Friends of Lafitte Greenway is thrilled to welcome a fantastic group of new members to our Board of Directors: Michael Ricks, Misty Frye, Mike Leitzinger, Melissa Lee, Debbie de la Houssaye, and Emily Bullock. These folks were elected to the board by Greenway members at our Annual Membership Meeting this January. Read about our board members on our website: Our Team.

The Mystic Krewe of Nyx is building an all-inclusive playground on the Greenway. It is located next to the Mid City post office and across from the Jefferson Davis Parkway roundabout. It will be a playground for children of all abilities to play and grow. Join us at the ribbon cutting ceremony! It will be a community celebration with food, drinks and music.

Sunday, January 26th

10AM-5PM, Dedication at 11:30AM

Follow the Mystic Krewe of Nyx on instagram for updates!

We're hiring!

Friends of Lafitte Greenway is seeking a personable, organized, and passionate fundraiser to join our team. Find more information below.

Title: Development Manager, Friends of Lafitte Greenway

Reports to: Executive Director

General Job Description: The Development Manager will manage Friends of Lafitte Greenway’s growth in fundraising through philanthropic grants, corporate and local business sponsorship, and individual giving. In coordination with the Executive Director and board of directors, the Development Manager will develop and support the execution of an annual fundraising plan. Activities include donor prospecting, donor development and cultivation, grant writing, constituent relationship data management, donor communications, and fundraising event coordination. Responsibilities may also include communications and administrative support functions. This position reports to the Executive Director, and works in close coordination with the Program Director. This is a full-time position.

Essential Responsibilities/Functions

Fundraising Planning 

• In coordination with Executive Director and committees, develop annual fundraising plan with specific and ambitious targets for each fundraising stream: philanthropic grants, corporate and business sponsorship, earned income, and individual contributions. 
• Activate staff, board members and volunteers to support the execution of the annual fundraising plan.
• Expand the donor pipeline and grant opportunities through prospect identification and research.
• Plan and coordinate small fundraising events and donor appreciation events in accordance with the annual fundraising plan. 
• Support Program Director in planning and executing major revenue-generating events-- including the spring Greenway Festival and fall Greenway Soirée gala.

Donor Stewardship & Relationship Management

• Cultivate and strengthen relationships with Friends’ existing donor base through regular communications via email, phone calls, meetings, invitations to programs and events, etc.
• Represent Friends of Lafitte Greenway at Friends’ programs, external community meetings and events, and in individual donor meetings to build relationships with potential donors.
• Assist in scheduling and preparing materials for meetings with donors for Executive Directors and board members.
• Draft compelling donor appeals, blog posts, social media posts, and thank you letters that connect donors with Friends mission and vision.
• Manage donor data in Nationbuilder CRM database. 

Grant Writing and Grants Management

• Develop grant proposals (narrative, budget, and supplementary materials) that articulate the case for support of Friends of Lafitte Greenway in clear, compelling, and persuasive written language.
• Research potential grants, maintain a calendar of relevant grant application deadlines and reporting timelines, and build relationships with philanthropic donors.
• Support grant reporting in coordination with the Program Director and Executive Director.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required
• Two to four years relevant work experience in nonprofit development

Required Skills and Attributes

• An entrepreneurial spirit with a high degree of creativity, flexibility, and initiative
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to listen, lead, persuade, motivate, convey key messages, respect and diplomatically maintain positive relationships with a wide range of audiences and constituencies throughout the community
• A passion for our mission and development
• Excellent interpersonal skills, personable demeanor, and collaborative orientation; a team player.
• Detail-oriented and organized.
• Ability to work in a deadline-oriented office in a complex, fast-moving, and changing environment

Preferred Skills and Attributes

• Graphic Design experience preferred
• Proven record of securing successful grants, ranging from $5,000 to $100,000
• Data management skills preferred. 
• Event planning experience

Salary and Benefits: Commensurate with experience 

Non Discrimination 

Friends of Lafitte Greenway is an equal-opportunity employer, and encourages individuals of all backgrounds to apply for this position. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard for race, sex, color, religion, gender, age, physical or mental disability, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, creed, culture, or ancestry. Friends will conduct interviews of qualified individuals prior to requesting a criminal background check, and no job application submitted prior to such interview shall inquire into an applicant's criminal history. If this position is subject to a background check for any convictions related to its responsibilities and requirements, employment will be contingent upon successful completion of a background investigation including criminal history. Criminal history will not automatically disqualify a candidate.

To Apply

Send an email to [email protected] by Friday, February 14th with:

• Resume or CV
• Cover letter, and
• Name, title, and contact information for two references

We're proud of our very own Nellie Catzen and Sophie Vorhoff for being awarded Bike Easy's Advocate of the Year Award in 2019. Thanks, Sophie and Nellie, for your fearless leadership to make New Orleans streets safer for all, and thanks to our friends at Bike Easy for the honor.

Carnival season has begun, and with it, parades and festivities in our streets. “How can bicyclists and drivers share the road to Carnival safely?” here are some tips and tricks you can follow to ensure for a much safer carnival!

Friends of Lafitte Greenway in partnership with the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission (NORDC) and Arts Council New Orleans is excited to announce the selected artist for the “From Parking to Plaza” public art commission, Will Nemitoff. 

Nemitoff’s project, “Iris of Memory,” will be a commemorative work recognizing the life and contributions of local artist, volunteer, mother, and teacher Deborah Vorhoff. The project will activate, celebrate, and transform the public space located at a critical crossroad related to New Orleans’ history, ecology, and bicycle and pedestrian circulation systems on the Lafitte Greenway. It will be installed on the parking pad of the former Brake Tag Station, where the Lafitte Greenway meets Bayou St. John and Jefferson Davis Parkway.

The 2019 Greenway Soirée will have our largest auction yet, featuring the very best in arts, experiences, hospitality and entertainment from the Greenway and beyond. Don't miss your chance to win! Join us on Friday, October 4th at the Cellar on St. Louis.

Live Auction (7:50pm)

L1: Dashing Bike Right (Dashing Bicycles, Anonymous Donor)

Take home your new bike! The Retrospec Mantra V2 is our premium fixie/single-speed. Quick response dual braking, sealed bearing hubs, and dripping with style, Mantra is your go-to for your every commuting, cruising, zipping, coasting and speeding need. Includes a bike lock, front lights, and rainbow wheel lights. Value: $375.

L2: Ride Fly (Monica Kelly Studio)

Get your bike right with $50 to Bayou Bicycles, then make it fly as can be with a custom paint job by legendary New Orleans artist Monica Kelly. Value: $550.

L3: Downriver Desire (New Orleans Airlift, Hotel Peter & Paul)

There's a magical village along the river, where all the houses are instruments. We're talking about the legendary Music Box Village! Enjoy VIP Season passes for 2 people, including all performances and events, early entry to performances, Unlimited entry to their open hours, and VIP opportunities like backstage passes. Paired with a one-night stay at the newly opened Hotel Peter & Paul. Value: $850

L4: Cinemaniac (The Broad Theater, Parkway Bakery & Tavern)

Treat your friends to the party of your dreams! Bring your own movie to the Broad Theater for a private screening for 60 people, catered by Parkway Bakery & Tavern! Includes cold drinks and popcorn for the film. Value: $1,300

Video Source: WWLTV

This week, Mayor Cantrell, NORD, and City Officials unveiled the new security measures on the Greenway, including Real-Time Crime Center cameras and 18 emergency call boxes.

Friends of Lafitte Greenway believes the best way to keep the Greenway safe is for many people to use it. We're grateful to our partners at the City of New Orleans, NORD, NOPD and the Department of Homeland Security for their investments in Greenway users' safety.

Learn more about how the call boxes work here.

Video Source: WWLTV

New emergency call boxes will soon span the length of the Greenway. The City of New Orleans is installing 18 emergency call boxes and 71 public safety cameras, monitored by the New Orleans Office of Homeland Security, along the length of the trail. The call boxes are located on the lamp posts with blue lights that are labeled “Emergency.” These boxes join NORD’s Grounds Patrol officers-- Rob and Virgil, who walk and ride the Greenway daily-- in working to keep Greenway users safe.

How to use the Greenway's Emergency call boxes

Only use call boxes in case of a true emergency.

1. Press the button. The camera will turn on and you will be connected to a dispatcher, who will see and hear you through the camera and microphone embedded in the call box. You will hear them through the speaker.
2. State your emergency. The dispatcher will connect you to the appropriate response team, NOPD or the NORD Grounds Patrol.

Friends of Lafitte Greenway thanks the City of New Orleans, NORD, and the Office of Homeland Security for their proactive work to ensure that the Greenway is a safe transportation route for people on foot and on bike at all hours. We believe that the number one way to keep the Greenway safe is for many people to use it. As over 320,000 users travel the Greenway each year, and trail use continues to grow by approximately 10% per year, these new security measures put additional tools in place to respond to emergencies.

 For more information about the Greenway’s security system, watch WWLTV’s report here.

request for proposals

Friends of Lafitte Greenway, in partnership with the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission (NORD), is calling on artists to submit proposals for our first Ephemera exhibition, a collection of temporary public art installations on the Lafitte Greenway to debut on Halloween and remain in place for the month of November.

This program will activate the Lafitte Greenway, a public space that connects New Orleans’ neighborhoods, history, and ecology, and plays a critical role in our bicycle and pedestrian transportation systems. 

Five artists will be selected to create temporary installations to be exhibited along the Lafitte Greenway for one month.  The temporary installations will be paired with Friends of Lafitte Greenway (Friends)’ and NORD’s interactive arts programming and events to engage Greenway users and neighbors with the arts and with each other. Technical support will be made available to artists through scheduled office hours with the Friends of Lafitte Greenway team. 

The installation will open at the Halloween Spooktacular, Friends and NORD’s citywide Halloween celebration. The 2018 Spooktacular was the first to be held on the Greenway, drawing over 600 New Orleans kids and families for games and family fun, trick-or-treating, and live music. A beautiful event for children, the art installation and activities will expand this event to create engaging activities for all ages, and programming that encourages participants to interact with the temporary exhibit.

This program is made possible thanks to generous support from The Helis Foundation.

Announcement Date: August 1, 2019

Q&A Info Session & Tour: August 9, 2019, 5:30-6:30pm at Sojourner Truth Neighborhood Center, 2200 Lafitte Avenue. RSVP for the Q&A Tour Here!

Submission Deadline: August 23, 2019, 11:59PM

Eligibility:  Emerging artists and artist teams

Maximum Budget: $1,000

More Details & Application Instructions: See our full request for proposals here.

This program is made possible thanks to generous support from: