NEW ORLEANS — Hancock Whitney, in partnership with the Greater New Orleans Foundation, has awarded Thrive New Orleans a $25,000 competitive grant to continue helping entrepreneurs of color garner the know-how, resources, and guidance to cultivate well-planned small business growth and success.
The $25,000 competitive grant award supports Thrive New Orleans’ Launch NOLA, an initiative empowering entrepreneurs from under-resourced communities with business training, support, and mentoring to attain self-sufficiency. Focused on businesses with revenues below $150,000, Launch NOLA helps underserved entrepreneurs of color start and grow new small businesses and existing small businesses stabilize and scale.
“At Hancock Whitney, we believe investing in organizations and programs that provide opportunities for underserved or underrepresented individuals and small businesses will build stronger communities,” said Hancock Whitney Director of Community Reinvestment Act and Fair Lending Sunada Brookins. “Thrive New Orleans is providing vital services to entrepreneurs in Greater New Orleans and working to help individuals and communities prosper. We are proud to join with Thrive New Orleans to help small business owners achieve their dreams.”
The Hancock Whitney competitive grants initiative—now in its third year—is part of the bank’s Community Reinvestment Act program. In 2020 Hancock Whitney gave a total of $200,000 in competitive grants to 12 eligible nonprofits across the Gulf South currently supporting small business through technical assistance and entrepreneurship training.
“We cannot express our gratitude for Hancock Whitney’s investment in our mission and community enough. Our entrepreneurs have faced so many new barriers during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as ineligibility for PPP loans,” said Thrive New Orleans Executive Director Chuck Morse. “Grants like these bolster our ability to meet these entrepreneurs where they are and provide them with much-needed tailored support.”