Ella West Freeman Foundation
The Ella West Freeman Foundation is a private foundation established in 1941 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded by successful New Orleans businessman A.B. Freeman and named after his wife, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization with a focus on philanthropic giving to nonprofits in the Southeast Louisiana region.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$20.8M
-1.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.3M
-1.2% YoY
Grant Count
2
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$635K
-1.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ella West Freeman Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation gives primarily for education with an emphasis on private education, arts (both performing and applied), community improvement and governmental oversight, and human service organizations with an emphasis on capital projects for established agencies.
Primary funding areas include:
- Education (particularly private educational institutions)
- Arts and Culture (performing and applied arts organizations)
- Community Improvement and Governmental Oversight
- Human Services (capital projects for established agencies)
- Public Affairs and Public Administration
Grantmaking
The foundation makes grants twice per year and accepts unsolicited inquiries. However, recent data indicates the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and operates on an invite-only basis.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation focuses on Southeast Louisiana, with particular emphasis on the Greater New Orleans area and the state of Louisiana.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Giving (as of 2023):
- Total Assets: $21.1–$22.4 million
- Total Annual Giving: $1.27–$1.53 million
- Annual Expenses: $1.42 million (2023)
- Revenue: $187,000–$883,579
- Total Liabilities: $0
- Giving Rate: 6.1% of assets
Tax Status:
- Tax-exempt since June 1941
- EIN: 72-6018322
- Designated as 501(c)(3)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $20,779,214 | $21,126,060 | $22,358,193 |
| Revenue | $1,107,456 | $187,142 | $883,579 |
| Expenses | $1,451,736 | $1,424,338 | $1,528,016 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,285,901 | $1,285,047 | $1,359,348 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,023,764 | $231,621 | $730,772 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,418,594 | $1,267,950 | $1,289,860 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 2 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
58 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Ella West Freeman Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Various - See Attached Statement ($1,270,000), From Pass-throughs ($26).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| VARIOUS - SEE ATTACHED STATEMENT NEW ORLEANS, LA | SEE ATTACHED | $1,270,000 |
| FROM PASS-THROUGHS NEW ORLEANS, LA | VARIOUS | $26 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board of Trustees:
- Tina Freeman, Chair
- R. West Freeman III, Vice Chair
- Virginia Rowan, Secretary
- Peter Freeman, Trustee
- Philip Woollam, Trustee
- Sarah Freeman Carey, Trustee
All board members serve without compensation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| TINA FREEMAN | CHAIR | — | — |
| VIRGNIA ROWAN | SECRETARY | — | — |
| PHILIP WOOLLAM | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| R WEST FREEMAN III | VICE CHAIR | — | — |
| PETER FREEMAN | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| SARAH FREEMAN CAREY | TRUSTEE | — | — |
Contact Information
Mailing and Physical Address: Ella West Freeman Foundation c/o CAPTRUST 1100 Poydras Street, Suite 1350 New Orleans, LA 70163
Phone: 504-207-8541 or 504-207-8555
Fax: 504-207-8525
Email: info@EllaWest.org
Website: www.ellawest.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Ella West Freeman Foundation fund?
The foundation gives primarily for education with an emphasis on private education, arts (both performing and applied), community improvement and governmental oversight, and human service organizations with an emphasis on capital projects for established agencies. Primary funding areas include: • Education (particularly private educational institutions) • Arts and Culture (performing and applied arts organizations) • Community Improvement and Governmental Oversight • Human Services (capital pro…
How do I apply for a grant from Ella West Freeman Foundation?
The foundation makes grants twice per year and accepts unsolicited inquiries. However, recent data indicates the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and operates on an invite-only basis. **Grant Characteristics:** • Prioritizes capital projects over sustaining grants • Typical awards range from $26–$229 based on historical data • Recent annual giving: approximately $1.27–$1.53 million • Median grant amount: $1.3 million (2023) • Number of grants: 1 grant reported in 2023 **Appli…
Where does Ella West Freeman Foundation make grants?
The foundation focuses on Southeast Louisiana, with particular emphasis on the Greater New Orleans area and the state of Louisiana.
What size grants does Ella West Freeman Foundation award?
In 2024, Ella West Freeman Foundation awarded 2 grants totaling $1.3M — an average of about $635K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Ella West Freeman Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Ella West Freeman Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.4M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Ella West Freeman Foundation's EIN?
Ella West Freeman Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 72-6018322. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Ella West Freeman Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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