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Nous Foundation

EIN 84-4686547 · New Orleans, LA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood86 out of 100GovernanceGood75 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE NEW ORLEANS FOUNDATION FOR FRANCOPHONE CULTURES PROMOTES AND SUPPORTS THE REVITALIZATION OF LOUISIANA'S HERITAGE CULTURES WITH A FOCUS ON THE COMMUNITIES THAT CLAIM LOUISIANA FRENCH AND CREOLE AS THEIR HERITAGE LANGUAGES -- NAMELY CAJUN, CREOLE, AND INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES.

Income
$263,929
Spending
$228,856
Spent on programs
55%
Reserves
9.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 72%
Employees
2
Volunteers
20

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 86 out of 100. Higher than 71% of charities in its peer group (international, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 9.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 13% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 46% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    55% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 53% of charities in its peer group (international, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    11 of 11 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 June 30, 2025, 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 (4)
  1. $80,659 spent. WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, WE CREATED A CONTEMPORARY ANTHOLOGY OF LOUISIANA MUSIC IN FRENCH AND CREOLE. THE ALBUM WE RECORDED FEATURED 6 ARTISTS AND MUSICAL ENSEMBLES (REPRESENTING DIFFERENT MUSICAL GENRES FROM LOUISIANA) AND A TOTAL OF 12 TRACKS (35 MINUTES). THIS PROJECT, WHICH ALSO RESULTED IN THE PUBLICATION OF A BOOK (COMPILING THE TRANSCRIPTIONS OF THE INTERVIEWS WE CONDUCTED WITH EACH ARTIST) AND A SHORT FILM (PRODUCED WITH THE SUPPORT OF CREATELOUISIANA), AIMED TO DOCUMENT HOW ARTISTS PERPETUATE LOUISIANA'S CENTURIES-LONG TRADITION OF SINGING IN FRENCH AND CREOLE. OUR BOOK AND ALBUM ARE NOW ARCHIVED IN THE PERMANENT COLLECTIONS OF THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.
  2. $18,276 spent. FROM MAY TO JULY 2025, WE PRESENTED "MUSIQUE(S)", L'EXPOSITION, TO CELEBRATE THE RELEASE OF OUR MUSIQUE(S) PROJECT, A CONTEMPORARY ANTHOLOGY OF LOUISIANA MUSIC IN FRENCH AND CREOLE PRESENTED WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. THROUGH THIS INTERACTIVE AND IMMERSIVE EXHIBITION, WE PRESENTED ALL MUSICIANS AND MUSICAL ENSEMBLES FEATURED ON OUR ALBUM AND PUT THEIR WORK IN PERSPECTIVE WITH ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE. WE ALSO PRESENTED EXTRACTS FROM OUR FILM AND RECREATED A STUDIO ROOM WHERE WE PLAYED B-ROLL OF THE MUSICIANS PERFORMING. THIS EXHIBITION WAS FREE AND OPEN TO ALL.
  3. $19,653 spent. DURING THIS FISCAL YEAR, WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH DR. KIM VAZ-DEVILLE (DILLARD UNIVERSITY) TO ORGANIZE WORKSHOPS, CONCERTS, AND PERFORMANCES FOR THE NEW ORLEANS BABY DOLLS. IN WORKING WITH DR. VAZ-DEVILLE, WE FUNDRAISED $19,653.09, WHICH WERE REALLOCATED TO THE ORGANIZATION OF SAID WORKSHOPS, CONCERTS, AND PERFORMANCES IN THE FORM OF GRANTS/FISCAL SPONSORSHIP.
  4. $7,513 spent. OTHER PROGRAM EXPENSES (TOTAL = $7,513)(1) GRANTS & SCHOLARSHIPS (= $6,197)AWARDED SCHOLARSHIPS TO TWO LOUISIANA TEACHERS TO HAVE THEM PARTICIPATE IN A PEGAGOGICAL TRAINING SESSION AT CAVILAM DE VICHY, IN FRANCE, IN JULY 2024 ($3,800)AWARDED A TRAVEL GRANT TO A FRENCH FULBRIGHT SCHOLAR BASED IN CHICAGO TO HAVE THEM CONDUCT FIELD RESEARCH IN NEW ORLEANS ($1,697)AWARDED A TRAVEL GRANT TO HAVE A FRENCH JOURNALIST PARTICIPATE IN WORKSHOPS WITH FRENCH IMMERSION SCHOOL STUDENTS ($700)(2) CREATION OF INTERACTIVE MAP (= $1,062)WORKED ON THE CURATION OF A DIGITAL AND INTERACTIVE MAP TO LIST LOUISIANA'S HERITAGE SITES ASSOCIATED WITH OUR CAJUN/CREOLE CULTURES. (3) ORGANIZATION OF SMALL RECEPTION FOR NEW ORLEANS FILM SOCIETY (= $254)ORGANIZED THE CLOSING RECEPTION FOR THE NEW ORLEANS FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL (MARCH 2025). PURCHASED SOME FOOD AND DRINKS FOR OUR GUESTS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, 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 June 2025.

    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 September 2020.

    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.

  7. Could it be confused with another charity? Worth knowing.

    A much larger organization has a similar name: Nobel Foundation (Sweden), EIN 23-7328457. If that is the one you meant, check the EIN before giving.

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