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Philanthropy Plays Key Role in Rebuilding New Orleans
June 28, 2007; Greater New Orleans Foundation E-Newsletter
A unique public/private partnership helped fund the Unified New Orleans Plan, which was approved by the Louisiana Recovery Authority on June 25th and will spur the release of $117 million in federal grants for infrastructure repairs throughout the city.
Several foundations helped pay for the $7 million plan. The major gifts included $4 million from the Rockefeller Foundation, $1 million from the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund and $1 million from the Greater New Orleans Foundation.
“Shortly after the LRA approached the Rockefeller Foundation about becoming involved in the recovery of New Orleans, we made an initial grant of $3.5 million to the Greater New Orleans Foundation,” said Carey Shea, program officer for the Rockefeller Foundation. “We decided that our investments in the future of New Orleans would only make sense if we could meet three goals: we wanted to ensure that all voices were heard; we wanted to have the best urban planners, both from New Orleans itself, and from around the country, take part in the planning process; and we wanted the plan to be completed in a timely fashion. I’m thrilled to say that each of those goals has been met, even surpassed.”
Shea said the recovery will likely be the “most extensive, complicated urban redevelopment plan ever attempted.”
“The city is ready to move forward,” Shea said. “The people of New Orleans are ready to move forward. We are grateful to the LRA for its support in encouraging and guiding the development of what truly can be called ‘the people’s plan.’”
article reproduced courtesy of the Greater New Orleans Foundation
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