Next 100 Years Challenge Results Announced

NEW ORLEANS – (October 16, 2023) In celebration of its centennial year, the Greater New Orleans Foundation (Foundation) announced the winners of its $1.2 million - Next 100 Years Challenge, launched in March of this year. 

The million-dollar Next 100 Years Challenge is a regional competition designed to inspire and attract plans for community-centered and cost-effective infrastructure improvements, including nature-based solutions, in 13 parishes of Southeast Louisiana that will reduce the threat from storms and other disasters. The Foundation awarded $100,000 each to ten collaborative teams that demonstrate strong potential to secure additional infrastructure dollars from the federal government, State of Louisiana, and other funders. Recognizing great potential in an additional five projects, the Foundation awarded $40,000 each to an additional five project teams to further develop their promising project concepts. With this addition, the Foundation has awarded a total of $1.2 million in our region.

Winners of the Next 100 Years Challenge and the mission of their corresponding projects are (in alphabetical order):

• 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

Meet the Winners