The Aftermath of Katrina

The nonpartisan Urban Institute publishes studies, reports, and books on timely topics worthy of public consideration. The views expressed are those of the authors and should not be attributed to the Urban Institute, its trustees, or its funders.

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The nonprofit sector plays a vital role in creating a caring society in Louisiana, providing a vast range of services including youth programs to enhance children's lives, care for the elderly and those with disabilities, and arts and cultural activities. Before Hurricane Katrina, charities often struggled to raise the funds necessary to meet community needs, and resources were stretched. Now a substantial part of the infrastructure that delivers health and human services to residents of the New Orleans area has been devastated, along with major educational, cultural, and other nonprofit institutions.

Portrait of the New Orleans and Louisiana Nonprofit Sectors

• Almost 3,200 charities based in Louisiana report to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) annually. In 2003, the most recent data available, their expenditures totaled over $8.7 billion and their assets totaled $13.8 billion.
• Almost half of the Louisiana-based charity expenditures and assets were located in New Orleans, home to over 900 charities spending $4.3 billion and holding $6.3 billion in assets.
• 83 charities—with $2.6 billion in annual expenditures and more than 15,000 employees—provide direct health and mental health services to New Orleans residents.
• 385 organizations with $389 million in annual expenditures provide human services and community improvement programs to New Orleans residents.

Note: This report is available in its entirety in the Portable Document Format (PDF).

The nonpartisan Urban Institute publishes studies, reports, and books on timely topics worthy of public consideration. The views expressed are those of the authors and should not be attributed to the Urban Institute, its trustees, or its funders.

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