What We Learned

Overall, grantees, funders, and GNOF staff describe the Community Revitalization Fund as a success. Many also believe that it changed GNOF in significant ways.

The Greater New Orleans Foundation

The Community Revitalization Fund was new territory for GNOF. Funders and grantees say that the Fund brought GNOF into contact with more national foundations, got its staff out in the local community, and showed that GNOF could manage a large fund. Many grantees say that GNOF has grown and is more engaged in the local nonprofit community than it was before Katrina.

GNOF has changed dramatically since the storm… before the storm they were much more low-key… now they have a real strategy.

– Martha Kegel, Executive Director, UNITY

It was an under-resourced foundation. It became higher profile because housing was such a big deal post-storm.

– Juliet Page, Former Development Officer, Greater New Orleans Foundation (Currently: consultant)

Lessons Learned

Funders, grantees, and current and former GNOF staff describe the Community Revitalization Fund as successful. They say it supported the development of housing and the capacity of nonprofit organizations and city agencies working in the affordable housing arena. Funders and GNOF staff call the funder collaborative approach an effective way to harness expertise and financial support from national and local foundations. Finally, grantees appreciated the flexibility of philanthropic funding, as well as the credibility it provided to other funding sources.

I think the Fund was great. I think it was really important. It brought a lot of national funders into GNOF… it helped deliver millions of dollars to the city that might not have been delivered.

– Carey Shea, Former Program Director for Community Revitalization, Greater New Orleans Foundation
(Currently: Executive Director, Home by Hand)

The Community Revitalization Fund is a model [for disaster recovery]. GNOF should get out there and evangelize.

–Brad Myers, Senior Program Officer, Hilton Foundation

Looking Forward

When asked what they would like to see GNOF focus on going forward, many grantees, former staff members, funders, beneficiaries, and local housing experts said affordable housing. They often cited New Orleanians’ growing housing cost burden to illustrate the need for involvement in this issue. Some added that GNOF should invest not just in building affordable housing but also in developing the economic strength of New Orleanians so that they can afford to live here.

I think it would be great if GNOF continued to have a focus on affordable housing… They’re providing money for different kinds of services and programs, but not really for housing production, and I think that’s a real gap that exists there.

–Michelle Whetten, Vice-President and Market Leader, Enterprise Community Partners, Gulf Coast

We’re not done yet. We have neighborhoods that are blighted… I would like to see us be able to clean up these neighborhoods.

–LaToya Cantrell, Former President, Broadmoor Improvement Association
(Currently: Councilmember, City of New Orleans)

Though the Community Revitalization Fund has sunset, the Greater New Orleans Foundation is working on the following initiatives related to community revitalization:

• Economic Opportunity Initiative: This work represents the Foundation’s “next step” after the Community Revitalization Fund. It includes an Asset Building Community of Practice that is working to increase the capacity, services, and financial stability of nonprofit organizations that try to help families build and retain assets.
• New Orleans Works (NOW): NOW is an employer-led workforce development program with guaranteed employment for participants upon graduation that offers low-skilled adults (entry-level as well as incumbents) the opportunity for career advancement.
• Organizational Effectiveness (OE): Focusing on crucial topics like fundraising, board governance, marketing and communications, and advocacy, OE offers workshops, tailored training sessions, and intensive training for executive directors and board members to increase the capacity of New Orleans’ nonprofit sector to provide vital services to low-wealth families and individuals.
• Advocacy Forum: The Advocacy Forum was created to increase the strength of people and organizations working to create a political environment that promotes equity and access to opportunity. Some of the most significant barriers to equity in Louisiana are policy barriers. Organizations participating in the Forum learn from one another and from national experts.