Be able to provide documentation of liability and workers’ compensation insurance.
VI. Application Process
This is a two-step application process, beginning with an Expression of Interest questionnaire to ensure eligibility and alignment with program objectives. Expression of Interest questionnaires must be submitted online through the Foundation’s online portal from September 1st – 30th . Selected applicants will be invited to submit a full application, open November 2026 to January 2027.
If your organization has already created a profile in the online portal, simply log in with your existing information to apply. If your organization needs to set up a profile, the Foundation’s technology partner, Foundant, has created a brief tutorial for applicants that may be viewed here.
To access the application in a language other than English, please contact alyssa@gnof.org
Para acceder a la aplicación en un idioma distinto al inglés, envíe un correo electrónico a alyssa@gnof.org
Vui lòng gửi email đến alyssa@gnof.org để truy cập ứng dụng bằng ngôn ngữ khác ngoài tiếng Anh.
VII. Selection Criteria
Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
| Criteria | Description |
| Community Impact | Direct benefit to vulnerable and underserved communities |
| Project Readiness & Feasibility | Appropriateness of timeline, goals, and strategy |
| Environmental Alignment | Advances flood and stormwater mitigation, and resilience to hazards |
| Community Engagement | Degree of community leadership and participation |
| Organizational Capacity | Demonstrated ability or potential to manage grant |
| Sustainability & Learning | Plans for long-term impact and community storytelling |
Final recommendations will be made by the Community Advisory Board, with approval by NOCSF.
VIII. Timeline
| Milestone | Date |
| Informational Webinar | August 25, 2026 & September 17, 2026 |
| EOI Opens | September 1, 2026 |
| EOI Closes | September 30, 2026 |
| Notification of Selection for Full Application | October 23, 2026 |
IX. Technical Assistance
To support applicants in the application process and in building capacity for future funding opportunities, the Foundation provided a variety of technical assistance offerings. Applicants are required to attend at least one technical assistance session related to this program to be eligible to receive funding. Attendance of technical assistance sessions during round one of the Community-Led Green Infrastructure grantmaking program fulfills this eligibility requirement. Attendance of technical assistance sessions does not guarantee funding or advancement to the full application process.
This requirement can also be fulfilled by attending the following:
Virtual Introductory Sessions:
- Aug 25, 2026 02:00 PM: Register in advance for this webinar
- Sep 17, 2026 11:30 AM: Register in advance for this webinar
Additional technical assistance will be available for those selected to move on to the full application process.
Post-award technical assistance includes:
- Participation in a Community of Practice including quarterly convenings
- Peer learning, expert-led training, and support in scaling projects
X. Reporting and Evaluation
Awardees will be required to:
- Submit quarterly progress reports and a final report
- Measure project-specific impact metrics, in line with the Foundation’s overall program evaluation process
- Participate in formative and summative program evaluation processes in compliance with federal standards
- Contribute to regional communications and storytelling efforts about environmental work