The Greater New Orleans Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE GREATER NEW ORLEANS FOUNDATION'S MISSION IS TO ADVANCE CHARITABLE GIVING, STRENGTHEN NONPROFITS, AND LEAD TRANSFORMATIVE CIVIC PROJECTS IN THE 13 PARISH REGION OF SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA. WE SEEK TO CREATE A THRIVING, SUSTAINABLE AND JUST REGION FOR ALL RESIDENTS OF OUR REGION.
- Income
- $67.6 million
- Spending
- $50.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 92%
- Reserves
- 113.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 56%
- Employees
- 34
- Volunteers
- 32
- Highest pay
- $464,329, president & ceo
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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 71% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 113.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 25% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 56% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1592% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 37% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2532 of 32 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports 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 (1)
- $46.3 million spent. BECAUSE THE FOUNDATION SEEKS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL, WE PROMOTE PHILANTHROPY AS A CRITICAL RESOURCE FOR EFFORTS TO ADDRESS OUR COMMUNITY'S MOST PRESSING ISSUES. BELOW IS A LISTING OF SOME OF THE FOUNDATION'S MOST IMPORTANT WORK. (CONT'D ON SCH O) NONPROFIT LEADERSHIP AND EFFECTIVENESS: THE FOUNDATION WORKS AT ALL LEVELS OF THE NONPROFIT ECOSYSTEM IN SUPPORT OF A RESPONSIVE, EQUITABLE, SUSTAINABLE, AND IMPACTFUL NONPROFIT SECTOR WHERE BOTH ORGANIZATIONS AND THEIR LEADERS ARE REACHING THEIR FULL POTENTIAL. SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE NONPROFIT LEADERSHIP AND EFFECTIVENESS (NLE) PROGRAM 14 YEARS AGO, WE HAVE BECOME THE GO-TO-SOURCE FOR NONPROFIT TRAINING, CAPACITY BUILDING, AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT IN THE GREATER NEW ORLEANS REGION. NLE HAS SERVED MORE THAN 1,000 NONPROFITS FROM ACROSS THE REGION. WE HAVE A STRONG TRACK RECORD FOR DELIVERING HIGH IMPACT TRAINING AND LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS ROOTED IN PEER-LEARNING AND THE EXPLORATION OF LEADING-EDGE PRACTICES. OVER THE YEARS, WE HAVE CONSISTENTLY ENJOYED HIGH LEVELS OF SATISFACTION WITH THE QUALITY OF OUR PROGRAMMING. LAST YEAR, 97.5% OF PARTICIPANTS RATED OUR PROGRAMS AS EXCELLENT OR VERY GOOD. OUR SUITE OF INTENSIVE GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES, MISSION ACCELERATOR GRANTS, AND INNOVATIVE LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS PROVIDE THE WRAP-AROUND SUPPORT THAT NONPROFITS NEED TO TACKLE AND REMOVE ORGANIZATIONAL AND OPERATIONAL BARRIERS TO SUCCESS, TO EXPLORE AND EXECUTE INNOVATIVE SYSTEMS AND PRACTICES, AND TO ADVANCE THEIR ORGANIZATIONAL STABILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY. OUR MOST RECENT TRAINING SERIES FEATURED TIMELY AND RELEVANT TOPICS INTENDED TO SUPPORT NONPROFITS THROUGH SHIFTING LANDSCAPES, TO STRENGTHEN FISCAL OVERSIGHT AND PLANNING, AND TO DEEPEN ORGANIZATION IMPACT THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF EVALUATION SYSTEMS AND PRACTICES. NLE STAFF ARE ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT EXPERTS AND WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR NONPROFIT LEADERS, INCLUDING STAFF AND BOARD MEMBERS, TO GUIDE THEM TO RESOURCES, PROVIDE THOUGHT-PARTNERSHIP, AND PROBLEM-SOLVE. NONPROFITS TRUST NLE'S GUIDANCE IN DETERMINING THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION TO ADDRESS AN ORGANIZATIONAL CHALLENGE OR OPPORTUNITY. WE HAVE DEVELOPED A DIVERSE BANK OF NATIONAL AND LOCAL COACHES AND CONSULTANT PARTNERS TO SUPPORT OUR PROGRAMMING. OUR CONSULTANT PARTNERS NOT ONLY HAVE A PROVEN TRACK RECORD, BUT THEY ALSO SHARE OUR VALUES AND PURSUITS TO CREATE A MORE SUSTAINABLE NONPROFIT SECTOR. NLE IS ALSO THE LOCAL EXPERT ON NONPROFIT BOARD GOVERNANCE. WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON INNOVATIVE GOVERNANCE TRAINING THAT IS TRANSFORMING BOARDS ACROSS THE REGION. WE HAVE TRAINED MORE THAN 200 NONPROFIT BOARDS ON LEADING GOVERNANCE PRACTICES THROUGH OUR BOARD GOVERNANCE INTENSIVE, BOARD GOVERNANCE SERIES, AND BOARD GOVERNANCE FUNDAMENTALS PROGRAMMING. EACH PROGRAM AIMS TO CREATE MORE ENGAGED AND IMPACTFUL BOARDS. THE FOUNDATION HAS EXPANDED OUR NONPROFIT GOVERNANCE TRAININGS TO INCLUDE A SERIES TO SUPPORT CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND STRENGTHENING OF THEIR GOVERNANCE SYSTEMS AND PRACTICES. SINCE THE INCEPTION OF OUR MISSION ACCELERATOR GRANTS PROGRAM IN 2019, WE HAVE AWARDED MORE THAN $1.3 MILLION IN GRANTS TO MORE THAN 75 NONPROFITS. THESE GRANTS INCLUDE FUNDING AS WELL AS SUPPORT SERVICES DELIVERED BY OUR EXPERIENCED NLE TEAM FOR PROJECTS RANGING FROM ORGANIZATIONAL RESTRUCTURING TO BOARD DEVELOPMENT TO LEADERSHIP TRANSITIONS. SUPPORT SERVICES INCLUDE ASSESSMENT, SCOPING FOR THE CAPACITY-BUILDING EFFORT, AND REFERRALS TO CONSULTANTS. FUNDED PROJECTS ARE CLOSELY MONITORED THROUGH REGULAR CHECK-INS AND GRANT REPORTS. WE KNOW THAT THE SUCCESS OF AN ORGANIZATION IS OFTEN DEPENDENT ON THE LEADERSHIP OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SENIOR STAFF, AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS. NLE PRIDES ITSELF ON CO-DESIGNING LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS WITH THESE LEADERS. THEN WE ENGAGE THE TOP TRAINERS AND CONSULTANTS IN THE COUNTRY TO PARTNER WITH US ON CURRICULUM DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTING THE PROGRAM. PARTICIPANTS IN OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR INTENSIVE, EMERGING LEADERS, AND BOARD GOVERNANCE INTENSIVE HAVE OVERWHELMINGLY REPORTED THAT THESE LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS HELPED THEM GAIN CONFIDENCE, IMPROVE THEIR PERFORMANCE, AND LEAD TO POSITIVE CHANGE IN THEIR ORGANIZATIONS. BUILDING A BIOMEDICAL INNOVATION DISTRICT: SINCE EARLY 2018, THE FOUNDATION HAS BEEN WORKING WITH STAKEHOLDERS IN OUR REGION TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY THAT LEADS TO ROBUST JOB GROWTH AS WELL AS EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD SURROUNDING THE FORMER CHARITY HOSPITAL IN DOWNTOWN NEW ORLEANS. WE RELEASED OUR STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE DISTRICT IN SEPTEMBER 2018 AFTER AN EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS. SINCE THAT TIME WE HAVE BEEN SUPPORTING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT PLAN WITH THE RELEVANT STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS, LSU MEDICAL SCHOOL, TULANE UNIVERSITY, XAVIER UNIVERSITY, DELGADO COMMUNITY COLLEGE, THE UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER, THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER, THE LOUISIANA CANCER RESEARCH CENTER, THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT, GNO INC., THE NEW ORLEANS CHAMBER, THE NEW ORLEANS BIOINNOVATION CENTER, OCHSNER HEALTH, LCMC HEALTH, PROPERTY OWNERS, AND ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS WORKING ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, SMALL AND DISADVANTAGED BUSINESSES, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING, AND WATER MANAGEMENT. CONSISTENT WITH RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN, THE BIODISTRICT NEW ORLEANS, A KEY PUBLIC BOARD WORKING TO ADVANCE BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH AND JOB CREATION IN THE DISTRICT, WAS IDENTIFIED AS THE PUBLIC BODY BEST POSITIONED TO BRING THE DISTRICT TO LIFE. THE FOUNDATION FUNDED AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT REVENUE SHARING STUDY BY DR. JIM RICHARDSON IN SUPPORT OF FINANCING THAT WOULD DEDICATE A PORTION OF NEW SALES TAX REVENUE GROWTH TO THE BIODISTRICT FOR STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS. THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS APPROVED COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENTS WITH THE BIODISTRICT IN OCTOBER 2022 THAT ALLOWS THE BIODISTRICT TO EARN AS MUCH AS $70.65M IN REVENUES BETWEEN 2022 AND 2039, AND IN OCTOBER 20
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
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 September 7, 2026.
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 September 30, 2026.
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 September 10, 2026.
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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since October 1941.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
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 7, 2026.
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