Propeller 2016 Annual Report MISSION We Grow and Support Entrepreneurs to Tackle Social and Environmental Disparities
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PROPELLER 2016 ANNUAL REPORT MISSION We grow and support entrepreneurs to tackle social and environmental disparities. VISION COMMITMENT We envision a powerful community of diverse entrepreneurs and stakeholders working together for a more equitable future where everyone can lead healthy, COMES IN fulfilling lives free of racism, poverty, and other systems of oppression. SECTORS MANY FORMS Food Water Health Education Propeller food entrepreneur and gardener Jeanette Bell, founder of Garden on Mars Graduates of Propeller’s 2016 accelerator programs at work across New Orleans. Little Woods Camp Leroy Seabrook Johnson Gentilly TABLE OF City Park CONTENTS Kenner 1 Letter from the Executive Director Fairgrounds 2 2016 Staff & Board Metairie 3 A Year at Propeller 7 Our Sectors: Food Mid City 14 Our Sectors: Water Lafitte Holly Grove 19 Our Sectors: Health French River Ridge Quarter 25 Our Sectors: Education Elmwood New Orleans Arabi 31 Incubator Tulane University 35 Financials Harahan Chalmette 39 Press 41 Testimonials Bridge City Meraux Garden District 45 Supporters Audobon Zoo Algiers Waggaman Gretna Avondale Terrytown Westwego Marrero Violet 4 | Propeller: A Force for Social Innovation Timberlane Poydras Caernarvon Woodmere Belle Chasse Estelle Scarsdale LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Dear Friends, 24% difference between Black and white students to offer equity investments through our Growth scoring at basic or above. 2 Communities of color Accelerator and proudly announced a commitment It has been six years since Propeller began the work are still the most likely to live in low-elevation areas from Living Cities that will enable us to develop our of supporting the brilliant entrepreneurs working most vulnerable to flooding and subsidence.3 The nascent loan fund in partnership with the Foundation to solve the social and environmental issues facing life expectancy is 25 years lower in New Orleans’ for Louisiana. our city. Over those years, we have graduated over poorest neighborhoods compared to that of our 130 ventures from our programs and, through their most affluent.4 These disparities aren’t accidental, We acknowledge and thank partners and leaders Members of the Propeller team celebrate on-stage after PitchNOLA: Living Well successes, we are starting to see positive change. they are the result of generational cycles of racial who have been doing this work for decades before Since 2011, Propeller entrepreneurs have generated oppression and privilege. we were founded. We look to them and to the over $82 million in revenue and financing and communities that make up our city to inform our OUR TEAM 2016 STAFF & BOARD expanded our city’s workforce by 310 jobs. This year, we revised our mission and vision work moving forward. It has taken generations to statements to clarify our focus on pursuing racial build racism and oppression into our city’s and our PROPELLER BOARD Propeller STAFF AMeriCorps MEMBERS As we have worked with our entrepreneurs to equity across all areas where we work. We received country’s systems and institutions, and it will take Linda Usdin, Chair Andrea Chen, Executive Director John Baus, Development Associate solve issues in food, water, health, and education, national validation and support for our strategy with time and deliberate collaboration to correct for them. Billy Perez, Vice-Chair Tiffany Harvill, Chief Operating Officer Teri Conrad, Communications Associate a preponderance of data has shown that it is the award of a new grant award from the Ewing Jamar McKneely, Treasurer Daniel Applewhite, Director of Stefan Dienstag, Health Program impossible to take on these issues without Marion Kauffman Foundation and continued support Our work in the coming year will rely on bringing Ella Delio, Secretary Programs Associate acknowledging that New Orleanians’ quality of life from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. people together – to learn from existing organizers, Neil Gibbons, Chair Emeritus Rob Lalka, Director of Strategy & Emily Eckland, Water Program Associate and opportunities for success continue to be divided to listen to our neighbors and partners, and to connect Stephanie Barksdale Partnerships Daniela Fischer, Food Program Associate along racial lines. As a proud member of the entrepreneurship innovators at all levels who can exchange ideas and Alvertha Penny Dorcas Omojola, Business & Operations Keeta Harrison, Grants Research & community, we hold ourselves accountable to pursue new solutions together. Ava Rogers Manager Development Associate This past year, 69% of families of color in Orleans ensuring our city’s startup renaissance includes and Katie Walmsley Trace Allen, Incubator Manager Sara Houston, Education Program Parish were liquid asset poor, meaning they do not You are a critical part of this process – our empowers entrepreneurs of color and the minority- Kevin Wilkins Catherine Gans, Marketing & Associate have the savings to stay above the poverty line in advocates, volunteers, partners, and friends. We owned businesses that have contributed to our Communications Manager Jennifer Lim, Incubator & Marketing the event of an income disruption like a job loss or thank you for your ideas, time, and resources and city’s economy for generations. Although 60% of Propeller INCUbaTOR Board Sydney Gray, Grants & Development Associate medical emergency, compared to just 29% of white invite you to join us as we step into 2017. New Orleanians identify as Black, Black residents Will Bradshaw Manager Erik Paskewich, Programs Associate families. New Orleans’ Black households are also own only 27% of the city’s businesses, and, more Andrea Chen Kristine Creveling, RD, Food Program Chris Prudhomme, Special Projects six times more likely than white households to live In gratitude, concerning, minority businesses receive less than Alexander Kelso Manager Associate under the poverty line ($23,850 or less for a family 5 2% of receipts. Nearly half our city’s Black men are William C. Perez Allison DeJong, AICP, Senior Water of four).1 unemployed. Manager Within our sectors, though the achievement gap in Ginny Hanusik, Water Program Manager As a part of our commitment, we are working Andrea Chen *The Propeller Incubator (HUB NOLA LLC) is a joint Orleans Parish has improved compared to Louisiana Rebecca Atkinson, Health Program to increase access to capital for women and Executive Director and co-Founder, venture between Propeller: A Force for Social Innovation Manager statewide, 2014 state tests show there remains a entrepreneurs of color. This year, we continued Propeller: A Force for Social Innovation and Green Coast Enterprises, operating the Propeller TraciAmanda Washington, Education co-working space and social innovation facility at 4035 Program Manager Washington Ave. 1 Prosperity Now 2016 4 New Orleans Health Department 2013 2 5 Monique Thomas, Accounting & Data 1 | Propeller: A Force for Social Innovation Louisiana Department of Education 2014 The Data Center 2015 Propeller: A Force for Social Innovation | 2 3 The City of New Orleans Mayor’s Office of Resilience and Sustainability 2015 Coordinator Jeanette Bell and Erin Zimmer of Garden on Mars 68 JOBS Created (full and part-time) by Propeller graduates 310+ since 2011 46 GRADUATES of Propeller accelerators 130+ since 2011 $3.9 A YEAR AT 69.0% women- or minority MILLION entrepreneurs In wages paid to employees of Propeller graduates 56.5% white 4.0% Latino PROPELLER 32.3% Black 7.3% Asian $13.6 MILLION In revenue and financing generated by graduates $82+ million since 2011 3 | Propeller: A Force for Social Innovation Propeller: A Force for Social Innovation | 4 Propeller’s class of early-stage entrepreneurs gather for a Startup Accelerator meeting. Guests share a laugh at Propeller’s Holiday Party ACCeleraTORS PITCH COMPETITIONS We run accelerator programs that support We host free, public pitch competitions to build promising for-profit and nonprofit entrepreneurs a pipeline of early-stage ideas and award funding launching their pilots, acquiring their first paying to nonprofits and small businesses with promising customers, and increasing their revenue and impact. solutions to our city’s most pressing inequities. OUR WORK Propeller grows and supports ventures working to dismantle food, water, health, and education inequities in New Orleans. We do this through our programs including: The Propeller Incubator at 4035 Washington Avenue A bright welcome to Propeller’s coworking space ACCess TO CAPITAL CoworKING POLICY worK We offer $50,000 in pre- Our 10,000 square foot office We advocate for policy changes committed equity investment to provides 50+ organizations that can significantly improve select businesses participating and 100+ individuals with the operating environment for in our Growth Accelerator. workspace to connect and nonprofits and small businesses collaborate as they grow. within our four sectors. 5 | Propeller: A Force for Social Innovation Propeller: A Force for Social Innovation | 6 Judges sit together after PitchNOLA: Education OUR SECTORS % 1 IN 5 42 New Orleanians are food insecure, and 1 in 4 participates in of Black residents report living with obesity as compared to SNAP. 64% of children in Orleans Parish are income-eligible 30% of whites in Louisiana.2 for federal nutrition programs (incomes at or below 185% of the poverty line).1 STRATEGY Propeller and its entrepreneurs are working at all levels of the food supply chain to increase access and affordability of fresh, healthy food for low-income New Orleanians and communities