NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — The Greater New Orleans Foundation has announced the winners of the Next 100 Years Challenge, a program launched in March this year.
In the foundation’s 100th year of existence, officials designed the challenge to inspire and attract community-centered, cost-effective infrastructure improvements throughout 13 parishes in Southeast Louisiana.
The goal is to reduce the threat of natural disasters like storms.
The winners received $100,000 each. There were 10 collaborative teams that demonstrated the strongest potential to secure additional funding from the state, federal government and others.
$40,000 was also awarded to an additional five teams each with what the foundation members call promising projects.
“We could not think of a better way to celebrate our centennial year than investing in the future of our region,” said Greater New Orleans Foundation President and CEO Andy Kopplin. “The regional representation reflected in these winning applicants is a clear sign of a collective commitment to building a stronger, more resilient, more equitable, and more sustainable Greater New Orleans region in the decades ahead.
The winners of the challenge are:
- City of Gretna — Creating a Healthy and Resilient Transition for Infrastructure and Neighborhood Growth: CHARTING McDonoghville’s Future
- Committee for a Better New Orleans — Resilient Community-Designed Bus Stop Shelters
- Friends of Lafitte Greenway — Greenway Flow Neighborhood Resilience Project
- Jefferson Parish Ecosystem and Coastal Management — Community Oasis at Ree Alario Special Needs Center & Miley Playground
- Sankofa Community Development Corporation — Sankofa Climate Resilience Project
- Sông Community Development Corporation — Resilient Algiers – Hung Dao Gardens Stormwater Retention
- St. John the Baptist Parish — A Multi-Scale Green Infrastructure Strategy for St. John Parish
- Terrebonne Economic Development Authority — Terrebonne Parish Nature & Recreation Conservatory
- United Houma Nation, Inc. — Hazard Mitigation and Tribal Resilience Hubs
- YMCA of Greater New Orleans — Resilient Wastewater Systems for Plaquemines Parish
In total, the foundation awarded $1.2 million.
To learn more about the winners and their projects, visit the Next 100 Years Challenge website.
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