A judgment exceeding $1.4 million has been sanctioned against former directors of three Vancouver-area charities, including The Noble Foundation, following a lawsuit by Attorney General Bob Ferguson. The foundation's founder, Ophelia Noble, along with other directors, misused funds meant for communities of color and low-income individuals in southwest Washington.
The charities primarily sourced their funds from state grants and philanthropic organizations. Noble violated Washington’s Nonprofit Corporation Act by failing to account for over $1 million of the foundation's funds. Misuse included personal financial gain through charity resources, such as purchasing a vehicle and acquiring her father's house at a reduced price. Other directors involved were Douglas Noble, Alice Prejean, Joann Hampton, and Alyce Noble. They enabled and occasionally benefited from these actions.
The court order mandates that Noble and the other directors collectively pay $25,000 for fund misuse. Additionally, Noble must sell assets bought with charitable money — a house and car valued at approximately $400,000 — to cover investigation costs. These funds will also support future law enforcement efforts regarding charitable asset protection.
Noble is permanently banned from managing any charity in Washington, while the other directors face a 10-year ban. A suspended civil penalty of $1 million remains contingent on compliance with the judgment terms.
“Ophelia Noble and the charities’ directors failed the communities they were supposed to serve,” Ferguson stated. “My office will continue to be a watchdog ensuring that charities follow the law.”
Assistant Attorneys General Rose Duffy, Robby Staley, Joshua Studor; Paralegals Savannah Krug, Kristina Winfield, Lauretta Dunn, Mary Barber, Ashley Totten; Legal Assistants Nathan Pinard and Avery Gault; Investigators Bau Vang, Michelle Bigos-Taylor and Rebecca Hartsock managed this case for Washington.
Founded in 2012 by Ophelia Noble to assist communities of color in Vancouver, Kelso, and Longview areas, The Noble Foundation expanded significantly by 2019. It secured substantial funding for encouraging BIPOC community participation in the 2020 Census through state grants.
During the pandemic's onset, two additional charities were established: Our Place/Nuestra Casa Multicultural Center provided pandemic relief services while Southwest Washington Communities United for Change focused on racial justice initiatives.
These organizations collectively received about $1.5 million from various foundations like Northwest Health Foundation and Seattle Foundation but faced significant fund misappropriation beginning in 2019 under Noble’s direction.
The Attorney General’s Office enforces nonprofit regulations under several acts ensuring charitable donations are properly used. The Charitable Assets Protection Team addresses cases involving fund misuse or misappropriation.
For more information on avoiding charity scams or filing complaints related to deceptive conduct by charities visit ftc.gov/charities or https://www.atg.wa.gov/file-complaint.