Propeller works with small businesses and nonprofits to tackle critical regional water challenges and establish Louisiana as an emerging leader in the water management industry. Urban stormwater flooding, encroaching saltwater, and disaster resiliency are all critical concerns for New Orleanians. Propeller works with entrepreneurs to develop holistic solutions to the environmental and economic challenges faced by the city. Eligible businesses in the health focus area include: 

Green Infrastructure and Stormwater Management

• Currently working urban stormwater management or green infrastructure
• For-profit or nonprofit with earned revenue
• Priority Areas: Businesses seeking to scale revenues via commercial and government contracts

Coastal Restoration

• Currently working or seeking to work in coastal restoration
• For-profit or nonprofit with earned revenue
• Priority Areas: Businesses seeking to scale revenues via commercial and government contracts

Native Plant Cultivation

• For-profit or nonprofit with earned revenue
• Priority Areas: Organizations increasing supply of native plants to be used in green infrastructure projects

Climate Resiliency

• For-profit or nonprofit with earned revenue
• Priority Areas: Organizations improving disaster preparedness and resiliency or developing green jobs in New Orleans

The Challenge

Now more than ever, it is imperative that we address the green infrastructure challenges of our region and the inequities in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Due to our proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, we average more rain than any other coastal city similar or larger in size [1]. The Greater New Orleans area gets 60 inches of rain per year on average [1]. With our city being surrounded by levee walls, excess water must be removed quickly to avoid damage [1]. Currently, we rely on an interconnected network of gutters, canals, underground catch basins, and high-powered hydraulic pumps [1]. Our existing system cannot always keep up with the frequency and growing amount of water that comes in every year [1]. 

Over the next 50 years, not addressing the water challenges of our region would cost the Greater New Orleans community nearly $9 billion in stormwater flood damage, $2.2 billion in subsidence damage, and $600 million in avoidable insurance costs [1]. According to FEMA, for each dollar invested in mitigation against future losses, there is a savings of four dollars in future benefits. 

In addition to the infrastructure challenges related to water, there are persistent, widening disparities between entrepreneurs of color and their white counterparts in accessing markets, networks, and capital. Nearly 70 percent of New Orleanians are BIPOC, and while the share of businesses owned by BIPOC owners has almost doubled, their share of the receipts has remained stagnant [2]. In 2012, Black-owned companies made up 40 percent of the firms, and these intentionally under-resourced entrepreneurs received less than two percent of all business receipts [3]. 

These disparities continue to undermine the vitality of businesses owned by people of color and the city’s ability to fully realize the economic benefits of being one of the fastest-growing micro-enterprise communities in the country. The New Orleans region sacrifices $18 billion in GDP annually due to racial gaps in income.

[1] Greater New Orleans Urban Water Plan 

[2] Black in Business – Biz New Orleans (2020)

[3] Minority Business Ownership: Data from the 2012 Survey of Business Owners. US SBA (2016)

Our Strategy

Propeller works with water and climate ventures to ensure the sustainability of our region through the following strategies:

• The Impact Accelerator Program: Growth Track supports entrepreneurs with established businesses in growing revenues and staff 
• The Impact Accelerator Program: Startup Track supports early stage entrepreneurs with business planning and development of core business systems 
• Water ventures receive 1:1 bid preparation support and connections to government and private sector contract opportunities. 
• Financial Health and Wellness Series to support water ventures access capital through loan packaging, budget, lender introductions, etc.

Our Impact

As a result of our work with ventures in the water focus area, Propeller has helped local entrepreneurs to:

• Restored or mitigated 700 acres of coastal land.
• Received a total of 18 government contracts totaling $1,363,700 for their work in coastal restoration/mitigation and urban water management from the Sewage and Water Board, NORA, Mayor’s Office of Resilience and Sustainability, New Orleans Department of Public Works, and Plaquemines Parish Government.
• Completed the installation or design of 310 urban water management projects designed to capture a cumulative 13,183,668 gallons of stormwater.
• Provided environmental education to over 1,000 community members.

“Before Propeller, I had a business, but I operated it in more of a lackadaisical way. Ebbs and flows, I was always reactionary. But because of Propeller, I am now thinking more like a CEO or a CFO in terms of business management, instead of just being reactionary in my business.”

Fabian Harper, Flourish Landscapes