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Lower Ninth Ward Center for Sustainable Engagement and Develop

EIN 27-0185863 · New Orleans, LA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak42 out of 100GovernanceGood75 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

To re-build the Lower 9th Ward neighborhoods in New Orleans.

Income
$643,976
Spending
$792,143
Spent on programs
97%
Reserves
0 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 100%
Employees
1
Volunteers
5

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Weak: 42 out of 100. Higher than 9% of charities in its peer group (public safety and disaster relief, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.0 months of spending.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 23% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 97% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    97% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (public safety and disaster relief, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    9 of 9 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (3)
  1. $256,237 spent. RESTORATION, DECONSTRUCTION, SALVAGE, WEATHERIZATION, AND REBUILDING THE LOWER 9th WARD: Revitalizing the Lower 9h Ward begins with the thousands of homes and businesses damaged by Hurricane Katrina and Ritato ensure they become health, comfortable, energyefficient places to live and work. That communitywide focus extends to making our streets, parks, schools and gathering places safer and more sustainable. The CSED works to create energy independent, economically viable, beautiful and resilient neighborhoods. This includes working towards restoring and developing parks and community gardens. It includes providing returning residents with sustainable building resources and training to restore their homes and other residential type structures via bulk purchasing, low or no cost rebuilding materials, sustainable technologies and materials, and providing volunteer labor from all over the United States. Volunteer labor for the year is valued at $240,983, based on a $22.14/hour labor rate and 10,885 volunteer hours. This amount is not included as revenue or expenditures in this return.
  2. $256,237 spent. FOOD SECURITY:Food Security is a vital element of a sustainable community. It is a return to the traditions of urban farming and independent living rooted in the Lower 9th Ward. CSED works to promote this initiative through community gardens, local markets and ongoing education and outreach about the importance of urban agriculture to community revitalization. The CSED supports the Backyard Gardners Network to promote food security, the Guerrilla Garden located at Chartres & Charbonnet, and the Ernst Community Garden located at Chartres and Forstall. The CSED Food Planning Community, in response to the communitys poor access to fresh food, is currently organizing Lower 9th Ward community leaders and residents to create a Neighborhood Food Action Plan. Also, the CSED is developing a local Urban Farm that will provide local quality food to residents and New Orleans area restaurants with a community hiring component to include an apprenticeship in farming.
  3. $256,238 spent. SUSTAINABLE COASTAL RESTORATION: To increase and strengthen collaboration between local and national efforts in order to advance innovative policies and mechanisms forcomprehensive coastal restoration and community protection efforts in coastal Louisiana. The health and well being of the Lower 9th Ward is deeply intertwined with the Mississippi River to the south and the Bayou Bienvenue Wetland Triangle to the north. This geographic relationship continues to inform coastal sustainability and the critical role of wetlands throughout New Orleans, across Louisiana, and along the Gulf Coast.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since August 2010.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.