Friends of a Studio in the Woods
Nonprofit profile at a glance
- EIN
- 721502728
- IRS 990 coverage
- 2017–2024
- Forms available
- Form 990 2024, Form 990-EZ 2016
- Location
- New Orleans, LA, USA
- Phone
- 5043924460
- Rating
- 75
- Verdict
- SUPPORTED
- Rating confidence
- Moderate
- Sector
- Arts, Culture, and Humanities N.E.C.
Reported finances
- Revenue
- $746,325
- Expenses
- $430,284
- Assets
- $1,124,469
- Liabilities
- $27,251
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.
Leadership & pay
14 people listed
Executive titles in this filing
- AMA ROGAN (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)
Highest reported compensation
- MONIQUE VERDIN (DIRECTOR): $270 total reported compensation
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.
Overview
Mission
To protect and preserve the Mississippi river bottomland hardwood forest and to provide a tranquil haven where artists can reconnect with universal creative energy and work uninterrupted within this natural sanctuary.
What it reported doing in 2024
Artistic residencies provide a tranquil haven for artists to work uninterrupted and provide related public programming. A studio in the woods looks to facilitate a meaningful relationship between artists and the community. The people, environment, and culture of southeastern Louisiana influence our residents, and in turn artists and their work have a significant impact on the region. In advance of their arrival, staff assesses each artists needs and begins to build relationships with the community resources and collaborators that will be crucial in the evolution of their projects. Residencies are open to artists of all disciplines including visual, musician/composing, performance, literary, new media, and interdisciplinary. Both established and emerging artists are encouraged to apply, but students are not eligible. A rigorous work ethic, dedication to public engagement and demonstrated ability to work with colleagues and wider audiences are expected.
Operating model
- Revenue model
- Donor-supported. 94% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
- Distribution model
- Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.
- Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.
The verdict
SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and most voting board members are independent. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.
Rating breakdown
- Financial Efficiency: 53
- Transparency & Controls: 92
- Accountability: 88
- Sustainability: 78
- Growth: 100
Detailed rating inputs
Financial Efficiency
- Mission deployment rate: 43.3%; rating input score 43
- Program expense ratio: 73.2%; rating input score 73
- Fundraising efficiency: $12.71 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 45; 45th percentile among comparable filings
Transparency & Controls
- Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
- Pay-setting controls: Limited
- Foreign activity oversight: Limited
- Grant itemization coverage: Limited
- Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
- Related-party transparency: Limited
Accountability
- Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
- Governance controls: 5 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 71
- Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
- Whistleblower policy: Pass
- Document-retention policy: Pass
- CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
- Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
- Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
- Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
- Audit committee oversight: Missing
- Independent financial-statement audit: Fail
Sustainability
- Operating margin: 42.3%; rating input score 90; 90th percentile among comparable filings
- Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.61; rating input score 72; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
- Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.02; rating input score 60; 60th percentile among comparable filings
- Officer compensation ratio: 0.1%; rating input score 61; 61st percentile among comparable filings
Growth
- Program expense growth: 3.7% per year; rating input score 100; 36th percentile among comparable filings
- Revenue growth: 17.2% per year; rating input score 100; 82nd percentile among comparable filings
- Asset growth: 17.2% per year; rating input score 100; 77th percentile among comparable filings
Details
- Where the money goes: 43.3% of revenue deployed · 73.2% of spending went to programs
- Governance: 13 of 13 board members independent · 5 of 7 filing controls reported
- Programs: 2 filed program accomplishments · $315K in reported program spending
- Leadership: top reported pay $270 · 14 people listed
- Highest-paid contractors: 1 contractor listed · $219K reported
- Consistency: 25 of 25 current checks pass
- Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
- Filing history: 8 filing years from 2017 to 2024
- Contacts: How to reach this organization
- Money network: 4 filed money-flow records
- Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
- People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.
Key Signals
Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.
- Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 43/100.
- Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 45/100.
- Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Independent financial-statement audit not reported.