NEW ORLEANS (WGNO)— A big win for local programs needing a big boost in funding. Today, New Orleans City Council approved a resolution for several organizations to get Wisner Trust fund money.

City Council members say it is important they have a say in where the funding goes, and several local programs are grateful they are the ones getting the much-needed money.

City Council unanimously approved the City’s use of Wisner funds to go to several city-wide programs.

“This is how Wisner money is supposed to be given out in a transparent public process, with the Council’s involvement,” JP Morrell, City Council President said.

Programs benefitting from the funding are: Preservation Hall Foundation with $1.5 million, the New Orleans African Museum with $1.5 million, University Medical Center for its Violence Interruption Program with nearly $460-thousand, New Orleans Recreation Development (NORD) with $350-thousand, and Feed the Second Line with $300-thousand.

“We’re looking forward to offer programming led by teens, designed by teens, and that would be managed by teens,” Larry Barabino, CEO of NORD said.

“This is a once in lifetime opportunity to create a continuance with Preservation Hall that will grow our Foundation’s footprint,” Greg Lucas with Preservation Hall said.

All these programs are now able to get the funding after years of controversy and a City Council lawsuit where decisions with the money could no longer be shielded from public view. A judge decided City Council would now have a say, and not just the Mayor. It is still in litigation go get all the funding.

“We’ll have even more money for programs like this because it is long overdue,” Morrell said.

He went on to say, “Every dollar we are allocating today is going to be a worthy cause to promote the culture, young people and the City of New Orleans, and that is what Mr. Wisner intended.”