What is NOLABA and what has it done for New Orleans lately? A lot.

In 2005, when Hurricane Katrina decimated New Orleans, the city’s limited portfolio of economic drivers and significant wealth and health disparities amongst its citizens were suddenly spotlighted on a global stage.  During the post-Katrina rebuilding period, former Mayor Ray Nagin, the City Council, and the business community created dialogue around how to ensure that an entity exists to work on behalf of New Orleans proper and execute a long-term economic growth strategy that would transcend mayoral administrations.

In 2010, newly elected Mayor Mitch Landrieu followed through with campaign promises to bring together multiple sectors of the residential and business communities and evaluate solutions to remedy the city’s economic woes. After exploring possibilities and studying national best practices, Mayor Landrieu introduced the New Orleans Business Alliance (NOLABA), a nonprofit organization composed of a coalition of businesses and civic leaders. 

The goal of a public-private partnership (P3) between municipalities and their respective business communities is to design growth solutions that can leverage resources from both the public and private markets.

Today, NOLABA is one of 71 accredited economic development organizations on the planet.  The organization has been recognized internationally through numerous awards from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) and acknowledged for its unwavering commitment to equity illustrated by its tagline: Culture. Equity. Prosperity.

Read the full article here: https://www.bizneworleans.com/culture-equity-prosperity/