The Big Easy Deal
A Proposed $18 Million City Investment in New Orleans Youth for 2025
The Big Easy Budget Coalition's Big Easy Deal, initially launched in 2023 as a roadmap for equitable community-based recovery, has evolved into a living document addressing the root causes of violence in New Orleans–including systemic disinvestment, poverty, lack of economic opportunity, marginalization, and isolation.
In 2023, we connected Youth Master Plan solutions to the Big Easy Deal, securing $600K toward the Youth Data Hub and $2.5M for a Youth Transportation Fund, now known as the Opportunity Pass. These wins, along with successes in housing and language access, represent significant progress for youth and their families.
The Big Easy Deal is now proposing a $18M investment in youth services and programs for the 2025 City of New Orleans budget, aligning directly with the goals of the Youth Master Plan.
What We're Asking For In 2024
Building on previous successes like the Youth Data Hub and Opportunity Pass, we are now advocating to fund additional investments that were previously left unfunded:
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Provide students and Opportunity Youth with greater access to safe, nurturing, and age-appropriate environments.
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Expand access to existing mental health programs and the New Orleans Health Department's Family Connects program to support emotional and physical wellness from infancy through adulthood.
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Extend the zero-fare pilot program to give youth ages 16-24 equitable transportation access to education, employment, leisure, and essential services.
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Implement initiatives like Restorative Approaches, Preventing Long Term Anger and Aggression in Youth (PLAAY) and credible messenger mentoring, while training staff to adopt restorative classroom approaches to keep kids in school.
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Develop district-based support networks to foster peer support and strengthen essential skills.
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Provide technical assistance to training and program providers to prepare for successful coordination and scaling of program operations.
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Support the implementation of these programs, enhance the capacity of youth-serving programs, evaluate services, and ensure that youth voices are part of the process.
The Big Easy Budget Coalition has sent a letter to the Mayor and City Council calling for support of the Big Easy Deal and a community input day in November.
With clear alignment to the Youth Master Plan, the New Orleans Children and Youth Planning Board (CYPB) has signed the letter and fully endorses this proposal. These investments are essential to making our Youth Vision a reality—creating a true community where everyone succeeds.