Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Headwaters Foundation for Justice

EIN 36-3359386 · Minneapolis, MN

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood74 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

HEADWATERS FOUNDATION FOR JUSTICE (THE FOUNDATION) IS A COMMUNITY FOUNDATION WHOSE MISSION IS TO AMPLIFY THE POWER OF COMMUNITY TO ADVANCE EQUITY AND JUSTICE.

Income
$5.3 million
Spending
$7.9 million
Spent on programs
71%
Reserves
7.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 93%
Employees
18
Volunteers
45
Highest pay
$200,844, co-executive director

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: 74 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 7.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 17% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 49% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 18% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    71% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 21 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

Strong: 100 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    9 of 9 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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 (6)
  1. $2.4 million spent. JUSTICE AND LIBERATION: THE JUSTICE & LIBERATION FUND IS A NEW STRATEGY FOR BUILDING LONG-TERM POLITICAL POWER AND INFRASTRUCTURE IN MINNESOTA. THIS INITIATIVE COMES OUT OF OUR BLACK RADIANCE NETWORK. IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, OUR JUSTICE AND LIBERATION FUND AWARDED $2,000,000 TO 40 ORGANIZATIONS.
  2. $982,077 spent. RAPID RESPONSE GRANTMAKING: AT HEADWATERS, WE KNOW THAT THE NATURE OF GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING MEANS THAT OUR FUNDING CYCLES DO NOT ALWAYS ALIGN WITH THE REAL FINANCIAL NEEDS OF ORGANIZATIONS IN MOMENTS OF CRISIS OR OPPORTUNITY. HEADWATERS FOUNDATION AWARDS RAPID RESPONSE DOLLARS TO COMMUNITY GROUPS DURING UNEXPECTED AND CRITICAL MOMENTS. IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, OUR RAPID RESPONSE GRANTMAKING PROGRAM AWARDED $791,500 TO 30 ORGANIZATIONS.
  3. $978,630 spent. THE GIVING PROJECT: SINCE 2015, THIS PROGRAM INVESTS IN ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE LED BY AND FOR BLACK PEOPLE, INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, AND PEOPLE OF COLOR (BIPOC) THAT ALSO USE A COMMUNITY ORGANIZING APPROACH TO ADDRESS ROOT CAUSES OF INJUSTICE. DURING FISCAL YEAR 2025, A COMMUNITY COHORT RAISED MONEY FROM THEIR NETWORKS AND LED THE GRANTMAKING PROCESS. IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2025, OUR GIVING PROJECT PROGRAM AWARDED $480,000 TO 12 ORGANIZATIONS.
  4. $541,820 spent. DONOR ADVISED FUNDS: THIS PROGRAM ENABLES INDIVIDUAL DONORS TO ADVANCE THEIR PHILANTHROPIC GOALS AND DIRECT RESOURCES TO SOCIAL CHANGE GROUPS LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY. DEVELOPMENT STAFF EDUCATE DONORS ABOUT SOCIAL INJUSTICE ISSUES, CONNECT THEM TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT MATCH THEIR INTERESTS, AND PROVIDE GRANTMAKING ASSISTANCE. IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, HEADWATERS DAF HOLDERS GAVE $541,800 TO 83 ORGANIZATIONS. IN ADDITION, $53,126 WAS AWARDED TO HEADWATERS.
  5. $324,789 spent. THE FUND OF THE SACRED CIRCLE: ACCORDING TO NATIVE AMERICANS IN PHILANTHROPY, FOUNDATIONS INVEST LESS THAN HALF OF ONE PERCENT OF GRANT DOLLARS IN NATIVE COMMUNITIES. HEADWATERS WORKS TO ADDRESS THIS IMBALANCE THROUGH THE FUND OF THE SACRED CIRCLE PROGRAM (FSC). GRANTS SUPPORTS MINNESOTA- AND WISCONSIN-BASED NATIVE AMERICAN ORGANIZATIONS THAT ADDRESS SYSTEMIC INJUSTICES. GENERAL OPERATING GRANTS SUPPORTS WORK THAT FOCUSES ON LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL REVITALIZATION; LAND AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION; SOVEREIGNTY AND TREATY RIGHTS; AND SELF-DETERMINATION AND CIVIL RIGHTS.
  6. $372,377 spent. OTHER PROGRAMS: HEADWATERS FOUNDATION CONDUCTS ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMING FOR GRANTEE ORGANIZATIONS AND OUR VOLUNTEER COMMUNITIES THAT FALL INTO THE CATEGORY OF "SUPPORT BEYOND THE DOLLARS." EXAMPLES OF THESE ACTIVITIES IN FISCAL YEAR 2025 INCLUDED: A SERIES OF FUNDRAISING TRAINING COURSES ACCESSIBLE TO OUR GRANTEE ORGANIZATIONS AND TWO DONOR EDUCATION TRAINING COURSES. HEADWATERS ALSO HOSTED MULTIPLE EVENTS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC TO ENGAGE COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND CELEBRATE SPECIFIC FUNDS AND COLLECTIVE ACHIEVEMENTS.

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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 September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since May 1985.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. 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.