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New Orleans Opera Association

Tax-deductible

New Orleans, LA501(c)(3)Since 1943Arts & Culture EIN 72-0272897Revenue $3.0M in FY2025

On file with the IRS2504 Prytania St, 70130-5902 · New Orleans, LATax-exempt since May 1952Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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The mission of the New Orleans Opera Association (nooa) is to enrich the lives of all people by producing Opera of the highest artistic quality and providing education opportunities through traditional and innovative approaches. The organization's vision is connecting all people with the joy of Opera.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
74¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$119K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

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FY2025 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
3 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $26K a year · under 1% of revenue · last 6 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
74%
of spending
Fine: 74% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$119K
to officers and key staff · 4% of spending
Top officer’s pay lower than 53% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 4% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Worth a look: 0.6 months of spending in cash; under 1.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $50K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$1.2M
46% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 46% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
43
of 43 voting members
Looks good: 43 of 43 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$3.0M
+30% vs prior year
Spent
$3.1M
To programs
74%
Net assets
$1.4M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$3.0M
FY2025▲ +30%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$2.1M
FY2021$2.1M
FY2022$2.8M
FY2023$4.0M
FY2024$2.3M
FY2025$3.0M
Expenses
$3.1M
FY2025▼ -9%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$2.4M
FY2021$1.7M
FY2022$2.4M
FY2023$3.4M
FY2024$3.4M
FY2025$3.1M
Net assets
$1.4M
FY2025▼ -5%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$1.2M
FY2021$1.6M
FY2022$2.0M
FY2023$2.5M
FY2024$1.4M
FY2025$1.4M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

990 PDF Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in May 1952.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

74 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 74% · $2.3M Management & general 26% · $812K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

43 people listed on the 990; $119K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
Irene Palmer
Artistic Director
$119,391Pt VII · Sec A
Mary C Albert
Vice President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Sonya Moore
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Dr Rand Voorhies
Development Officer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Dwayne O Littauer
Immediate Past President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Irene Palmer’s $119K as Artistic Director is at the 47th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3924 $1–10M arts & culture nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 3 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Clare Buvorac—$143,042$143,500$142,500$46,465—
Irene Palmer$119,391—————
Robert Lyall————$100,431$112,618

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aNo

Programs and updates

Produces high-quality opera and educates the public about the art form.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $2.3M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

The association presented three fully staged opera productions and one concert during the fiscal year. All four were conceived and produced locally with artists engaged individually by the artistic director and production design executed by the association's scenic studio.

$2.3Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2025
New Orleans Theatre Association INCFY2025$50K
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$50K

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

Download 990
from philanthropy.org
1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$3.0M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.2M
Other incomeLn 4–11$405K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$362K
Money outPt IX
$3.1M
Ln 25
Programscol B$2.3M
Managementcol C$812K
Owns and owesPt X
$1.4M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$145K
Total assetsLn 16$2.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.2M
PeoplePt VI, VII
43
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a43
IndependentVI 1b43
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.2M
Government grantsLn 1e$602K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$38K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$362K
Investment incomeLn 3$4K
Other incomeLn 4–11$405K
Total revenueLn 12$3.0M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$145K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$145K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$25K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$308K
Total assetsLn 16$2.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.2M
Net assetsLn 32$1.4M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5191
VolunteersI 60
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$236K$145K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$25K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$325K$308K
Total assetsLn 16$2.4M$2.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$948K$1.2M
Net assetsLn 32$1.4M$1.4M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$179K$117K$62K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$921K$601K$321K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$3K$2K$1K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$127K$83K$44K
Payroll taxesLn 10$100K$65K$35K
Legal feesLn 11b$7K$4K$2K
Accounting feesLn 11c$202K$132K$70K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$87K$57K$30K
Office expensesLn 13$83K$54K$29K
Information technologyLn 14$56K$37K$20K
OccupancyLn 16$62K$40K$22K
TravelLn 17$133K$87K$46K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$2K$1K$747
InterestLn 20$72K$47K$25K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$11K$7K$4K
InsuranceLn 23$144K$94K$50K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$908K$859K$50K
Total functional expensesLn 25$3.1M$2.3M$812K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $3.0M$3.1M−$89K$1.4M 990 PDF
FY2024 $2.3M$3.4M−$1.1M$1.4M 990 PDF
FY2023 $4.0M$3.4M$565K$2.5M 990 PDF
FY2022 $2.8M$2.4M$391K$2.0M 990 PDF
FY2021 $2.1M$1.7M$373K$1.6M 990 PDF
FY2020 $2.1M$2.4M−$301K$1.2M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $3,008,921 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,877,140$2,238,244
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $425,209$361,712
I-10 Investment incomePrior year −$28,811$3,528
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $46,625$405,437
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $2,320,163$3,008,921
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $1,240,884$1,330,782
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $2,175,876$1,767,380
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $3,416,760$3,098,162
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$1,096,597−$89,241
Part VI · Governance 43 of 43 board members independent, 3 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body43
VI-1b Independent voting members43
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $3,008,921 across 11 lines filed
VIII-1b Membership dues$5,330
VIII-1c Fundraising events$38,342
VIII-1e Government grants$602,246
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,592,326
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$2,238,244
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $361,712$361,712
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $3,528$3,528
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossRelated to mission $333,203$333,203
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$6,079−$6,079
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $78,313$78,313
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $773,228 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax −$2,551$3,008,921
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $3,098,162 across 17 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $116,671 · Management $62,255$178,926
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $600,871 · Management $320,624$921,495
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $2,122 · Management $1,132$3,254
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $82,589 · Management $44,069$126,658
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $65,499 · Management $34,950$100,449
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $4,326 · Management $2,309$6,635
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $131,892 · Management $70,377$202,269
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $56,973 · Management $30,401$87,374
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $54,328 · Management $28,989$83,317
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $36,779 · Management $19,625$56,404
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $40,449 · Management $21,584$62,033
IX-17 TravelPrograms $86,566 · Management $46,192$132,758
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $1,400 · Management $747$2,147
IX-20 InterestPrograms $46,825 · Management $24,985$71,810
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $7,195 · Management $3,840$11,035
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $93,598 · Management $49,944$143,542
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $858,549 · Management $49,507$908,056
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $2,286,632 · Management $811,530 · Fundraising $0$3,098,162
Part X · Balance sheet $2,528,220 assets, 14 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $235,806$145,484
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $1,631,829$2,036,628
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $51,629$12,789
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $325,132$308,438
X-11 Publicly traded securities$24,881
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $2,389,278$2,528,220
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $63,428$202,147
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $169,247$154,596
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $715,000$0
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $947,675$1,156,743
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $831,650$1,025,551
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $609,953$345,926
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,441,603$1,371,477
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $2,389,278$2,528,220
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,371,477 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$3,008,921
XI-2 Total expenses$3,098,162
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$89,241
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,441,603
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$19,115
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$1,371,477

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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