Friends of Lafitte Greenway

What Friends of Lafitte Greenway does

Friends of Lafitte Greenway (legal entity: Lafitte Greenway Partnership) is a New Orleans-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that manages and programs a 2.6-mile linear public park running through multiple New Orleans neighborhoods. Founded in 2006 to advocate for the greenway and operating the asset since its 2015 opening, the organization runs a 24/7 public space with a small staff of approximately 7 employees, serving neighborhood residents, the broader New Orleans community, and visitors through fitness users, youth participants, art patrons, and corporate volunteer groups.

Core programmatic offerings include Get Fit (described as the largest free fitness program in New Orleans), Supernova (an annual light-art festival), youth programming including swimming instruction, an Ambassador Program that recruits community leaders from each surrounding neighborhood, a volunteer program engaging 500+ volunteers across nine committees, and green-infrastructure features including bioswales, permeable pavement, bioretention cells, and 500+ trees with documented stormwater capture capacity of 1.45 million gallons. Technical park operations are delivered in partnership with the New Orleans Recreation Department (NORD) Commission, while programming is coordinated by internal staff supplemented by a dense volunteer network and foundation/corporate funding.

Revenue is generated through individual membership dues starting at $25/year, general donations, merchandise sales through an online store, and event sponsorships. Named strategic and funding partners include NORD Commission, Crescent City Farmers Market, and foundation/corporate backers NOTCF, Stirling, LUMINA, HendersonHutter, Wrong Iron, and GCB. The business model is characteristic of a community-focused nonprofit: a small paid staff supplemented by extensive volunteer engagement, diversified but small-dollar individual revenue streams, and dependence on foundation and corporate sponsorship for program and capital funding.

Name

Friends of Lafitte Greenway

Legal name

Lafitte Greenway Partnership

Website

https://lafittegreenway.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Friends of Lafitte Greenway is a New Orleans-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates a 2.6-mile linear park and runs community programs including fitness, arts festivals, youth programming, and green-infrastructure initiatives for local residents and visitors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Urban Park Management

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Parks, Recreation & Protected Areas Administration (BPAIAMAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Urban & Community Reforestation / Street Tree Planting (AFAMACAL), Recreation & Activity Services (Hiking, Boating, Climbing, Fishing—Guided/Authorized) (THAAAGAF)

Keywords

• Urban park management
• Green infrastructure
• Community programming
• Public space stewardship
• Nonprofit park operations

Headquarters

HQ city

New Orleans

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual recurring membership donations; members receive benefits including a postcard, invitations to happy hours, discounts at local businesses, and voting rights in board elections.
2. General Donations: One-time donations accepted from the public; contributions are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.
3. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise (apparel and accessories) through the Merch Store; all purchases are reinvested into growing the Greenway.
4. Event Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors fund specific events and programs (e.g., Supernova light-art festival). Sponsors include NOTCF, EMR, Stirling, LUMINA, HendersonHutter, WrongIron, GCB, and NORD Commission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Lafitte Greenway Partnership manages, programs, and maintains a 2.6-mile linear public park in New Orleans as free, 24/7 community space. Its core offering combines the park itself with community programming (the Get Fit free fitness program, the Supernova light-art festival, Youth Programs, Ambassador and Volunteer programs) and environmental stewardship through green-infrastructure stormwater management features.

Product overview

Friends of Lafitte Greenway operates a 2.6-mile linear park in New Orleans as a unified community space, combining recreation, fitness, arts, and environmental sustainability. The core offering is the Lafitte Greenway park itself, supported by multiple programming products: the Get Fit free fitness program (the largest in New Orleans), the annual Supernova light art festival, Youth Programs including swimming and holiday events, the Green Ambassador leadership program, and a 500+ person Volunteer Program. Environmental stewardship is delivered through Green Infrastructure features. The organization also offers Membership and Merchandise programs for community engagement and fundraising. All programs are free or low-cost community services, not commercial technology products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lafitte Greenway A 2.6-mile linear park in New Orleans that serves as a community gathering space for recreation, exercise, nature appreciation, and cultural events, open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• Get Fit

Quantifiable outcome

• Holds 1.45 million gallons of water above ground — equivalent to more than two Olympic-sized swimming pools
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• New Orleans Recreation Development Commission (NORD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNORD Commission manages special events and facility rentals on the Greenway, handling logistics for external event organizers. The organization also partners with NORD for Lemann Pool aquatics programming. This partnership enables the Greenway to offer structured recreational facilities and large-scale event management beyond what the organization could operate independently.
• Crescent City Farmers Market (CCFM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCFM operates the Thursday Farmers Market on the Greenway, bringing local produce and vendors to the space weekly. This partnership drives regular foot traffic and activates the Greenway as a community hub on market days.
• Ohm WellminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHot Yoga classes on the Greenway are led by Ohm Well instructors. The organization partners with fitness instructors and studios to deliver the Get Fit free fitness programming.
• Move Ya BrassminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMove Ya Brass instructors lead Body Weight Bootcamp and Afro Caribbean Dance classes as part of the Get Fit program.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Park Pride (Atlanta): Atlanta-based nonprofit that empowers communities to enhance their parks through stewardship, programming, and fundraising. Comparable small nonprofit focused on community-led park stewardship, volunteer engagement, and free programming.
• Promenade Plantée (Paris): Paris's original elevated linear park built on a former rail viaduct. Functionally similar urban linear park concept with green infrastructure and community programming, though municipally operated rather than nonprofit-driven.

Broad incumbents

• Trust for Public Land: Major national nonprofit that creates and protects parks and green spaces, including urban greenways and post-disaster recovery projects. Highly comparable as a park-creation and stewardship nonprofit with similar funding model (donations, grants) and mission alignment, though operating at national scale across many sites.

Direct peers

• Rails-to-Trails Conservancy: National nonprofit dedicated to converting former rail corridors into multi-use trails. Highly comparable mission around repurposed rail corridors, community programming, and advocacy-driven nonprofit operating model.
• 606 / Bloomingdale Trail (managed by Chicago Park District): 2.7-mile elevated linear park and trail on a former rail line in Chicago. Directly comparable linear park concept, similar programming of arts, fitness, and community events, and parallel community steward role.
• Freshkills Park Alliance: Nonprofit supporting the development of Freshkills Park on a former Staten Island landfill, with similar community programming, environmental stewardship, and large-scale public space stewardship role. Comparable in operating model and mission to convert underutilized land into public green space.
• Friends of the High Line: Nonprofit that maintains and programs the High Line, a 1.45-mile elevated linear park in New York City built on a former rail line. Closest direct comparable — same urban linear park transformation model, similar post-industrial green infrastructure, signature arts programming, and member/donor-supported nonprofit structure.
• Concrete Riverside Park (Atlanta BeltLine): Atlanta BeltLine Inc. is the nonprofit that leads planning, fundraising, and programming for the 22-mile BeltLine trail and linear park network. Closely comparable linear park transformation, green infrastructure focus, real estate-driven funding strategy, and community programming model.

Regional players

• New Orleans Recreation Development Commission (NORD): NORD is the municipal recreation partner that manages special events and rentals on the Lafitte Greenway. Directly comparable in complementary role: a public-sector recreation operator providing aquatics, facilities, and event logistics in the same New Orleans market.

Others

• Center for Nonprofit Strategy: National Park Service manages urban and nature parks including post-disaster recovery landscapes. Comparable park operator with similar stewardship and programming mission, but operates as a federal agency rather than nonprofit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lafittegreenway

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Friends of Lafitte Greenway