At the cornerstone of ULGNO operation is focus. Programmed in a focused manner, our Lead Work is in specific areas of economic and community development, educational attainment and public policy. The services ULGNO delivers reflects or addresses local needs we call our Core Work.

• Lead Work encompasses our Centers of Excellence: Center of Education and Youth Development, Center of Policy & Social Justice and the Center of Community & Economic Development.
• Core Work encompasses the programmatic thrust used to achieve the missions of our Centers of Excellence.

Urban League of Greater New Orleans - Centers of Excellence
Lead Work encompasses our Centers of Excellence: Center of Education and Youth Development, Center of Policy & Social Justice and the Center of Community & Economic Development.  Core Work encompasses the programmatic thrust used to achieve the missions of our Centers of Excellence.

Center of Education and Youth Development

Center of Education and Youth Development focuses on the educational and development needs of Youth.

• Increase access to quality preschool education.
• Increase access to quality after school programming and college preparation.
• Increased access to quality information and leadership training for parents.

Core Work

1. Early Head Start program objective is to provide a nurturing environment that allows early leaning to dominate daily activities.
2. Urban League College Track’s objective is to provide an enhanced after school learning environment for 9^th-12^th graders that will prepare them educationally and mentally for post grade school education.
3. Clarence L. Barney Student of the Week’s objective is to bring resources to and the acknowledgement of the achievements of students.
4. Parent Information Center’s objectives are to inform parents throughout the diaspora of the educational opportunities and resources that exist in the region and develop parent leaders.

Center of Policy and Social Justice

Center of Policy and Social Justice focuses on the effect existing policy has on the equality gaps. It researches areas of need and creates scholarly works that will be used to focus and inform our programmatic thrust and the region's view of what “Good Policy” must achieve.

• Increase access to statistical and anecdotal information about the equality gaps that exist throughout the region.
• Increase the number of policy recommendations for closing the equality gaps.
• Increase advocacy around issues that will shape the future of the region.

Core Work

1. Uniform Enrollment Process in K-12 Education Advocacy objective is to continue to advocate on behalf of the community to simply school registration and increase the number of schools participating in the common application process in Orleans Parish.
2. State of Black New Orleans’ objective is to produce scholarly periodicals that will use research based conclusions to highlight the gaps that exist between the majority and minority communities and prescribe policy recommendations.
3. Policy Institute’s objective is to focus on our programmatic thrusts and ensure that they are consistent with the needs revealed by our environmental scan using research based conclusions.

Center of Economic & Community Development

Economic Development Goals focus on improving standards of living, needs of businesses and the business climate, infrastructure, transportation, and workforce.

• Increase access to economic opportunities for underutilized businesses.
• Increase capacity and develop of minority, local and disadvantaged businesses.
• Increase the Affiliates’ capacity to enter into the social entrepreneurial space.
• Increase the measurement of the economic impact of development projects.

1. Entrepreneurship & Women’s Business Resource Center's objective is to conduct business counseling, business creation, entrepreneur training and access to resources.
2. Economic Inclusion's objective is to increase the number of minority, women owned and local business usage on development projects. This is to be done in manner that would collect information on the contractual and workforce economic impact.

Community Development Goals: focus on quality of life issues, needs of residents, social services, recreation, health care, job creation, etc.

• Increase access to resources for stabilization and rebuilding
• Increase access to employment opportunities
• Increased access to affordable rental and homeownership opportunities