The Greater New Orleans Foundation (GNOF) is gearing up for the final round of PitchIt! The Innovation Challenge, an innovation initiative that supports breakthrough ideas in the nonprofit field.
PitchIt! launched last year in partnership with the Kresge Foundation. At the time, Joann Ricci, GNOF vice president of organizational effectiveness said, “The Pitch It! Innovation Challenge is a way to reward organizations that are willing to take a risk, act on a hunch, or think outside the box. Finding innovative solutions to common and complex problems within the social service sector can lead the way to a more sustainable and effective organization. Further, by sharing the ideas supported by the Challenge, we hope that these innovations might spark larger improvements both within and outside of the human services field.”
This year the organization received almost 30 applicants who submitted a diverse range of ideas, and narrowed the finalists down to three. A grand prize of $25,000 and 2nd and 3rd place prizes of $7,500, and $5,000 respectively, will be awarded.
Winners will be selected from a panel of judges, including: Sakari Morrison, manager of policy, government and public affairs at Chevron; Earl Robinson, president of PowerMoves.NOLA; Michael Shaw, program officer for human services at the Kresge Foundation; and Matt Wisdom, co-founder and CEO of TurboSquid.
Learn more about each finalist below:
New Orleans Kids Partnership
Big Idea: Louisiana Mentor Match to create an interactive onlineplatform to increase the number, strengthen the quality and enhance the impact of adult-youth mentoring relationships.
Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana
Big Idea: All the Catfish You Can Eat: Transforming Hunger Hotspots through Aquaponics to grow organic and sustainably cultivated food for hungry, distressed communities.
VIA LINK
Big Idea: “Y” Texting to help young people in crisis access assistance within their comfort zone.