The recipient entity's physical address:
           533 Royal St.
New Orleans, LA 70130

The recipient entity's mailing address (if different):
           533 Royal St.
New Orleans, LA 70130

Type of Entity (for instance, a nonprofit corporation):  Non-Profit Corporation

If the entity is a corporation, list the names of the incorporators:
          R. Andrew Jardine, Michael Cohn

The last four digits of the entity's taxpayer ID number:  6090

What is the dollar amount of the request?  $4,500,000

What type of request is this?  Capital Outlay Appropriation

Is this entity in good standing with the Secretary of State?  Yes

Provide the name of each member of the recipient entity's governing board and officers:
           Bonnie Boyd, Chair
1309 Felicity Street
New Orleans, LA 70130

John Kallenborn, Vice Chair
349 Homestead Avenue
Metairie, LA 70005

G. Charles Lapeyre
52 Tokalon Place
Metairie, LA 70001

Mayra Pineda
44 Chateau Haut Brion Drive
Kenner, LA 70065

Tod Smith
127 Pinehurst Drive
New Orleans, LA 70131

E. Alexandra Stafford
505 Northline Street
Metairie, LA 70005

Lisa H. Wilson
6126 St. Charles Avenue, #B
New Orleans, LA 70118

Hilton Bell, Emeritus
1436 Jackson Avenue, Unit 5B
New Orleans, LA 70130

R. Andrew Jardine, Emeritus
7003 Longvue Drive
Mandeville, LA 70448

Daniel Hammer, President and CEO
533 Royal Street
New Orleans, LA 70130

Michael Cohn, Chief Financial Officer
533 Royal Street
New Orleans, LA 70130

Provide a summary of the project or program:
           Over 60 years, the Kemper and Leila Williams Foundation dba The Historic New Orleans Collection has invested in Louisiana's history and culture. We hold the world's largest collection of objects related to New Orleans and the Gulf South. This includes some of our state's most important treasures: Iberville's prospectus recommending the colonization of land that became Louisiana, Laussat's Louisiana Purchase documents, and the 1812 constitution establishing Louisiana's first state government, and Darby’s 1816 map of the state are some of many notable examples.

HNOC's investment includes the buildings in our care. Our 15 buildings across 3 French Quarter campuses include museum galleries, a research center, a retail shop, event space, and workspace for nearly 150 staff. The majority of our buildings are historic, some dating back to the mid-1700s. Collectively, this real estate is valued at $91 million.

In the next 5 years, HNOC will make a $50 million investment in capital improvements to our buildings, including critical repairs, preservation, adaptive reuse renovations, disaster-proofing, accessibility and safety improvements, and mechanical upgrades. These measures will allow HNOC to vastly increase the number and variety of visitors we can accommodate: museum-goers, researchers, field trips and tour groups, corporate events, and more.

The Historic New Orleans Collection is a premier cultural and historic destination for locals and visitors alike. Though admission to the museum is free, HNOC visitors make a significant economic impact in the French Quarter, drawing locals from surrounding neighborhoods, as well as a wealth of national and international visitors who visit New Orleans specifically to experience HNOC’s unique offerings. Our award-winning exhibitions, community-focused public programming, regional school field trips, and a growing group sales program have seen HNOC grow visitorship by 28% in the last fiscal year, with promising continued growth in the 2026-27 fiscal year.

As we look to the future of the French Quarter, HNOC is embarking on a 10-year master facilities plan that will ensure we are best meeting the needs of both our visitors and our community and leveraging additional growth. We will undertake a master plan process to create a strategic roadmap for how we use our infrastructure, assess current conditions, project future capital needs, as well as undertake identified projects, such as the purchase and installation of backup power for our research center and necessary building repairs across campuses. Foundational planning and repairs will help HNOC to identify further areas of economic growth for both the institution and the French Quarter as a whole.

HNOC requests $4.5 million in state capital outlay over the next 3 years, 9% of the full cost of our capital expenditures. State funding will support costs for: master facility planning, generator upgrades at HNOC's Williams Research Center, facade repairs for 525 Chartres St. and 535 Conti St., elevation repairs to prevent flooding at 410 Chartres St., and stucco repairs to HNOC's main exhibition facility at 520 Royal St. Additional funding for the project will leverage existing resources and commitments, including a $10 million match from HNOC’s endowment and board, as well as private donations that have been and will continue to be raised.

Project results will include:
-Protecting and preserving Louisiana's most important cultural and historic objects for decades to come;
-Maintaining the historic cultural fabric of the French Quarter through smart infrastructure investments;
-Ensuring all HNOC facilities are safe, accessible, and equipped to welcome an annually growing number of visitors of all ages and abilities, and;
-Growing HNOC’s economic impact to the benefit of the city and state through increased visitation to HNOC and surrounding businesses.

What is the budget relative to the project for which funding is requested?:
          Salaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . $0
          Professional Services. . . $200,000
          Contracts . . . . . . . . . . . $0
          Acquisitions . . . . . . . . . $0
          Major Repairs . . . . . . . $300,000
          Operating Services. . . . $400,000
          Other Charges. . . . . . . $0

Does your organization have any outstanding audit issues or findings?  No

If 'Yes' is your organization working with the appropriate governmental agencies to resolve those issues or findings?
          Not Applicable

What is the entity's public purpose, sought to be achieved through the use of state monies?
          Since its founding in 1966, the Kemper and Leila Williams Foundation has grown the Historic New Orleans Collection (HNOC) into the world’s largest holder of materials relating to the history and culture of New Orleans and the Gulf South region. Our mission is to steward this history and culture in order that it is accessible for generations to come. HNOC is a free museum, a research center, and a publisher, serving over 300,000 annually through in-person and virtual resources.

Research shows that museums are economic drivers, generating revenue, creating jobs, and providing tax benefits to local and state communities. Positive museum experiences are also correlated with increased economic and community well-being. HNOC currently provides nearly 150 community jobs and injects approximately $20 million into the local economy through annual operational costs - in addition to providing critical historic, cultural, and educational experiences. In the last 3 years, HNOC has been profiled in the New York Times as the #1 “key stop” in New Orleans, listed in TripAdvisor’s Top 20 “Things to Do in New Orleans,” and received international attention for its research institution’s work on the genealogy of Pope Leo XIV.

HNOC’s public purpose is to steward the history and culture of New Orleans and the Gulf South, ensuring locals and visitors of all ages and abilities can access and experience the magnificent, unique culture of this place we call home. By engaging in comprehensive planning, undertaking necessary critical repairs, implementing disaster protections such as back up power, and continuing other capital preservation and restoration projects, HNOC will assure that New Orleans and Louisiana maintain our proper place as one of the world’s great cultural capitals.

What are the goals and objectives for achieving such purpose?
          New Orleans and Louisiana deserve a world-class museum that serves as a testament to its important national and international history and status. An investment in HNOC is a powerful and critical investment in a shared vision of New Orleans and Louisiana as a premier museum destination in the United States.

State funding will help ensure HNOC can continue promising growth, to the benefit of city and state alike. Funds will protect and preserve important cultural and historic objects against power failures and/or disasters; maintain the historic cultural fabric of the French Quarter; ensure all HNOC facilities are safe, accessible, and equipped to welcome an annually growing number of visitors of all ages and abilities, and; grow HNOC’s economic impact through increased visitation of 300,000-500,000 in-person visitors annually across HNOC’s campus and 1-2 million people to all French Quarter museums and surrounding businesses.

What is the proposed length of time estimated by the entity to accomplish the purpose?
           48 months

If any elected or appointed state official or an immediate family member of such an official is an officer, director, trustee, or employee of the recipient entity who receives compensation or holds any ownership interest therein:
     (a) If an elected or appointed state official, the name and address of the official and the office held by such person:
                
    
     (b) If an immediate family member of an elected or appointed state official, the name and address of such person; the name, address, and office of the official to whom the person is related; and the nature of the relationship:
                

     (c) The percentage of the official's or immediate family member's ownership interest in the recipient entity, if any:
                

     (d) The position, if any, held by the official or immediate family member in the recipient entity:
                 

If the recipient entity has a contract with any elected or appointed state official or an immediate family member of such an official or with the state or any political subdivision of the state:
(a) If the contract is with an elected or appointed state official, provide the name and address of the official and the office held by such person: 
               

(b) If the contract is with an immediate family member of an elected or appointed state official:
          Provide the name and address of such person:
              

          Provide the name, address, and office of the official to whom the person is related:
               

          What is the nature of the relationship? 

(c) If the contract is with the state or a political subdivision of the state, provide the name and address of the state entity or political subdivision of the state:
                

(d) The nature of the contract, including a description of the goods or services provided or to be provided pursuant to the contract:
               


Contact Information
name:  Amanda Cambre 
                                       address:  533 Royal St.
New Orleans, LA 70130
                                       phone:  504-598-7173
                                       fax: 
                                       e-mail:  mandi.cambre@hnoc.org
                                       relationship to entity:  Director of Development