Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities

EIN 72-0795568 · New Orleans, LA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair60 out of 100GovernanceGood82 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE LOUISIANA ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION WHOSE MISSION IS TO PARTNER WITH COMMUNITIES, INSTITUTIONS, AND INDIVIDUALS TO EXPLORE LOUISIANA'S PAST, REFLECT ON OUR PRESENT, AND IMAGINE OUR FUTURE.

Income
$6.5 million
Spending
$6.0 million
Spent on programs
66%
Reserves
-0.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 57%
Employees
36
Volunteers
0
Highest pay
$283,400, president/executive direct

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

Financial health

Fair: 60 out of 100. Higher than 32% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 9% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 8% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 4% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    66% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 cents.

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

Governance

Good: 82 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    29 of 29 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

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited 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 October 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. $578,956 spent. GRANTS - THE LEH SUPPORTS CULTURAL EFFORTS THROUGHOUT LOUISIANA BY AWARDING GRANTS TO LOCAL CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS. THESE AWARDS SUPPORT LARGE AND SMALL-SCALE HUMANITIES PUBLIC PROGRAMS FROM UNIVERSITY EVENTS TO MUSEUM EXHIBITIONS, FROM DOCUMENTARY FILMS TO EMERGENCY RECOVERY PROJECTS. WE WORK IN EVERY PARISH AND WORK TO REACH EVERY LOUISIANAN IN LOCAL LIBRARIES, CULTURAL CENTERS AND HISTORICAL SOCIETIES. OUR GRANTING PROGRAMS REPRESENT STATE-BASED PROGRAMS IN HUMANITIES THOUGH DIRECT FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF HUMANITIES PROGRAMS. A LIST OF PAYMENTS IS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.
  2. $1.2 million spent. FAMILY READING PROGRAMS -THE LEH DEVELOPS, CONTINUOUSLY REFINES, NATIONALLY LICENSES, AND DIRECTLY EXECUTES A SET OF UNIQUE, HUMANITIES-FOCUSED, OUTCOMES-BASED PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO ENGAGE UNDERSERVED CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. CREATED IN 1991, PRIME TIME READING PROGRAMS ARE PROVEN TO GENERATE LONG-TERM IMPROVEMENTS IN FAMILY ENGAGEMENT AND STUDENT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT. PRIME TIME PROGRAMS OFFER PARTNER SITES SUCH AS LIBRARIES, SCHOOLS, AND OTHER COMMUNITY SERVICE AGENCIES RESEARCH-BASED INITIATIVES THAT ENGAGE CHILDREN, PARENTS, TEACHERS, EDUCATION ADMINISTRATORS, AND THE COMMUNITY AT-LARGE IN HIGH-QUALITY, FAMILY-FOCUSED LEARNING EXPERIENCES. PRIME TIME DIRECTLY OPERATES ACROSS THE ENTIRE STATE OF LOUISIANA AND IS LICENSED ACROSS THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES.
  3. $2.1 million spent. PUBLISHING THE LEH PUBLISHES VIBRANT AND RELEVANT ORIGINAL WRITING, RESEARCH, ART, AND PHOTOGRAPHY IN A QUARTERLY MAGAZINE, LARGE-FORMAT BOOKS, AND THROUGH AN ONLINE DIGITAL ARCHIVE OF SCHOLARSHIP ON LOUISIANA. 64 PARISHES (PRINT) IS DISTRIBUTED STATEWIDE AND SEEKS TO REACH ALL RESIDENTS OF OUR STATE THROUGH THE WORK OF OUR VIBRANT AND GROWING TEAM OF LA-BASED CONTRIBUTORS. 64 PARISHES (ONLINE) IS AVAILABLE TO ANYONE AT ANY TIME AND INCLUDES SPECIAL FEATURES FOR STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND CULTURAL TRAVELERS. 64 PARISHES (ONLINE) ALSO BRINGS TOGETHER CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL MATERIALS FROM MOST OF LOUISIANA'S MAJOR ARCHIVES AND SPECIAL COLLECTIONS. OUR BOOKS FOCUS ON SPECIFIC TOPICS OF HIGH INTEREST LIKE THE TRICENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND ARE ACTIVELY SOUGHT OUT BY RESIDENTS OF OUR STATE. IN OUR PUBLISHING WORK, WE TELL THE STORIES AND HIGHLIGHT THE ARTISTRY AND CULTURAL HERITAGE OF LOUISIANA THROUGH POWERFUL SCHOLARSHIP, DYNAMIC MEDIA, SCHOLAR-DRIVEN DIGITAL ARCHIVES, AND ORIGINAL CULTURAL REPORTING.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending October 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.

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

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

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since November 1976.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.