Urban League of Louisiana

What it reported doing in 2024

Urban league parent information center (pic) the urban league's family information and resource initiatives empower parents to become successful advocates for excellent schools, educate parents about educational options, and equip parents to become leaders within their communities. Programs and resources include the parents ready to be involved to deliver excellence (p.r.i.d.e.) leadership academy, parent charter board member training, the new orleans guide to high schools and beyond, the new orleans guide to early childhood education website and app, and the stay connected newsletter. In 2025, 6,532 community members were served or engaged through family information and resource initiatives; 1,730 students and parents accessed the new orleans guide to high schools and beyond and early childhood education websites; and 26 participants completed the 12-week p.r.i.d.e. Unhoused/in transition cohort training, which included parenting, behavioral health, and digital literacy sessions with supportive services including childcare, stipends, transportation assistance, and meals. Urban league project ready project ready prepares students at scotlandville magnet high school in baton rouge and l.b. Landry college and career preparatory high school in new orleans for success in college and career through academic enrichment, tutoring, cultural and social development, mentoring, college and career exploration, dual enrollment opportunities, career and technical education training, steam exposure, and experiential learning. In 2024/2025, over 300 students were served through project ready; students completed 946 hours of act math foundations; students completed 768 hours of college and career readiness programming paired with afterschool tutoring, summer learning, and stem activities; students participated in four college tours; and 107 students participated in workforce career & resource expos. Policy & social justice the urban league of Louisiana's policy & social justice work is central to its mission of achieving parity, protecting civil rights, and advancing equity across Louisiana. The division supports transformative initiatives connected to workforce development, entrepreneurship & innovation, education & youth development, health equity, criminal justice reform, civic engagement, and economic opportunity. Through policy reform, advocacy, leadership development, coalition building, and community mobilization, the policy & social justice team works to dismantle systemic barriers and improve quality of life for black communities and other communities of color throughout the state. In 2025, the urban league continued implementation of its annual policy cycle, which includes statewide listening tours, the unite empowerment & policy conference, collaborative policy workgroups, advocacy campaigns, candidate engagement opportunities, and legislative action focused on issues impacting Louisiana families and communities. The organization's 2025 legislative policy agenda reflected constituent input from the league's seven target cities and prioritized criminal justice reform, closing the racial wealth gap, education equity, health equity, public safety, voting rights, and workforce & economic development. Legislative and advocacy highlights included securing 500,000 in support of the healthy food retail act (hb 460) in partnership with rep. Edmond jordan, rep. Jason hughes, and sen. Royce duplessis; supporting sb206 to establish a phased state minimum wage increase beginning at 10 per hour; and advancing hb573 to strengthen law enforcement transparency and statewide data accessibility. The urban league also expanded its civic engagement and voter mobilization efforts through its wake up geaux vote initiative in partnership with rock the vote. Through this platform, the league worked with residents statewide to register voters, verify voter status, create voting plans, and request absentee ballots. The initiative partnered with more than 20 c

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 86.1%; rating input score 86
• Program expense ratio: 65.7%; rating input score 66
• Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 1 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 17
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 94.7%; rating input score 95; 25th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 6 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 67
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Fail
  • 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: Missing
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -30.4%; rating input score 4; 4th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.59; rating input score 54; 54th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.16; rating input score 49; 49th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 13.4%; rating input score 22; 22nd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 2.2% per year; rating input score 100; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 4.6% per year; rating input score 100; 38th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: -0.7% per year; rating input score 0; 10th percentile among comparable filings