Louisiana Bucket Brigade

What it reported doing in 2024

Movement building: down by the river bike ride - the goal for our bike ride is to build inspiration and power by bringing the power of history to todays environmental justice movement along cancer alley. Our strategy is to get people out into the communities and landscapes where petrochemical facilities are located so they can see the scale of the plants, their proximity and their impact on neighboring residents firsthand. By exploring the confluence of black history in the river parishes, the environmental justice movement, and ecology on bikes rather than cars or a bus, we are creating a deeper experiential learning opportunity. Organizational development - we are in the deep south where resources for funding black-led groups have traditionally been scarce, especially in the fields of environment and climate change. A core part of our organizational development philosophy is creating an environmental justice movement where, rather than a scramble for resources, groups of all sizes have their funding needs met. As more money comes into the climate and environmental justice space than ever before, with national foundations keen to fund black-led groups, we are collaborating with groups to ensure that this money is spent well, while also making a plan for how these groups can retain funding when this moment has passed. In addition to co-facilitating a biweekly cohort of grassroots groups, labb also provides staff time to support groups to develop budgets, hiring processes, and build out their governance structures. The long term goal for this work is to support the establishment of six black-led stand-alone organizations in communities impacted by the petrochemical industry in Louisiana.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 61.4%; rating input score 61
• Program expense ratio: 76.3%; rating input score 76
• Fundraising efficiency: $12.02 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 44; 44th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 93.3%; rating input score 93; 17th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 58.4%; rating input score 58; 17th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 80%; rating input score 80; 14th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 21%; rating input score 78; 78th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.39; rating input score 67; 67th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.09; rating input score 60; 60th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 6.9%; rating input score 42; 42nd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 23.2% per year; rating input score 100; 88th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 19.8% per year; rating input score 100; 88th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 27.4% per year; rating input score 100; 91st percentile among comparable filings