Winter Center for Indigenous Traditions
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
To protect and care for the land, life and traditional ways of Indigenous peoples.
- Income
- $56,088
- Spending
- $51,814
- Spent on programs
- 82%
- Reserves
- 5.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 98%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 24
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 80 out of 100. Higher than 61% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 3% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 8% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 4% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1582% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 72 out of 100. Higher than 67% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).
Independent board
18 of 254 of 4 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (15)
- $17,707 spent. Archives, Library, & Research Center & research Projects: Work to help Native families and communities document family histories, protect sites and burial grounds, preserve and pass on our cultural traditions, and sustain our Indigenous languages continues. Many research and archiving efforts continue as we care for and expand into our our new, fully accessible home. Many families and communities have entrusted their oral and family histories, traditions, understandings, and visions to the Center. They are encouraging the next generations to visit and carry on their learning and the strengthening of the past for future generations to come.
- $9,510 spent. Education Project: Programs continue in colleges, universities, local towns, and community organizations. We also continue to advise numerous Native and non-Native individuals, families, and communities, and lcoal, state, and federal agencies on a variety of Indigenous historical, cultural, and other other topics and issues.
- $3,553 spent. Elders, Youth, and Families Project: We help elders with health issues to survive, to heal the wounds of major traumas, and to preserve oral tradtiions, to document sacred and traditional sites, and to protect our shared environment. We also link our elders and interested youth to preserve and pass on our ancient traditions as well as to help our young people survive and guide them into lives grounded in our ancient traditions and languages.
- $1,394 spent. Site Protection Project: Preservation work continues to expand for many sites, unique plant and tree communities, and sacred sites including brown ash tree stands nut tree orchards, and herbal medicine and wild food sources. We are also teaching Indigenous stewardship skills to our youth as well as to public and private institutions and communities
- $3,136 spent. Environmental Justice Project - we continue our work with Indigenous communities and local and regional conservation organizations to protect threatened ecologies, understand and work to eliminate pollution in fish populations, and reduce the effects of wind power, hydro electric dams, power line projects and other development.
- $1,270 spent. Burial Protection & Repatriation Project: Repatriation of Native remains, grave goods, and scared items continues as well as the monitoring of many burial grounds and sacred sites, and guiding institutions in repatriations. We are collaborating closely with a coalition of elders and communities to protect burial grounds, sacred and traditional sites, and ecologically sensitve areas.
- $5,411 spent. Health Project: The health work continues as many Abenaki and other Native elders and families are having immediate health crises, long term care, and end-of-life assistance. Long-term care also continues for victims of sexual abuse and domestic violence, veterans, and their families, and many others suffering from historical traumas and PTSD. Work continues to improve policies and care and maintain traditions.
- Awighiganal Publishing Project - continues to support the Archive, Library, and Research Center book and resource publishing effort. Editing and guiding publication of a number of articles, books, teaching guides, and other resources continues.
- $629 spent. Language Project - Helping Abenaki youth and families to increase the daily use of Abenaki language in our communities continues including collaborations, creating more teaching materials, facitlitating long-term apprenticeships, as well as language teaching gatherings. Language resource writing and sharing continues as well.
- Site Protection Project: Preservation work continues to 1394. 0. 1500.
- Environmental Justice Project - we continue our work with 3136. 0. 3500.
- Burial Protection & Repatriation Project: Repatriation of 1270. 0. 1500.
- Health Project: The health work continues as many Abenaki 5411. 0. 6000.
- Awighiganal Publishing Project - continues to support 0. 0. 0.
- Language Project - Helping Abenaki youth and families to increase 629. 0. 750.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since March 1998.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.