City Announces Next 300 Challenge Award Recipients
NEW ORLEANS – Today, Mayor Mitch Landrieu and the 2018 NOLA Commission announced the Next 300 Challenge winners, and the winners took part in a roundtable discussion about their projects. Supported by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and Southwest Airlines, the Next 300 Challenge is an idea competition that seeks to generate and seed innovative and collaborative solutions to some of the most systemic and generational challenges facing New Orleans.
“The Next 300 Challenge provides an opportunity for changemakers in our community to come forward and propose fresh ideas and solutions to address the some of our city’s greatest challenges,” said Mayor Mitch Landrieu. “As much as the Tricentennial is an opportunity to honor our past, it is also a time when we can come together and determine where we want to go, and this challenge speaks to that. We are especially grateful for the support of the Kellogg Foundation and Southwest Airlines whose generous support is helping make the winning projects possible."
With a focus on the issues of equity, resilience, and/or public safety, the projects of award recipients center on policy and programmatic outcomes that have a positive impact on the city’s future and present solutions based in effort, innovation, and partnership.
“The Next 300 Challenge leverages the vision and expertise of the community to strengthen racial equity,” said Rhea Williams Bishop, Kellogg Foundation’s Director of Mississippi and New Orleans Programs. "The ideas proposed by the winners are a testament to the creative spirit and resilience of New Orleanians, and we are proud to partner with the City to make these ideas possible.”
“New Orleans is very special to us and home to many of our fantastic Employees,” said Quinnie Jenkins, Regional Leader of Community Affairs & Grassroots for Southwest Airlines. “This city’s rich history and bright future are just a few of the reasons why we were pleased to sponsor the ideas brought forth by the Next 300 Challenge. It was a pleasure speaking with the winners and learning about their inventive, collaborative approaches to set New Orleans on the right track for its next 300 years.”
Award recipients are from a variety of organizations and industries, but all are committed to building and implementing solutions for a better tomorrow. The winners are:
Navigate NOLA (New Orleans Infant Mental Health Project) - $75,000
Health and Education Alliance of LA (Coordinated Care for the Whole Child program) - $50,000
Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation (Focused on resilience for the next generation [5th to 12th grade students] in 12 schools in Orleans Parish)- $20,000
Camelback Ventures (A Good Jobs Initiative focused on industries with high growth opportunity) - $50,000
1881 Institute (Creates the N.O. Center for Robotics and Advanced Manufacturing) - $50,000
Fund 17 (A Community Business Incubator focused on the 7th Ward of New Orleans) - $50,000
NOLA Mardi Gras Indian Cultural Campus (History Dance Trail and living recognition of Mardi Gras Indians) - $50,000
New Orleans Museum of Art (Helps develop an additional six acres in City Park Sculpture Garden) - $50,000
United Negro College Fund (Building Better Narratives in Education and empowering African Americans on reform and changes in education) - $30,000
The First 72 (Innovative training and certificate program for formerly incarcerated men and women) - $25,000
Louisiana Green Corps (Provides 100 youth with opportunity to participate in stormwater management training) - $25,000
Recirculating Farms (Growing Local NOLA on the Greaux with fresh and affordable food into underserved areas) - $25,000
“The winners of the Next 300 Challenge are truly inspiring, and our hope is that they will encourage others to take part in the Tricentennial and beyond to make an impact in our community,” said Mark Romig, President and CEO of NOLA 2018 Foundation. “The Tricentennial is a celebration for all and, when everyone joins in the celebration, that makes for a richer experience.”
For more information, please visit at 2018nola.com.
