Our Mission & Vision

Community Sailing New Orleans (CSNO) positively impacts lives by providing accessible educational and recreational opportunities on Lake Pontchartrain for everyone across the Greater New Orleans region — regardless of age, background, physical or mental abilities, or ability to pay.

Our Values

Inclusiveness: We believe that everyone should have access to the waters of Lake Pontchartrain regardless of age, background or ability.

Safety: We actively pursue safety as the highest priority in all activities and programs.

Stewardship: We build connections between students, the greater community, and a sustainable natural environment.

Experiential learning: We engage students through inquiry-based learning and deliver dynamic STEM and environmental education.

Career Development: We build career development opportunities through our programs.

Collaboration: We seek to complement existing resources available in the community and collaborate with local agencies and partners to increase impact.

Our History

Community Sailing New Orleans was formed in 2010 and received its 501(c)(3) status the following year. A small core group of individuals has worked to ensure a sound, feasible and sustainable plan for building and operating this community sailing center. It began with countless hours of planning, gathering information from other community sailing programs and developing a board of directors drawn from the community-at-large. Community sailing programs from around the country shared their knowledge, expertise, experience, and program and promotional material, along with a large dose of moral support. We began serving the New Orleans community in 2020, and our impact continues to grow. In 2022 we saw a rapid expansion of programming and high demand with the organization serving over 1,200 people.