West Side Citizens Organization
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SEE SCHEDULE O.THE WEST SIDE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION SUSTAINS THE PEOPLE OF THE WEST SIDE TO BUILD COMMUNITY POWER AND TO ADVANCE MORE JUST AND EQUITABLE COMMUNITY. WSCO ALSO SERVES AS THE PLANNING COUNCIL FOR ST. PAUL'S DISTRICT 3 (ZIP CODE 55107). WSCO ENVISIONS A JUST, UNITED, SELF-RELIANT WEST SIDE WHERE ALL OF OUR PEOPLE ARE CONNECTED, SAFE, HEALTHY, AND SUCCESSFUL.
- Income
- $1.1 million
- Spending
- $683,307
- Spent on programs
- 80%
- Reserves
- 4.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 64%
- Employees
- 6
- Volunteers
- 50
- Highest pay
- $116,164, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 67% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 3% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 36% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 41% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1580% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 92 out of 100. Higher than 55% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2513 of 13 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
7 of 7Has a 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.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 (2)
- $546,248 spent. SEE SCHEDULE O.PROGRAM - WEST SIDE VITALITYOUR LONG-TERM VISION IS A CULTURALLY & ECONOMICALLY VIBRANT WEST SIDE WHERE RESIDENTS HAVE PATHWAYS FOR DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION & TOOLS FOR SELF-DETERMINATION. WE ENVISION A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE RESIDENTS CAN AFFORD TO LIVE, EARN FAMILY-SUSTAINING WAGES, AND EXPERIENCE AMENITIES THAT REFLECT AND CELEBRATE THEIR CULTURAL ASSETS.UNDER THIS UMBRELLA OF WEST SIDE VITALITY IN 2025; WSCO HOSTED WEST SIDE VOICES FORUMS WHERE COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER TO BREAK BREAD, AND SHARE INSIGHTS, BUILD RELATIONSHIPS AND PARTICIPATE IN OUR HYPER LOCAL DEMOCRATIC PROCESS OF ORGANIZING ON QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES ON THE WEST SIDE. IN 2025 THE VOICES FORUMS WERE HELD IN STRATEGIC POCKETS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH 40+ PARTICIPANTS AT EACH FORUM.PROGRAM - ROBERT STREET ACCOUNTABILITY TASKFORCEIN 2025 WSCO ESTABLISHED A CROSS-SECTOR TASK FORCE TO ENSURE COMMUNITY ACCOUNTABILITY, MITIGATE HARM, AND PREVENT DISPLACEMENT BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER THE RECONSTRUCTION OF ROBERT STREET. THIS MODEL CENTERS RESIDENTS AND LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESSES IN REAL-TIME PROBLEM-SOLVING AND SHARED DECISION-MAKING TIED TO PUBLIC INVESTMENT. THROUGH ORGANIZING AND PUBLIC TESTIMONY, THE TASK FORCE WAS EMBEDDED IN THE CITY'S MUNICIPAL CONSENT RESOLUTION AND FORMALIZED THROUGH AN MOU WITH MNDOT, MAKING COMMUNITY ACCOUNTABILITY A REQUIREMENT AND ELEVATING SMALL BUSINESS MITIGATION FUNDS AS A CITY LEGISLATIVE PRIORITY. THE TASK FORCE GROUP MEETS TWICE A MONTH, AND CONSISTS OF RESIDENTS, BUSINESS OWNERS, STATE AND CITY LEADERS, MN DOT, AND OTHER MUNICIPALITIES. PROGRAM - SOUTHPORT ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVESOUTHPORT ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVE IS JUSTICE FOCUSED ON AN INDUSTRIAL ZONE ON THE FLATS WITH SOME OF THE HIGHEST AIR TOXICITY LEVELS IN THE STATE OF MN. RESIDENT LEADERS ARE ADVANCING ACTIONABLE DEMANDS WITH THE CITY, PORT AUTHORITY & PRIVATE CORPORATIONS. INCLUDING THE DESIGN OF AN EGRESS ROUTE, AND A EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE SOUTHPORT NEIGHBORHOOD OF THE WEST SIDE. RESIDENT LEADERS MEET WEEKLY, WITH A STEADY GROWING NUMBER OF DIRECTLY IMPACTED RESIDENT HOUSEHOLDS PARTICIPATING. IN DECEMBER OF 2025, WSCO WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE EACH HOUSEHOLD WITH HIGH QUALITY HOME AIR PURIFIERS, AND EMERGENCY SHELTER IN PLACE KITS DUE TO THE PROXIMITY OF THE HAZARDOUS INDUSTRIAL PARK. PROGRAM - WEST SIDE FLATS TO THE FUTUREIN 2025, WSCO CELEBRATED WITH THE FIRST FAMILIES TO RECEIVE THE INHERITANCE FUND A FORM OF REPAIR FROM THE DISPLACEMENT OF THE WS FLATS. BUILDING ON WSCO'S WORK STARTED IN 2023, WHEN WSCO COMMISSIONED RESEARCH IN ACTION TO QUANTIFY THE IMMEDIATE AND LONG-TERM IMPACTS OF THE DISPLACEMENT OF OVER 2,100 FAMILIES WERE DISPLACED OFF THE FLATS. WE GATHERED THE STORIES OF THE DESCENDANTS, PUBLISHING AN EXTENSIVE REPORT THAT, FOR THE FIRST TIME, PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGED THE MAGNITUDE OF THIS LOSS. THE REPORT CONCLUDED WITH COMMUNITY-DRIVEN RECOMMENDATIONS TO CHART A COURSE FOR MEANINGFUL REPAIR AND PREVENT FURTHER ERASURE OF THE WEST SIDE'S CULTURAL ASSETS AND LEGACIES. OUR EFFORTS HERE ARE ONGOING. WSCO CONTINUES TO ORGANIZE WITH FAMILIES DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY THE DISPLACEMENT OF THE WS FLATS.PROGRAM - WEST SIDE 10 YEAR PLANIN 2025 WSCO ENGAGED RESIDENTS ON THE CREATION OF THE NEXT 10 YEAR PLAN FOR THE WEST SIDE NEIGHBORHOOD. THIS INCLUDED MULTIPLE STAKEHOLDER LISTENING SESSIONS, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES, AND A RANGE OF LISTENING SESSIONS OF ELDERS, AND YOUTH. THE ENGAGEMENT PROCESS SPANNED OVER THE SUMMER OF 2025. WITH ROBUST DATA FROM RESIDENTS, LOCAL BUSINESSES, COMMUNITY LEADERS, ANCHOR INSTITUTIONS, AND FAITH COMMUNITIES WSCO IS NOW PREPARED TO MOVE INTO THE NEXT PHASE OF THE COMMUNITY PLANNING PROCESS.PROGRAM - WEST SIDE BUSINESS COALITIONIN 2025 WSCO CONTINUED TO SUPPORT THE WS SMALL BUSINESS COALITION, BY ENGAGING LOCAL BUSINESSES AND SUPPORTING LEADERSHIP, HOSTING SPACE, SECURING TRANSLATION, PRODUCING OUTREACH MATERIALS, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND ALIGNING STRATEGIC TECHNICAL SUPPORT PARTNERSHIPS.
- PROGRAM - WEST SIDE FLATS TO THE FUTUREIN 2025, WSCO CELEBRATED WITH THE FIRST FAMILIES TO RECEIVE THE INHERITANCE FUND A FORM OF REPAIR FROM THE DISPLACEMENT OF THE WS FLATS. BUILDING ON WSCO'S WORK STARTED IN 2023, WHEN WSCO COMMISSIONED RESEARCH IN ACTION TO QUANTIFY THE IMMEDIATE AND LONG-TERM IMPACTS OF THE DISPLACEMENT OF OVER 2,100 FAMILIES WERE DISPLACED OFF THE FLATS. WE GATHERED THE STORIES OF THE DESCENDANTS, PUBLISHING AN EXTENSIVE REPORT THAT, FOR THE FIRST TIME, PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGED THE MAGNITUDE OF THIS LOSS. THE REPORT CONCLUDED WITH COMMUNITY-DRIVEN RECOMMENDATIONS TO CHART A COURSE FOR MEANINGFUL REPAIR AND PREVENT FURTHER ERASURE OF THE WEST SIDE'S CULTURAL ASSETS AND LEGACIES. OUR EFFORTS HERE ARE ONGOING. WSCO CONTINUES TO ORGANIZE WITH FAMILIES DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY THE DISPLACEMENT OF THE WS FLATS. PROGRAM - WEST SIDE 10 YEAR PLANIN 2025 WSCO ENGAGED RESIDENTS ON THE CREATION OF THE NEXT 10 YEAR PLAN FOR THE WEST SIDE NEIGHBORHOOD. THIS INCLUDED MULTIPLE STAKEHOLDER LISTENING SESSIONS, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES, AND A RANGE OF LISTENING SESSIONS OF ELDERS, AND YOUTH. THE ENGAGEMENT PROCESS SPANNED OVER THE SUMMER OF 2025. WITH ROBUST DATA FROM RESIDENTS, LOCAL BUSINESSES, COMMUNITY LEADERS, ANCHOR INSTITUTIONS, AND FAITH COMMUNITIES WSCO IS NOW PREPARED TO MOVE INTO THE NEXT PHASE OF THE COMMUNITY PLANNING PROCESS. PROGRAM - WEST SIDE BUSINESS COALITIONIN 2025 WSCO CONTINUED TO SUPPORT THE WS SMALL BUSINESS COALITION, BY ENGAGING LOCAL BUSINESSES AND SUPPORTING LEADERSHIP, HOSTING SPACE, SECURING TRANSLATION, PRODUCING OUTREACH MATERIALS, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND ALIGNING STRATEGIC TECHNICAL SUPPORT PARTNERSHIPS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since July 1978.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.