Junior Achievement of Greater New Orleans

What Junior Achievement of Greater New Orleans does

Junior Achievement of Greater New Orleans (JAGNO) is a regional 501(c)(3) nonprofit affiliated with Junior Achievement USA, providing K-12 financial literacy, work-readiness, and entrepreneurship education to students across Southeast Louisiana (13 parishes) and the Mississippi Gulf Coast (29 counties). The organization delivers its mission through a portfolio of branded programs including JA BizTown (a simulated city experience), JA Finance Park (including a Virtual simulation), JA Future Ready, Future Connect, the Trust Your Crazy Ideas Challenge (delivered in partnership with the Brees Dream Foundation), and the newly launched JA StartUP for ages 18-25. In the 2024-2025 program year, JAGNO served 40,081 students across 157 schools, supported by 597 unique classroom volunteers and a total volunteer base exceeding 700 individuals.

JAGNO operates on a hybrid delivery model combining in-person classroom programming, simulation-based experiential learning at facilities such as JA BizTown and JA Finance Park, and digital/virtual extensions. The curriculum is supplied and quality-controlled at the national level by Junior Achievement USA, while local market execution, school relationships, and volunteer recruitment are managed regionally. Technology is used principally as a delivery substrate (simulations, virtual classrooms) rather than as a differentiating capability, and there is no evidence of proprietary AI or data systems in the operating stack.

The business model is nonprofit fundraising: revenue is generated from individual donations, corporate sponsorships (including recurring anchor partners such as Capital One, JP Morgan Chase, and Blessey Marine), event-based fundraising (notably the 26th-annual CCCC Golf Tournament in 2025), planned giving, stock gifts, and corporate matching programs. Reported program economics indicate approximately $50 per-student cost with 88 cents of every dollar directed to programs. Leadership comprises President Larry Washington (2025 Charles R. Hook Award recipient), EVP Melissa Binder, CFO Colleen Pinero, and VP Advancement Kelly Wilson, with Board Chair Laurie Young succeeding Chad Berg.

Name

Junior Achievement of Greater New Orleans

Legal name

Junior Achievement of Greater New Orleans

Website

https://jagno.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Junior Achievement of Greater New Orleans is a regional 501(c)(3) nonprofit delivering financial literacy, work-readiness, and entrepreneurship education to K-12 and young-adult learners across 13 Louisiana parishes and 29 Mississippi counties via classroom, simulation, and experiential programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship Education

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

After-School, Tutoring & Academic Enrichment Nonprofits (BPAGADAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits (BPAGADAB), Youth & Young Adult Workforce Programs (Out-of-School Youth) (EDAAAOAD)

Keywords

• Youth financial literacy
• K-12 education programs
• Work readiness training
• Entrepreneurship education
• Experiential learning

Headquarters

HQ city

New Orleans

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute through the website donation portal. Suggested donation is $50 per student for one semester of financial literacy programming.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships range from Foundation Supporter ($25,000) to Legacy Builder ($100,000) levels, providing recognition at events and program impact across K-12 and older youth programs.
3. Event Fundraising: Annual events including Bowl-A-Thon (teams of 5 bowlers raising minimum $700), CCCC Golf Tournament, City Stars Soirée, and Play4JA community events generate funds for JA programs.
4. Planned Giving: Donors can include JA in their will, trust, or retirement plan for long-term legacy giving.
5. Stock Gifts: Appreciated securities may be donated for tax advantages.
6. Corporate Matching: Many employers match charitable contributions dollar-for-dollar, multiplying donor impact.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Junior Achievement of Greater New Orleans delivers volunteer-led K-12 and youth (up to age 25) experiential education programs covering financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship. Programs are delivered free of charge to schools and include JA BizTown, JA Finance Park, JA Future Ready, JA StartUP, Traditional & In-Class Programming, and the Trust Your Crazy Ideas Challenge scholarship competition. The organization serves schools across 13 Louisiana parishes and 29 Mississippi counties through 597 classroom volunteers.

Product overview

Junior Achievement of Greater New Orleans offers a unified portfolio of K-12 experiential education programs and youth entrepreneurship initiatives. The core offerings include JA BizTown (simulated city for grades 4-6), JA Finance Park (financial literacy with hands-on simulation), JA Future Ready (career readiness and mentorship), and JA StartUP (entrepreneurship support for ages 18-25). These programs are complemented by the Trust Your Crazy Ideas Challenge (competitive scholarship program) and Traditional & In-Class Programming. The organization also partners with YouthForce NOLA through Future Connect to provide career exploration and employer engagement. All programs use a volunteer-delivered model emphasizing financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship skills through experiential learning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• JA BizTown A comprehensive in-class curriculum and simulated city program for students in grades 4-6 where students run their own businesses, fill a variety of roles, and learn life skills and entrepreneurship fundamentals through experiential learning.
• JA Finance Park A financial literacy program composed of 13 teacher-taught lessons culminating in a hands-on simulation that helps middle and high school students build a foundation for intelligent financial decisions; available as an in-person or virtual experience.
• JA Future Ready Work-readiness education program focused on economic mobility, bridging the gap between classroom and career through hands-on career exploration and mentorship for students.
• JA StartUP A program for young adults ages 18-25 that supports entrepreneurial ventures through mentorship, training, and financial support, designed especially for entrepreneurs of necessity; includes the JA StartUP Final Showcase.
• Trust Your Crazy Ideas Challenge A Shark Tank-style entrepreneurship competition for high school students offering up to $15,000 in scholarships, run in partnership with the Brees Dream Foundation and accepting entries from communities across Louisiana.
• Traditional & In-Class Programming Volunteer-driven K-12 programming providing a foundation of financial literacy, work-readiness, and entrepreneurship education through a variety of activities and games.
• Future Connect A collaboration between YouthForce NOLA and Junior Achievement that matches local employers with tailored volunteer opportunities including guest speakers, classroom panels, workplace site visits, educator externships, and customized programming for career exploration.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40,081 students served in 2024-2025 school year across 157 schools
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• YouthForce NOLAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouthForce NOLA partners with JA Future Connect to match industry employers with classroom volunteer opportunities and career exploration visits. The program serves public high school freshmen across the city, exposing them to high-wage, high-demand career pathways in digital media/IT, skilled crafts, health sciences, and business services. JA manages and maintains the program.
• The Brees Dream FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Brees Dream Foundation partners with JA on the Trust Your Crazy Ideas Challenge, giving entrepreneurial high school students the opportunity to win up to $15,000 in scholarships. This Shark Tank-style competition accepts entries from communities across Louisiana.
• Blessey Marine ServicesflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerBlessey Marine Services has hosted the annual Crescent City Corporate Championship (CCCC) Golf Tournament since its inception in 2000. Since then, Blessey Charities has donated over $3 million in net proceeds to support JA programs. Clark A. Todd, President & CEO, serves on the JA Board and is a 2026 Business Hall of Fame Laureate.
• Southwest ShipyardcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSouthwest Shipyard serves as Title Sponsor for the 26th annual CCCC Golf Tournament in 2025, contributing to fundraising for JA programs.
• AccuTRANScoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAccuTRANS serves as Presenting Sponsor for the 26th annual CCCC Golf Tournament and has won the tournament as a team (2025, 2022, 2021, 2017).
• Susco SolutionsflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerSusco Solutions is the Presenting Star sponsor ($20,000) for the 2025 City Stars Soirée, receiving 24 tickets, 10 Rising Stars Reception tickets, 3 reserved tables, 6 bottles of champagne, and logo placement on all materials.
• Capital OnecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCapital One supports JA BizTown programs and has been recognized as a corporate partner contributing to the 1 million student milestone.
• JP Morgan ChasecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerJP Morgan Chase volunteers participate in JA BizTown programs, inspiring future leaders through career guidance and financial literacy education.
• The UPS StorecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe UPS Store supports the Trust Your Crazy Ideas Challenge Launch Lesson through their Start Small Grow Big Program, inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs.
• Chick-fil-AcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerChick-fil-A has championed young entrepreneurs and supported JA's search for the 1 millionth student, contributing to program visibility and engagement.
• Pan-American Life Insurance GroupcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPan-American Life Insurance Group celebrates a shared journey with JA, recognized as a long-term partner supporting youth economic empowerment programs.
• ApplecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerApple partners with JA and Delgado Community College to empower educators and students through technology integration in JA programs.
• Delgado Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelgado partners with JA and Apple to empower educators and students, providing educational infrastructure and support for JA programming.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Junior Achievement USA: National parent organization of all regional JA affiliates including JAGNO; operates the shared curriculum, brand, and evaluation framework that JAGNO delivers locally. Most directly comparable as the umbrella entity governing JAGNO's programming standards.
• National 4-H Council: Large-scale youth-development education nonprofit with K–12 programs in financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and work readiness delivered through cooperative-extension and school channels. Comparable on mission and program taxonomy; broader in scope.

Direct peers

• DECA: Student-focused nonprofit delivering career readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy programming in middle/high schools. Competes with JAGNO for school-district access, teacher time, and corporate sponsorship dollars.
• Junior Achievement of North Florida: Another JA regional affiliate operating BizTown, Finance Park, and traditional classroom programs across a multi-county territory. Structurally identical to JAGNO with comparable revenue mix from corporate sponsorships, events, and individual giving.
• Junior Achievement of Georgia: Southeast U.S. JA affiliate running the same K–12 financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship portfolio through school partnerships and corporate volunteer mobilization. Highly comparable on program portfolio and regional affiliate dynamics.
• Junior Achievement of South Florida: Regional JA affiliate delivering the identical JA curriculum portfolio (BizTown, Finance Park, JA StartUP) to K–12 students via volunteer-driven classroom programs and signature fundraising events. Closest direct operational peer in mission, model, and program mix.
• Junior Achievement of Chicago: One of the largest JA regional affiliates, delivering the same JA BizTown, JA Finance Park, and K–12 financial-literacy/work-readiness/entrepreneurship programs in a major metro market. Operationally and programmatically comparable to JAGNO at larger scale.
• Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE): National nonprofit delivering youth entrepreneurship education in schools with a similar volunteer- and classroom-driven model. Competes for the same school-district and corporate-sponsor mindshare as JAGNO's entrepreneurship pillar.

Regional players

• Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Louisiana: Regional youth-development nonprofit serving the Greater New Orleans area with after-school and workforce-readiness programming for K–12 youth. Competes for the same donor, volunteer, and corporate-sponsor base locally.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater New Orleans: Local youth-mentorship nonprofit sharing JAGNO's volunteer-driven, donor-funded, K–12-focused model and competing for the same Greater New Orleans corporate philanthropy and volunteer pools.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC1pn/GNo
• Facebookfacebook.com/jagno
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/janeworleans
• Instagraminstagram.com/jagno
• Xx.com/janeworleans

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

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 Junior Achievement of Greater New Orleans