Orchard Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE ORCHARD FOUNDATION'S MISSION IS TO IMPROVE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT FOR CENTRAL LOUISIANA STUDENTS BY PROMOTING BEST PRACTICES; RECRUITING, RETAINING, AND REWARDING EXCELLENT AND INNOVATIVE TEACHERS; BUILDING SCHOOL LEADERSHIP; AND STRENGTHENING SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS.
- Income
- $898,726
- Spending
- $3.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 91%
- Reserves
- 0.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 53%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 4
- Highest pay
- $520,604, 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
Weak: 39 out of 100. Higher than 9% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 11% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 303% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 84% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1591% 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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 95% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 254 of 5 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 (3)
- $1.5 million spent. THE ORCHARD FOUNDATION'S WORK IN COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS ENCOMPASSES THREE AREAS THE CENLA WORK READY NETWORK, COLLEGE AND CAREER COACHING FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, AND JUMP START PROGRAMS TO EXPOSE CENLA EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS TO CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN THE CENTRAL LOUISIANA REGION. THE CENLA WORK READY NETWORK IS A SYSTEM DESIGNED TO LINK EDUCATION WITH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS AND ALIGN THEM WITH REGIONAL ECONOMIC NEEDS. DURING 2024, ALL PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE FOUNDATION'S SERVICE AREA, CENTRAL LOUISIANA TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE CAMPUSES, AND REGIONAL BUSINESS AND CAREER SOLUTIONS CENTERS ACCESSED ACT'S WORKKEYS CURRICULUM, A CAREER TRAINING COURSE THAT PREPARES STUDENTS FOR CERTIFICATION WITH WORKKEYS ASSESSMENTS. WORKKEYS IS A JOB SKILLS ASSESSMENT SYSTEM MEASURING REAL WORLD SKILLS THAT EMPLOYERS BELIEVE ARE CRITICAL TO JOB SUCCESS. WORKKEYS ASSESSES THREE CORE AREAS: APPLIED MATHEMATICS; WORKPLACE DOCUMENTS; AND GRAPHIC LITERACY; WHICH DETERMINES A STUDENT'S NATIONAL CAREER READINESS CERTIFICATE (NCRC) LEVEL, AN OBJECTIVE DOCUMENTATION OF AN EMPLOYEE'S SKILLS THAT CAN BE ACCEPTED NATIONWIDE. DURING THE 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR, 4,146 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN ACT'S WORKKEYS CURRICULUM TRAINING, AND 5,040 NATIONAL CAREER READINESS CERTIFICATES WERE EARNED BY CENLA RESIDENTS. IN 2024, THE ORCHARD FOUNDATION CONTINUED ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LOUISIANA CENTRAL, CENTRAL LOUISIANA'S REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION, TO ASSIST EMPLOYERS IN UTILIZING WORKKEYS AND THE NCRC IN THEIR HIRING PROCESSES. ALL NINE PARISHES IN THE ORCHARD FOUNDATION SERVICE AREA ARE ACT CERTIFIED WORK READY COMMUNITIES: ALLEN, AVOYELLES, CATAHOULA, GRANT, LASALLE, NATCHITOCHES, RAPIDES, VERNON, AND WINN. DURING THE 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR, THE ORCHARD FOUNDATION PARTNERED WITH CAREER COMPASS OF LA TO WORK WITH AREA SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO PROVIDE COLLEGE AND CAREER COACHING SERVICES IN ALL HIGH SCHOOLS AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS IN THE SERVICE REGION. A TOTAL OF 4,870 STUDENTS WERE SEEN IN GRADES 8 THROUGH 12 BY COLLEGE AND CAREER COACHES. CAREER SEMINARS WERE ATTENDED BY ANOTHER 21,463 STUDENTS IN GRADES 6 THROUGH 12. 95.38% OF THE SENIORS COUNSELED APPLIED TO A POSTSECONDARY PROGRAM. THE WORKPLACE EXPERIENCE EXCHANGE (WEE) CAMPS GIVE TEACHERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY ACTIVITIES TO LEARN HOW CLASSROOM CONTENT AND LEARNING STRATEGIES ARE APPLIED IN THE WORKPLACE. THREE SEPARATE WEE CAMPS WERE HELD IN SUMMER 2024: WEE CAMP I, WEE CAMP II, AND WEE CAMP ELEMENTARY. A TOTAL OF 57 TEACHERS PARTICIPATED IN THE CAMPS AND COMPLETED A SMALL GROUP ACTIVITY ON THE FINAL DAY THAT INCLUDED A PRESENTATION OF A CAREER LESSON PLAN.ORCHARD HELD ITS ANNUAL STUDENTS EXPLORING CAREER OPPORTUNITIES EXPO (SECO) IN LATE FALL 2024. SECO IS A TWO-DAY EVENT THAT INTRODUCES 10TH GRADERS TO CAREER POSSIBILITIES. A TOTAL OF 2,306 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED. 66 VOLUNTEERS ASSISTED AND 70 EXHIBITS WERE AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS TO ENGAGE WITH INDUSTRY PARTNERS.
- $935,768 spent. IN THE 2023-2024 ACADEMIC YEAR, THE ORCHARD FOUNDATION CONTINUED TO ADMINISTER SCHOOL READINESS INSTITUTES FOR CENTRAL LOUISIANA PRE-K, HEAD START AND CHILDCARE PROVIDERS THAT PARTICIPATE IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA'S EARLY CHILDHOOD COMMUNITY NETWORKS. THE NETWORKS SEEK TO EXPAND ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY, PUBLICLY FUNDED EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAMS. IN THE SCHOOL YEAR 2023-2024, ORCHARD ADMINISTERED 11 TRAININGS REACHING 134 EDUCATORS AND PROVIDERS. TO EXPAND COACHING CAPACITY IN THE REGION, ORCHARD PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS TO BECOME CERTIFIED AS MAKING THE MOST OF CLASSROOM INTERACTIONS (MMCI) / CLASS GROUP COACHING (CGC) INSTRUCTORS THROUGH TEACHSTONE. TOF'S CURRENT MMCI INSTRUCTORS HAVE CONTINUED TO PROVIDE MMCI WORKSHOPS THROUGHOUT THE REGION. ORCHARD HAS TRAINED A TOTAL OF 20 PRE-K INSTRUCTORS FOR THE REGION, AND 7 IN INFANT/TODDLER.THE ORCHARD FOUNDATION CREATED AND LED TWO FAMILY EARLY LITERACY PROGRAMS, READ TO SOAR AND MATH TO BUILD ON. IN 2024, ORCHARD LED 15 READ TO SOAR WORKSHOPS, REACHING 187 CHILDREN FROM 143 FAMILIES. 4,200 BOOKS WERE DISTRIBUTED TO PARTICIPANTS. ORCHARD ALSO LED 12 MATH TO BUILD ON WORKSHOPS IN 2024, REACHING 137 CHILDREN FROM 102 FAMILIES. 2,935 BOOKS WERE DISTRIBUTED TO PARTICIPANTS.THE ORCHARD FOUNDATION CREATED AND DELIVERED TWO ENHANCED COACHING PROGRAMS FOR EARLY LEARNING CENTER DIRECTORS: ENHANCED INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE FOR EARLY LEARNING LEADERS (E-ILI) AND ENHANCED BUSINESS LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE FOR EARLY LEARNING LEADERS (E-BLI). BOTH INSTITUTES ARE DESIGNED FOR EARLY LEARNING CENTER LEADERS IN ANY SETTING. FAMILY CHILDCARE, TYPE I, II, AND III CENTERS, AND HEAD START AND EARLY HEAD START DIRECTORS WHO HAVE COMPLETED OUR COACHING PROGRAMS, BUSINESS LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE AND INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE, ARE ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE. EACH INSTITUTE RUNS FOR 10 MONTHS, WITH SESSIONS BEGINNING IN AUGUST AND ENDING IN MAY. EACH MODULE BEGINS WITH A READ AND REFLECT ASSIGNMENT, FOLLOWED BY A WHOLE-GROUP CONTENT SESSION. THESE SESSIONS ARE FOLLOWED BY ONE-ON-ONE COACHING ON THE CONTENT AND ASSIGNMENTS. THE MAXIMUM CAPACITY FOR THE E-ILI AND E-BLI COHORTS IS 15. IN THE 2023-2024 ACADEMIC YEAR, 8 EARLY LEARNING CENTER DIRECTORS COMPLETED E-ILI, AND 7 EARLY LEARNING CENTER DIRECTORS COMPLETED E-BLI. THE ORCHARD FOUNDATION HOSTED A COHORT OF 29 CHILDCARE DIRECTORS IN 2023-2024 TO PARTICIPATE IN A SCIENCE OF READING TRAINING, GROWING READING BRAINS. THE PROGRAM RAN FROM AUGUST TO MAY AND PROVIDED EDUCATORS AND LEADERS WITH NEARLY 40 HOURS OF PRACTICAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, WHICH WAS IMMEDIATELY APPLICABLE TO THE EARLY CHILDHOOD CLASSROOM.
- $848,477 spent. IN 2024, THE ORCHARD FOUNDATION CONTINUED ITS WORK TO SUPPORT THE RAPIDES FOUNDATION'S (ITS SUPPORTED ORGANIZATION'S) EFFECTIVE SCHOOLS INITIATIVE BY CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS. DURING 2023-2024, THE ORCHARD FOUNDATION COORDINATED KAGAN INSTRUCTIONAL INSTITUTES FOR 43 AREA EDUCATORS. THE INSTITUTES FEATURED HANDS-ON CURRICULUM AND MATERIALS THAT ARE ENGAGING, RIGOROUS AND MOTIVATING FOR STUDENTS AND THAT CAN IMMEDIATELY BE BROUGHT BACK INTO THE CLASSROOM AND IMPLEMENTED IN A COOPERATIVE LEARNING MODEL. ORCHARD ALSO HELD TRAININGS FOR NEW AND ASPIRING LEADERS IN AREA SCHOOLS. THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED FOR TEACHERS WHO ARE DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE BEST PRACTICES IN INSTRUCTION AND LEADERSHIP. 77 PARTICIPANTS WERE TRAINED IN THE 5 DIMENSIONS OF TEACHING AND LEARNING FRAMEWORK BY THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON CENTER FOR EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO COLLABORATE AND OBSERVE OTHERS TO DEVELOP THE EXPERTISE NEEDED TO RECOGNIZE HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION. THE LEADING FOR BETTER INSTRUCTION PROGRAM ALLOWS ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AND PRINCIPALS TO DEVELOP THEIR LEADERSHIP SKILLS IN GUIDING AND SUPPORTING TEACHERS' PROFESSIONAL LEARNING. 55 ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AND PRINCIPALS WERE ALSO TRAINED IN THE 5 DIMENSIONS OF TEACHING AND LEARNING AND 4 DIMENSIONS OF INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP. A DISTRICT LEADERS/SUPERINTENDENTS NETWORK WAS ESTABLISHED TO PROVIDE SESSIONS FOR SUPERINTENDENTS AND KEY CENTRAL OFFICE LEADERS, FOCUSED ON THE ROLE OF CENTRAL OFFICE LEADERSHIP IN DEVELOPING AND SUPPORTING PRINCIPAL INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP. 62 LEADERS PARTICIPATED.
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 November 2004.
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.