Along with eight other recipients, the Idea Village was awarded the Blackstone Grant on February 11th from the Blackstone Charitable Foundation. The Foundation targets organizations that focus on fostering entrepreneurship and innovation, which is exactly what the Idea Village does. They were awarded $100,000 as part of the total $1M awarded.
Director of the Blackstone Charitable Foundation, Amy Stursberg, said, “The Blackstone Charitable Foundation recognizes that New Orleans is a thriving entrepreneurial laboratory and commends The Idea Village’s efforts to support entrepreneurial innovation across the city.” She continued, “The future of the global economy depends upon a pipeline of creative, talented, and inspired entrepreneurs, and through this program, we are able to direct the foundation’s resources towards connecting the best non-profit partners like The Idea Village with entrepreneurs to help them on a path toward innovation and discovery.”
The Foundation received nearly one hundred applications. This year’s grantees were chosen through a Request for Proposals issued by the Foundation as part of its five year, $50M Entrepreneurship Initiative.
Tim Williamson said the grant is “great validation that New Orleans is solidifying its position as a leading entrepreneurial ecosystem.”
To learn more about the Idea Village visit IdeaVillage.org.