The Gpoa Foundation
The GPOA Foundation is an independent, grant-making private foundation based in New Orleans, Louisiana. It supports programs serving children and youth, with its grant guidelines focused on nonprofit organizations serving children and youth in Orleans Parish.
The Gpoa Foundation at a glance
In short: The Gpoa Foundation gave $793K across 47 grants in 2024 (avg $17K), mostly in Louisiana. 47% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $793,450
- +243.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 47
- +193.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $16,882
- +16.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $16,280,046
- +4.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 47% first-time grantees (22 of 47, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Louisiana (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Gpoa Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Applicants submit a Concept Paper electronically. The foundation may invite selected applicants to complete a full proposal. Eligible applicants are nonprofit organizations serving children or youth in Orleans Parish; requests should generally be $10,000–$20,000. Program operating costs, including staff and materials, are considered. Three-year requests with declining support may be considered when an organization has clear impact objectives and an evaluation plan, but grants are approved one year at a time. Collaborative requests involving up to three organizations working toward a common outcome are encouraged. Building or renovation expenses and equipment are rarely funded. The foundation does not consider programs not focused on children in Orleans Parish, special-event sponsorships, individual scholarships, out-of-state programs, organizations with large unrestricted endowments, or nonprofits that make grants to other nonprofits.
- Review Cycle
- Published application schedules differ. One schedule lists Concept Paper windows of January 1–February 1 and July 1–August 1, 2026, with decisions by May 31 and November 30, 2026. Another lists windows of April 1–May 1 and October 1–November 1, with decisions in February and August.
- Deadline
- Published application schedules differ.
- Contact
Application contact: German Protestant Orphan Asylum Ass
Mailing address: 919 St Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130
Phone: (504) 598-4663
Website: https://gpoafoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Gpoa Foundation
Who The Gpoa Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Covenant House New Orleans ($28K). Together the top 10 received $221K.
Grant Size Distribution
141 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 140 grants of 141 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The grant guidelines focus on nonprofit organizations serving children and youth in Orleans Parish, Louisiana. The foundation’s homepage also describes support for programs serving children in Orleans and Jefferson Parishes. All 2024 grant dollars were reported for recipients in Louisiana.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 47 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Gpoa Foundation open to new grantees?
47%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 22 of 47 grantees (47%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $15K; repeat grants $18K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 9% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 24% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 116% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $231K (2023) to $793K (2024). In 2024 it made 47 grants totaling $793K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Covenant House New Orleans New Orleans, LA | Children and Youth Services | $28,000 |
| Ellis Marsalis Center for Music New Orleans, LA | Neighborhood Centers | $25,000 |
| STEM Library Lab New Orleans, LA | Human Services | $25,000 |
| Upturn Arts New Orleans, LA | Human Services | $23,000 |
| For Providers by Providers New Orleans, LA | Alliances and Advocacy | $20,000 |
| CASA New Orleans New Orleans, LA | Civil Rights | $20,000 |
| Community Sailing New Orleans Inc New Orleans, LA | Swimming and Other Water Recreation | $20,000 |
| Lousiana Center for Childrens Rights New Orleans, LA | Youth Violence Prevention | $20,000 |
| Uncommon Construction New Orleans, LA | Youth Development Programs | $20,000 |
| Loop Nola New Orleans, LA | Educational Services | $20,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Gpoa Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $16,280,046 | $1,412,274 | $967,254 | $793,450 | 47 | $891,416 | $1,336,436 | $771,451 |
| 2023 | $15,526,001 | $552,005 | $384,900 | $230,991 | 16 | $320,718 | $488,622 | $724,073 |
| 2022 | $14,168,002 | $560,818 | $168,676 | — | — | $88,581 | $497,839 | $713,270 |
| 2021 | $16,182,863 | $1,315,599 | $870,755 | $639,128 | 37 | — | $1,251,913 | $764,748 |
| 2020 | $14,998,712 | $74,786 | $701,424 | $606,966 | 41 | — | $326,950 | $694,557 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Gpoa Foundation reported a distributable amount of $771K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is to support programs serving children in Louisiana. Its priorities for the coming three years are children being ready for kindergarten, children reading on level by third grade, and at-risk youth being equipped for work and independence.
Funding areas include early childhood education; summer learning-loss prevention for K–3 students; out-of-school enrichment in areas such as music, art, dance, and STEM; behavioral health and social-emotional supports; special education and autism spectrum programs; and educational, vocational, life-skills, and leadership opportunities for at-risk youth.
The 2024 grantees illustrate a range of supported work. Ellis Marsalis Center for Music describes its work as operating a community center, performance hall, and recording studio, and teaching music, dance, and computer literacy to children. STEM Library Lab says it provides teachers with equipment, programs, experiences, and instructional support to promote student success. Other grantees include 826 New Orleans, which supports young writers ages 6–18; Loop NOLA, which provides outdoor experiences for children and youth; and YouthForce NOLA, which equips young people to graduate high school on a path to career success.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 47 grants totaling $793,450. Individual grants ranged from $5,000 to $28,000, with a median of $20,000. The foundation’s website describes typical requests as $10,000–$20,000; another section of the site gives a typical range of $4,000–$40,000 and an average award of $10,000–$15,000.
Among the largest reported 2024 grants were $28,000 to Covenant House New Orleans for children and youth services; $25,000 each to Ellis Marsalis Center for Music and STEM Library Lab; and $23,000 to Upturn Arts. The foundation also gave $20,000 each to organizations including Casa New Orleans, Community Sailing New Orleans, Uncommon Construction, Loop NOLA, and Start the Adventure in Reading.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers and trustees listed on the foundation’s 2024 filing were Slade Simons, president; Camille Strachan, vice president; Mason Couvillion, treasurer; and Jane Sumner, Barbara Macphee, Charles Mayer, Shelina Davis, Pamela Watson, Ralph Cox, and Gary Briggs, trustees.
The Gpoa Foundation is led by Slade Simons, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 13 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Slade Simons
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Barbara Macphee
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Charles Mayer
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jane Sumner
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ralph Cox
Trustee
Secretary → Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Shelina Davis
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gary Briggs
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Pamela Watson
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brian Rotolo
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Greg Rattler Sr.
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kyle Wedberg
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Camille Strachan
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mason Couvillion
Treasurer
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Gordon Wadge (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Anthony Recasner (2020) — Trustee
- Former: G. Price Crane (2020) — Treasurer
- Former: Walter Flower (2020) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about The Gpoa Foundation
How much does The Gpoa Foundation give each year?
The Gpoa Foundation gave $793K across 47 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $231K across 16 grants.
What is The Gpoa Foundation's typical grant size?
The Gpoa Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $20,000, and its average grant was $16,882, across 47 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Gpoa Foundation that year got $15K on average.
Where does The Gpoa Foundation give grants?
The Gpoa Foundation gives mostly in Louisiana: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were New Orleans, LA (43 grants) and Metairie, LA (3 grants).
Does The Gpoa Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 47 grants with a stated purpose on The Gpoa Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Education" (5 grants), "Alliances and Advocacy" (3 grants) and "Human Services" (3 grants).
Who are The Gpoa Foundation's largest grantees?
The Gpoa Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Covenant House New Orleans ($28,000), Ellis Marsalis Center for Music ($25,000) and STEM Library Lab ($25,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 10% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Gpoa Foundation?
The Gpoa Foundation reported $16.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $891K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $771K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Gpoa Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to support programs serving children in Louisiana. Its priorities for the coming three years are children being ready for kindergarten, children reading on level by third grade, and at-risk youth being equipped for work and independence. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Gpoa Foundation?
Applicants submit a Concept Paper electronically. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Gpoa Foundation's EIN?
The Gpoa Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 72-0423621. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Gpoa Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Gpoa Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-gpoa-foundation-morg_c6b51d3c301a49449085e1562bd832de
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_720423621_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Gpoa Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-gpoa-foundation-morg_c6b51d3c301a49449085e1562bd832de},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-05. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from The Gpoa Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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