Tiwahe Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SEE SCHEDULE O
- Income
- $921,287
- Spending
- $1.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 66%
- Reserves
- 8.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 4
- Volunteers
- 23
- Highest pay
- $182,585, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 63 out of 100. Higher than 33% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 8.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 26% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 28% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1566% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 14 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 76% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a 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
0 of 10Did not give 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, 2024, 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 (3)
- $390,378 spent. THE AMERICAN INDIAN FAMILY EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM (AIFEP) CREATES PATHWAYS FOR AMERICAN INDIANS TO REACH THEIR OWN GOALS ON THEIR OWN TERMS THROUGH MICROGRANTS RANGING FROM $200 - $2,500 AS WELL AS RESOURCES TO CONNECT WITH OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS, CULTURAL RESOURCES, AND NETWORKS. THIS PROGRAM IS STRUCTURED TO INVEST IN THE STRENGTHS, DREAMS, AND GOALS OF OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH 1. CULTURE AND LANGUAGE 2.EDUCATION 3. HEALTH AND WELLNESS 4. ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE. IN 2024, WE MADE $214,232 IN GRANTS TO 108 INDIVIDUALS THROUGHOUT THE SEVEN-COUNTY TWIN CITIES METRO AREA. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)WE VALUE RECIPROCITY IN ALL OF OUR RELATIONSHIPS AND WE SUPPORT AIFEP RECIPIENTS IN GROWING THEIR KNOWLEDGE, RESOURCES, OPPORTUNITIES, AND NETWORKS TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS. IN KINSHIP, AIFEP RECIPIENTS SHARE THEIR STORIES WITH US AND ENCOURAGE THEIR COMMUNITIES TO PURSUE THEIR DREAMS. BEGINNING IN 2022, WE BEGAN HOLDING CAPACITY BUILDING GRANT WRITING AND APPLICATION WORKSHOPS FOR INTERESTED COMMUNITY MEMBERS. SINCE ITS INCEPTION, AIFEP HAS GIVEN MORE THAN $3.5 MILLION IN GRANTS TO MORE THAN 2,000 INDIVIDUALS IN PURSUIT OF PROFESSIONAL, EDUCATIONAL, AND CULTURAL OPPORTUNITIES. AIFEP IS TRANSFORMATIVE AND IMPACTFUL, CREATING CHANGE SUSTAINED FOR OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
- $265,942 spent. IN 2023-2024, WE CONTINUED THE PROGRAMMING FOR THE PARTNERSHIP WE STARTED WITH THE OZHIGIN FELLOWS IN 2022 (THEY WERE PAID THEIR FELLOWSHIP STIPENDS IN 2022). THE OYATE LEADERSHIP NETWORK (OLN OR 'OYATE') ORIGINATED OVER TEN YEARS AGO AS AN OUTGROWTH OR NEXT STAGE OF TIWAHE'S EXISTING AIFEP GRANTMAKING PROGRAM TO CONNECT AND RESOURCE OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO THEIR NEXT STAGES OF GROWTH THROUGH A COHORT-STYLE LEARNING COMMUNITY TO WHERE THEY CONNECT WITH OTHER NATIVE LEADERS TO LEARN FROM EACH OTHER'S STRENGTHS, UNIQUE EXPERIENCES, AND LEADERSHIP PRACTICES. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O) UNLIKE AIFEP, OYATE (DAKOTA FOR "THE PEOPLE OR "NATION") IS STATEWIDE, AND WE HAVE ALUMNI REPRESENTING MOST OF THE ELEVEN TRIBAL NATIONS IN MINNESOTA, AS WELL AS OTHER CITIES WITH LARGE NATIVE POPULATIONS LIKE DULUTH AND BEMIDJI. OLN IS TO BE THE CONNECTIVE TISSUE FOR NATIVE LEADERS ACROSS GENERATIONS AND GEOGRAPHIES WITHIN MINNESOTA. OYATE HAS BEEN REVITALIZED TO RESPOND TO THE MANY WIDESPREAD REQUESTS TO DO MORE AS A KEYSTONE ORGANIZATION FOR NATIVE LEADERSHIP WITHIN MINNESOTA AND HELP ESTABLISH WHAT "INDIGENOUS LEADERSHIP" MEANS WITH OUR COMMUNITIES, DEEPENING AVENUES TO RECONNECT OR DEEPEN CULTURAL PRACTICES AND TRADITIONAL TEACHINGS. TIWAHE WANTS TO SEE OLN SUPPORTING AN ACTIVE AND GROWING COMMUNITY OF ALUMNI, ENTREPRENEURS, NATIVE LANGUAGE PRACTITIONERS, EDUCATORS, WISDOM-KEEPERS, CREATING CONNECTIONS AND RESOURCES. WE WANT OUR NATIVE LEADERS TO "HAVE A RELATIVE WHEREVER THEY GO AND TO PARTICIPATE RECIPROCALLY IN THE NETWORK AS IT IS AN INFINITY LOOP FOR EXCHANGING TALENTS, KNOWLEDGE, AND OPPORTUNITIES. OLN IS BEING REBUILT WITH OUR DAKOTA AND ANISHINAABE VALUES AT THE CENTER OF PROGRAM DESIGN BECAUSE OUR PEOPLE FLOURISH IN SPACES AND SYSTEMS THAT ARE RELATIONAL, RESTORATIVE, AND RECOGNIZE OUR SPIRITUAL NEEDS. WITH PAST ALUM, OUR WISDOM COUNCIL, AND OTHERS, WE DEVELOPED A WORKING INDIGENOUS LEADERSHIP CHANGE THEORY, THAT CAPTURES THE COLLECTIVE VISION FOR OYATE: "CONNECTING INDIGENOUS PEOPLES TO OUR CULTURES, VALUES, AND LANGUAGES FOSTERS TRANSFORMATIVE WELLNESS OUTCOMES THAT RIPPLE THROUGHOUT FAMILY AND COMMUNITY CIRCLES. OUR OYATE LEADERSHIP NETWORK FACILITATES EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES THAT REVEAL HOW ACTIVELY CARETAKING CULTURAL TEACHINGS MOVES CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE FROM "WHAT WE KNOW" TO HOW WE LIVE, ENSURING THAT INDIGENOUS VALUES GUIDE OUR ACTIONS, DECISIONS, AND LEADERSHIP STYLES. THIS ALLOWS OUR PEOPLE TO HEAL AND GROW BY UPLIFTING RELATIONAL WAYS OF BEING AS WE HELP EACH OTHER CULTIVATE UNIQUE IDENTITIES AS INDIGENOUS LEADERS, CONNECTED, SUPPORTED, AND CONTINUALLY LEARNING AS CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE IS BUILT AND SHARED OVER TIME THROUGH COMMUNITY CARE. THIS PROCESS HONORS OUR INTERCONNECTION AND POWER TO RESTORE THE TRADITIONAL PATHWAYS OF KNOWLEDGE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS." THE RELAUNCH OF THE OYATE PROGRAM HAS ALREADY BEGUN, AND IT IS ITERATIVE AND WILL SPAN OVER SEVERAL YEARS. OUR WORK SUPPORTS INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH DIRECT RESOURCING AND PROGRAMMING, CULTURALLY-CENTERED LEADERSHIP AND NETWORK DEVELOPMENT DESIGNED TO INFUSE DIVERSE PERSONAL, PROFESSIONAL AND CULTURAL NETWORKS WITH THE STRENGTH AND WISDOM OF AMERICAN INDIANS LIVING IN MINNESOTA. SOME OF THE IMPACTS WE ANTICIPATE ARE: 1) INCREASED SOCIAL CAPITAL, CONNECTIONS, AND ACCESS TO RESOURCES FOR OUR PEOPLE 2) ENHANCED RECOGNITION AND AGENCY AS A HUB FOR NATIVE LEADERSHIP ACROSS ALL AGES, 3) INCREASED DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSES STRENGTHENING NATIVE EVALUATION, AND 4) DISPERSION OF INNOVATIVE WAYS OF LEADING TO OUR WIDER COMMUNITY.
- $106,965 spent. TIWAHE IS ONE OF FOUR LEAD ORGANIZATIONS IN A PARTNERSHIP CALLED LINKINGLEADERS, WHICH BRINGS TOGETHER FOUR NETWORKS OF LEADERS OF COLOR IN THE INDIGENOUS, BLACK, ASIAN AMERICAN, AND LATINE COMMUNITIES. A SHARED EFFORT FOR THE AFRICAN AMERICAN LEADERSHIP FORUM, COALITION OF ASIAN AMERICAN LEADERS, LATINOLEAD, AND TIWAHE FOUNDATION, LINKINGLEADERS FOCUSES ON STRENGTHENING CONNECTIONS ACROSS OUR NETWORKS IN ORDER TO INCREASE OUR SHARED LEADERSHIP AND SOLIDARITY PRACTICES SO THAT WE CAN ADVANCE POWERFUL SYSTEMS CHANGE WORK THAT AIMS TO ACHIEVE RACIAL JUSTICE AND EQUITY. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O) OUR MISSION IS CLEAR BUILD BRIDGES OF CROSS-NETWORK SOLIDARITY, EMPOWERING BIPOC LEADERS THROUGH CULTURALLY RELEVANT LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES AIMED AT GROWING SOLIDARITY IN MINNESOTA. WE ENHANCE CONNECTIONS, OFFER LEADERSHIP TOOLS, AND CREATE ROOM FOR CROSS-CULTURAL COLLABORATION. ADDITIONALLY, WE FOSTER CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING AND INITY BY FACILIATING LEARNING COMMUNITIES ACROSS OUR DIFFERENT CULTURES AND WORLDVIEWS, ALLOWING OUR NETWORKS TO APPRECIATE AND SUPPORT THE UNIQUE PERSPECTIVECS OF EACH COMMUNITY WHILE STANDING TOGETHER IN SOLIDARITY TO DRIVE MEANINGFUL CHANGE. BEGINNING IN 2024, WE WILL BE HIRING DEDICATED MANAGING DIRECTORS FROM ACROSS OUR FOUR ORGANIZATIONS TO WORK OUR MODEL FOR BRINGING SOLIDARITY HOME AS A PLACE-BASED PARTNERSHIP, AS WELL AS FINALIZE OUR CROSS-CULTURAL SOLIDARITY GUIDE, CAPTURING ALL OF OUR LEARNINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OVER THE YEARS TO SERVE AS A BLUEPRINT FOR OTHER BIPOC COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, WHICH WE ENVISION WILL BE USED ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND BEYOND. AT THE END OF 2024, WE WILL HOLD OUR LAUNCH EVENT OF OUR TRUTH-IN-HISTORY PROJECT, WHICH HIGHLIGHTS THE BIPOC COMMUNITIES THAT MAKE MINNESOTA HOME, WEAVING TOGETHER DIVERSE NARRATIVES FROM 20 COMMUNITY STORYTELLERS AND HISTORIANS. WE ARE PRODUCING VIDEOS AND CONVERSATION GUIDES FEATURING THE VOICES AND STORIES OF MINNESOTA'S INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES AND OTHER COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. THIS PROJECT WILL HAVE LONGEVITY AND WE INTEND TO DO THIS ANNUALLY.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 December 2024.
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 June 2009.
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.
Could it be confused with another charity? Worth knowing.
A much larger organization has a similar name: The Foundation (Houston, TX), EIN 92-0742101. If that is the one you meant, check the EIN before giving.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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