New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno’s Municipal Complex Advisory Committee Names Foundation President and CEO Andy Kopplin as Committee Chair
Courtesy of NOLA.com
New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno’s Municipal Complex Advisory Committee explored potential options for the complex’s overhaul at a public meeting on August 6, where they also appointed Greater New Orleans Foundation President and CEO Andy Kopplin as the committee’s chair and Jasmine Brown DeRousselle, the Chief External Affairs Officer at GNO Inc., as its vice chair.
The administration of Mayor Moreno, the New Orleans City Council, and the Orleans Parish Civil District Court Judicial Building Commission announced on July 8 the appointment of the Committee that is reviewing and making recommendations for the development of new City Hall and Civil District Court facilities—which have been in operation since the 1950s. The Committee consists of 11 members appointed by the Mayor, the City Council, and the Judicial Building Commission, including Kopplin, current Foundation Trustee Sharonda Williams and former Foundation Trustee Kim M. Boyle.
The Committee is exploring either demolishing and selling New Orleans City Hall and the Civil District Court, gutting and renovating the buildings, leasing commercial office space, or some combination of the options. The group could also recommend that the City lease space or build a City Hall annex in New Orleans East. The Committee process will allow for robust public engagement as well as input from local leaders and subject matter experts to inform the administration’s and City Council’s decisions around this project. The group, which will also explore financing options for the Complex, is expected to hold 10 public meetings in the coming months to finalize its recommendations, which are due by January 20.
The Committee’s second public meeting is scheduled for today, August 19 at 1 pm in the second-floor conference room at Union Passenger Terminal on Loyola Avenue.
Read more about what people are saying about the Committee Meeting:
- NOLA.com: Mayor Helena Moreno’s committee plans for a new City Hall
- Fox 8: New Orleans committee kicks off study of new city hall and New Orleans East annex
- WDSU: To demo or not to demo: committee discusses future of New Orleans City Hall
Southeast Louisiana Adaptation Forum Holds Summer Convening in New Orleans
Courtesy of Billiot Photography & Video
The Foundation, Tulane ByWater Institute, and the Southeast Louisiana Adaptation Forum Organizing Committee invited practitioners from across sectors working to accelerate equitable implementation of green infrastructure and climate adaptation to the Southeast Louisiana Adaptation Forum Summer Convening on July 16 at Messina’s at the Terminal in New Orleans, following member meet-ups in Houma and New Orleans in the spring.
At the convening, over 100 attendees helped formulate a long-term story of adaptation for our region and contributed their ideas to developing the data tools that will enable us to build that future. Other convening highlights were a panel discussion with speakers who represent science, economy, and community and discussed the long-term realities of adaptation for the region; the opportunity to hone participant’s stories and talking points that build momentum for action; and contributing to the Data Science Working Group.
The Southeast Louisiana Adaptation Forum is led by a broad-based and diverse Organizing Committee and administered by the Greater New Orleans Foundation and Tulane ByWater Institute.
Sign Up for Updates about the Forum Here!
Courtesy of Billiot Photography & Video
Emerging Philanthropists of New Orleans Kicks Off 2026 Cohort
The Greater New Orleans Foundation kicked off the 2026 cohort of Emerging Philanthropists (EPNO) on August 8. EPNO, a program of the Greater New Orleans Foundation, is a high-energy, six-month program that brings together individuals in the Greater New Orleans region to collaboratively and collectively make changes in our communities by learning and giving together. EPNO’s mission is to inspire and educate community members across the Greater New Orleans region to become effective, strategic, and lifelong philanthropists. Through this dynamic experience, community members across the region build the skills, perspective, and confidence to become impactful nonprofit supporters for the benefit of our community. Since 2011, over 600 alumni have gone through the EPNO program.
EPNO separates each year’s class into Impact Teams to focus on building participants’ skills and knowledge base in nonprofit mission areas each participant has previously identified. Each Impact Team grants funds to organizations tackling problems within their Impact Area. This year, the EPNO Impact Teams are arts & culture, health, and human rights & justice. In the coming months, EPNO will call on organizations to submit letters-of-intent to be considered for grant funds.
City of New Orleans and Greater New Orleans Foundation Award Over $146,000 in Tree Planting Grants
The City of New Orleans’ Department of Parks and Parkways, in partnership with the Greater New Orleans Foundation and with one-time funds allocated by the City Council, on July 7 awarded a total of $146,500 in 2026 Tree Planting Grants to nine nonprofit recipients that will help expand the city’s urban forest through community tree planting projects.
Administered by the Greater New Orleans Foundation, the grant program supports the City’s goal of planting 40,000 new trees by 2030 by funding nonprofit-led tree planting initiatives on public property throughout Orleans Parish. Growing the urban tree canopy helps lower dangerously hot temperatures, bring down energy bills, and reduce street flooding while beautifying neighborhoods. Grant awards are between $15,000 and $25,000. To learn more, click here.
The following organizations have been selected to receive 2026 Tree Planting Grants:
- Culture of Cleanliness
- Faubourg Marigny Improvement Association
- Groundwork New Orleans
- Irish Channel Neighborhood Association
- Neighbors First for Bywater
- New Orleans East Green Infrastructure Collective
- People’s Housing +
- Thrive New Orleans
- Sustaining Our Urban Landscape (SOUL)
Grant Opportunity: Webinars Announced for Round Two of Community-Led Green Infrastructure Grantmaking Program
The Greater New Orleans Foundation and its subsidiary, the New Orleans Community Support Foundation, have scheduled virtual technical assistance webinars for round two of the Community-Led Green Infrastructure grantmaking program. Last year, the Foundation launched the grantmaking program, supported by federal funding, to support community-driven solutions that reduce flooding, improve water quality, and strengthen resilience in Southeast Louisiana’s most vulnerable communities. In round 1, the Foundation awarded $1.025 million in grants to 12 organizations across four parishes. In round 2, the Foundation will be granting up to $725,000 overall.
On September 1, the Foundation will kick off the two-step application process for round 2 of the program, beginning with an Expression of Interest questionnaire to ensure eligibility and alignment with program objectives. Selected applicants will be invited to submit a full application later this fall. The questionnaire will be live here from September 1-30. To learn more about the application process and eligibility requirements, we invite you to attend an informational webinar on either August 25 or September 17.
Foundation, City of New Orleans Call for Applications for the 2026 Youth Climate Action Fund
The Greater New Orleans Foundation and the City of New Orleans have announced that applications for the 2026 Bloomberg Philanthropies Youth Climate Action Fund (BYCAF) are open now and will close on September 10! The City of New Orleans, in partnership with the Greater New Orleans Foundation, will award micro-grants of up to $5,000 for innovative youth-led climate projects as part of the Youth Action Climate Fund.
Teams of three or more youth leaders (15-24 years old) are tasked with developing and implementing a project that addresses an environmental problem identified in the City’s Climate Action Plan and are required to have a fiscal 503(c)3 sponsor. Additionally, the City of New Orleans Office of Youth and Families will hold an application assistance session to answer questions and provide more information about the application process and the program on August 20. Register here. Selected teams will be awarded $1,000-$5,000 to implement their project in Orleans Parish by mid-April 2027.
Join Us for a Virtual Workshop on How to Plan a Great Board Retreat Tomorrow, August 20!
As the final part of “Stronger Boards Means Stronger Nonprofits: A Governance Webinar Series,” the Greater New Orleans Foundation’s Center for Nonprofit Leadership and Effectiveness, in partnership with JPMorganChase, is hosting a virtual workshop called How to Plan, Design, and Facilitate a Great Board Retreat tomorrow, August 20 from 11:30 am-1 pm.
At times, all board members need to spend dedicated time away from the usual routine of board business to focus on the bigger picture. A retreat offers the opportunity to delve more deeply into strategy, visioning, or specific issues that they are unable to address during regular board meetings.
This webinar will address the purpose and power of retreats to strengthen the board, how to design a retreat agenda to be engaging, inclusive, productive and fun, facilitation tips and tricks, and logistical considerations. To register for or learn more about this virtual workshop, click here. This session is part of a series. You can find more information on the entire series by clicking here.
Foundation Offers Charter Board Governance Strategy Lab on August 29
The Greater New Orleans Foundation’s Paulette and Frank Stewart Board Governance Institute is hosting Charter Board Governance Strategy Lab: Strengthening Board Oversight & Planning for the Future on August 29 at 9:30 am. This event is offered with generous support from the Pro Bono Publico Foundation and in partnership with NOLA Public Schools, New Schools for New Orleans, and local and national consultants with established records of success in elevating the impact and effectiveness of charter schools.
This interactive governance experience combines expert training on CEO evaluation with hands-on action labs focused on CEO succession planning and board dashboards for progress monitoring. Participants will leave with practical resources, peer insights, and concrete plans to strengthen board oversight and leadership. Boards are encouraged to attend as a small team to learn, collaborate, and build actionable governance solutions together.
Through this experience, participants will collaborate with peers to share governance challenges, solutions, and promising practices; develop at least one governance tool, framework, or action plan aligned to your board’s current CEO evaluation, succession planning, and progress monitoring needs; and expand understanding of effective CEO evaluation practices and board responsibilities. The event will be hosted at the Greater New Orleans Foundation’s Center for Philanthropy (919 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans, LA 70130.) Free parking will be available and lunch will be provided. To register, click here.
Courtesy of Backstreet Cultural Museum
August is New Orleans Museum Month! Throughout the month of August, local museums are celebrating New Orleans’ history, culture, and art by allowing active annual members at any of the 31 participating Museum Month museums to get you and a guest free admission to all the participating museums. To view the 31 participating institutions and learn about their membership rates, click here.
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