North East Ohio Bengali Association

What it reported doing in 2025

Program Service 1 - Anandadhara Annual Cultural Festival. NEOBA produced Anandadhara 2025, its flagship community cultural festival, on April 26 at Solon Center for the Arts, Solon. The day-long event featured approximately 20+ performances by community members - including classical and folk dance, Rabindra Sangeet and other Bengali vocal and instrumental music, dramatic presentations, and children's group acts - with approximately 35 performers ranging in age from 10 to 75. The festival drew an audience of approximately 200 attendees from the Bengali diaspora and the broader Northeast Ohio community, and offered traditional Bengali cuisine, exhibits highlighting Bengali handicrafts and literature, and a printed program introducing audiences to Bengali artistic traditions. Anandadhara is NEOBA's principal vehicle for transmitting Bengali performing arts to the next generation and for sharing Bengali culture with the wider public. Program Service 2 -Seasonal Cultural Celebrations. NEOBA organized and hosted traditional Bengali community observances throughout 2025. Saraswati Puja, honoring the goddess of learning, was held in February 2025 with approximately 350 participants and included community worship, cultural offerings by children, and a community meal. Durga Puja, the most significant festival in the Bengali calendar, was celebrated over 3 days in September 2025 at Solon Middle School; approximately 400+ community members and guests participated in traditional rituals, classical and contemporary cultural programs, children's activities, community dining, and presentations on the cultural and historical significance of the festival. NEOBA also observed Lakshmi Puja , Bijoya Sammelani, Diwali Mela, with combined participation of approximately 500+ community members. These celebrations preserve cultural practices observed by Indian and Bengali communities for generations and provide a setting in which children of immigrant families experience the traditions of their heritage. Program Service 3 - Bengali Language, Literature, and Performing Arts Education. NEOBA supported educational activities aimed at children, youth, and adults in the Bengali community. Activities included Bengali language conversation circles, recitation and music coaching, and group rehearsals leading up to Anandadhara, with approximately 75 children and youth participating across the year. NEOBA commemorated literary and cultural milestones - including Rabindra Jayanti (the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore) and Pohela Boishakh (Bengali New Year) - through community gatherings featuring readings, songs, and educational presentations on Bengali literary and cultural heritage. These activities advance NEOBA's educational mission and support intergenerational transmission of Bengali language and arts among members of the Bengali-American community. Other Program Services. In addition to the above, NEOBA undertook the following activities in furtherance of its exempt purpose during 2025: (a) a community picnic / family gathering held in June 2025, bringing together approximately 80+ families for fellowship and intergenerational cultural exchange; (b) informal mutual-support and welcome activities for newly arrived families from West Bengal, Bangladesh, and other parts of the Bengali diaspora settling in Northeast Ohio, helping connect them with cultural, educational, and social resources; (c) maintenance of the organization's website at ourneoba.org and associated social media channels to publicize events, share educational content about Bengali culture, and serve as a year-round point of contact for the community and the public; and (d) collaboration with peer cultural and civic organizations in Northeast Ohio to extend the reach of its programs and represent the Bengali-American community in the broader regional cultural landscape. As 2025 was NEOBA's first year as a recognized 501(c)(3) public charity, the organization also established foundation

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 62.6%; rating input score 63
• Program expense ratio: 89.5%; rating input score 90

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 30.1%; rating input score 82; 82nd percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.44; rating input score 35; 35th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.03; rating input score 30; 30th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 63; 63rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: Limited
• Revenue growth: Limited
• Asset growth: Limited