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Lede New Orleans Inc

EIN 85-1432323 · New Orleans, LA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood70 out of 100GovernanceWeak21 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

Lede New Orleans is a community media hub that trains emerging Black and Brown storytellers,produces community-centered journalism, and creates trusted spaces for civic dialogue.Founded in 2020, Lede works to advance information equity in New Orleans by shifting whotells local stories and increasing access to accurate, contextual, and representative information.

Income
$263,073
Spending
$359,953
Spent on programs
81%
Reserves
12.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 100%
Employees
0
Volunteers
5
Highest pay
$65,763, president & ceo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 70 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 12.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 37% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 60% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    81% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Weak: 21 out of 100. Higher than 1% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    5 of 25

    0 of 8 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no 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

    0 of 5

    Reports that it does not keep 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • 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, 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 (5)
  1. $289,818 spent. A NEWS INITIATIVE THAT BRINGS TOGETHER YOUNG ADULTS, JOURNALISTS AND ARTISTS TO PRODUCE EQUITABLE, COMMUNITY-DRIVEN MEDIA IN NEW ORLEANS.
  2. In 2025, Lede New Orleans focused the majority of itsCommunity Reporting Fellowship efforts on a comprehensive program redesign to better meetthe needs of emerging storytellers and the communities they serve.? Lede extended the fellowship duration from 16 weeks to up to 24 weeks to allow fordeeper skill-building, reporting, and editorial support.? The organization enhanced training and coaching infrastructure and leveraged grantfunding to engage experienced media professionals to lead key aspects of the program,including editorial workflow oversight by a Senior Editor.? These changes were designed to strengthen reporting quality, reduce time pressure onfellows, and align program pacing more closely with community-centered journalismpractices.Following this redesign, the Community Reporting Fellowship relaunched in September 2025with a cohort of five fellows.? Fellows are currently receiving training and producing original reporting focused on localhousing issues in New Orleans.? Training will conclude in March 2026, with stories scheduled for publication in spring2026.While the fellowship was undergoing redesign, Lede marked its programmatic legacy bypartnering with The Front Gallery to present Five Years Forward, a live public exhibithighlighting five years of Community Reporting Fellowship work.? The exhibit featured journalism produced by past fellows on topics including mentalhealth, food access, and Black maternal health.? This project celebrated the growth of emerging storytellers and highlighted the long-termimpact of community-based reporting in New Orleans.
  3. In 2025, Lede New Orleans expanded its publicengagement work by hosting four community events, engaging more than 225 New Orleansresidents through documentary screenings, panel discussions, and a public storytelling exhibit.? Events centered Black and Brown New Orleanians and created accessible, trustedspaces for civic dialogue and learning.? Evaluation data showed:? 75% of attendees reported learning new, useful information.? 50% of Community Reporting Fellows reported forming meaningful newcommunity connections through their reporting and public engagement work.This work was supported by a $75,000 grant from the Walton Family Foundation, awarded in2024, which Lede leveraged in 2025 to pilot new engagement models.As part of this investment, Lede launched Co-Lede, its first-ever community journalismcommunity of practice open to residents of all ages.? Through monthly sessions, participants explored issues affecting their neighborhoodswhile learning foundational journalism skills such as interviewing, fact-checking, andresearch.? Co-Lede expanded access to the information-making process and advanced Ledesvision of a participatory, community-powered local media ecosystem.
  4. In 2025, Lede New Orleans invested in organizationalstability and editorial quality by retaining and strengthening key program staff and contractorroles critical to its mission.? Lede retained core roles including its Fellowship Coordinator, Engagement Coordinatorand Operations Coordinator ensuring continuity in program design and support, and inadministrative and financial processes and oversight.? The organization hired a part-time Senior Editor to provide additional editorial oversightand strengthen the quality, accuracy, and rigor of content produced through theCommunity Reporting Fellowship.? Lede also engaged three professional mentors to support fellows reporting andmultimedia production, providing subject-matter expertise, coaching, and feedbackthroughout the fellowship cycle.These capacity-building investments strengthened Ledes ability to deliver high-qualityjournalism, support emerging storytellers, and sustain its programs with consistency and care.
  5. In November 2025, Lede piloted a new live storytelling event featuring five localspeakers sharing stories of home to an audience of more than 50 locals.? Lede was awarded a $100,000 grant from Press Forward in 2024, recognizing theorganizations role in addressing gaps in local news coverage and strengtheningcommunity-led journalism in New Orleans.? Lede and two of our fellowship alumni were featured on the Voices of I Am New Orleansaudio series funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.? Lede and five fellowship alumni partnered with Be Loud Studios to support editing andmentorship for local high schoolers working on audio stories about their perspectives onHurricane Katrina and its impact.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 November 6, 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 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 March 2022.

    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 November 4, 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.