Kelsey Foster Wins 2017 Tech Impact AllStars Award

 Kelsey Foster, creator of the Big Easy Budget Game, is the 2017 Tech Impact AllStars winner! The Tech Impact AllStars campaign celebrates entrepreneurs who are providing solutions to America’s greatest challenges using innovative technology. The winner is decided by a public voting campaign, and receives a $10,000 grant from Comcast NBCUniversal to further their work advocating for meaningful social impact.

Comcast NBCUniversal awarded Kelsey the $10,000 prize in early November at the third annual Summit on Solutions in New York City. Kelsey’s platform, the Big Easy Budget Game, is an online interactive game that lets citizens of New Orleans set the budget priorities for the city, and explains how their decisions will affect city services. The Big Easy Budget Game reached over 700 residents in its first year, 77% of whom had never participated in the budget process before. This year, the game is on track to reach over 1,000 residents. The data generated by the game is shared with local elected officials and used by several City Council members to advocate for amendments based on resident's feedback. As New Orleans prepared for their City Council and Mayoral elections this fall, the budget game data was used to shape policy platforms and candidate forums.

According to Kelsey, her participation in the Tech Impact AllStars campaign “has advanced opportunities for us to expand our network and base of supporters and advisors, which is both incredibly powerful and humbling. We are honored to be part of it.” 

Watch this video to learn more about Kelsey and the Big Easy Budget Game

The Tech Impact AllStars campaign is in partnership with NationSwell, a digital media company championing solutions to America’s greatest challenges.  Comcast NBCUniversal and NationSwell both believe that innovation is good for communities. This partnership with NationSwell contributes to Comcast NBCUniversal’s overarching mission of supporting diverse startups, social entrepreneurs, and nonprofits who are using the power of media and technology for good. 

See the rest of the higlights from 2017 Tech Impact AllStars here