Ubuntu Village Nola
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Ubuntu Village fights for social, economic, and transformational justice for children and communities. We work primarily with families of youth who are involved in the juvenile justice system. We help families advocate for their rights and those of their children by educating them and helping them navigate the juvenile system.
- Income
- $1.3 million
- Spending
- $1.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 90%
- Reserves
- 4.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 55%
- Employees
- 11
- Volunteers
- 10
- Highest pay
- $77,845, director
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
Good: 74 out of 100. Higher than 51% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 10% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 10% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 95% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1590% 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: 85 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 257 of 7 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
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 (3)
- $260,682 spent. Ubuntu Village NOLA advanced the Debt Free Justice campaign through outreach and advocacy across Louisiana, Georgia, and Tennessee. We partnered with local organizations, stakeholders, and elected officials to build support for legislation aimed at eliminating juvenile fines and fees, including Louisiana bills SB 197 and SB 284. In collaboration with advocacy partners and the Juvenile Law Center, we provided political education about the juvenile justice system, creating accessible materials, and hosting community workshops and webinars on legal rights and debt-related issues. We helped lawmakers and system stakeholders understand the magnitude of the harms juvenile fees impose on families and the extent to which juvenile fees undermine youth reentry and rehabilitation. We persuaded lawmakers and system stakeholders that fee repeal is ultimately in the best interest of the juvenile system and the Nation's most vulnerable families. Highlighting the economic pain inflicted on families by juvenile fees is an effective counter and vital to maintaining bipartisan support for fee abolition. The economic arguments against juvenile fees are vital because they often cost more to administer and collect than to collect. However, an essential part of overcoming persistent fiscal concerns was helping lawmakers and system stakeholders understand the impacts on families.
- $687,485 spent. he NOLA Peace Ambassadors (NPA) are community members who work to prevent conflicts from developing and intervening in potentially violent situations. They establish trust and credibility via personal ties and use strategies for de-escalation, such as mediation and outreach. Their work is critical in reducing violence and establishing community peace. The NPA collaborates with community cultural bearers, the Trauma Recovery Center, and the University Medical Center's Hospital-Based Violence Intervention program. Impact The program recorded over 18 conflict mediations, including both on-the-spot de-escalations and structured mediations. These efforts directly contributed to diffusing tensions and preventing retaliatory violence in the high-risk areas. We have also facilitated 25 community events, drawing a combined total of over 1025 participants. These events created safe spaces for residents to express concerns, build networks, and promote collective healing. The Peace Ambassadors convened five stakeholder-engaged and community partnership development meetings, with participation from local schools, law enforcement, faith leaders, and healthcare professionals, to help bridge communication gaps and build trust among sectors. Additionally, we identified and engaged with more than 35 high-risk individuals, providing them with direct mentorship and referring them to educational programs and employment assistance.
- $344,883 spent. These programs educate parents who have been impacted by the juvenile justice system on the court process and train them to serve as peer parent navigators. We supported a core group of impacted parent leaders, worked with them to analyze the juvenile justice system, and encouraged peer-to-peer support among the parents. The parents could access the decision-making process, own their plans, achieve their identified outcomes, and commit to them. Through Ubuntu's leadership training, the parents became leaders in the courthouse and their neighborhoods. These parents have been through the process and are best equipped to guide their peers. Impact Ubuntu views parents as equal partners in education, improving practices, and creating social change through advocacy and policy. We expanded our Parent Leaders Educate for Action (PLEA) program and have engaged with 267 parents and caregivers. Additionally, we held group orientations and provided one-on-one support to parents and caregivers navigating the system, offering them accurate, informed guidance about their rights, the risks of incarceration, suitable rehabilitative options, and effective advocacy strategies.
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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since July 2017.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 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.