Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
OUR MISSION IS TO PROTECT THE BOUNDARY WATERS AND TO CONNECT PEOPLE OF ALL BACKGROUNDS TO THE WILDERNESS, SO THAT THIS AND FUTURE GENERATIONS CAN BENEFIT FROM THIS SPECIAL PLACE.
- Income
- $4.4 million
- Spending
- $3.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 67%
- Reserves
- 13 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 87%
- Employees
- 22
- Volunteers
- 250
- Highest pay
- $175,998, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 86% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 13.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 6% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 29% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 43% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1567% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 60% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2514 of 14 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
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 September 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 (1)
- $2.1 million spent. SEE SCHEDULE O.NO BOUNDARIES TO THE BOUNDARY WATERS - WE REACHED OVER 8,000 STUDENTS IN VRTUAL PROGRAMMING NATIONALLY, 4,000 STUDENTS IN IN-PERSON PROGRAMMING IN MINNESOTA, AND SUPPORTED 200 STUDENTS IN OVERNIGHT WILDERNESS TRIPS IN THE BOUNDARY WATERS. WE STARTED A STUDENT LEADERSHIP COHORT, CALLED SPARKS, OFFERED TO STUDENTS WHO HAD PARTICIPATED IN OVERNIGHT PROGRAMS AND WERE INTERESTED IN FURTHERING THIER EXPERIENCE. IN THIS COHORT, STUDENTS GAINED LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE, LEARNED ABOUT CAREERS IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL FIELD, AND PRACTICED THEIR OUTDOOR RECREATION SKILLS. IN NORTHEASTERN MINNESOTA, WE LAUNCHED "BOUNDARY WATERS IS OUR BACKYARD", WHICH FOCUSES ON OUR CURRENT EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN SCHOOLS AND TRIBAL COMMUNITIES IN NE MINNESOTA, AND PROVIDES THEM WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO INCORPORATE DAY TRIPS AND OVERNIGHTS IN AND NEAR THE BWCA THROUGHOUT THEIR SCHOOL YEAR. WILDERNESS ADVOCACY - IN FY25, LITIGATION ACTIVITY FOR POLYMET AND TWIN METALS WAS REDUCED, WHEN COMPARED TO PASTFISCAL YEARS, DUE TO COURT-ORDERED STAYS. THAT SAID, THE FRIENDS COMPLETED APPELLATE BRIEFING AND, ALONG WITH ITS PARTNERS, PRESENTED ORAL ARGUMENT AT THE D.C. CIRCUIT WITH RESPECT TO A LAWSUIT BY TWIN METALS CHALLENGING THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION'S CANCELLATION OF ITS MINERAL LEASES. THAT APPEALWAS EVENTUALLY HELD IN ABEYANCE IN MID-2025. WITH RESPECT TO POLICY-RELATED MATTERS, THE FRIENDS RESEARCHED AND DRAFTED COMMENTS ON THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE'S PROPOSED BWCA PERMIT FEE INCREASES AND RESEARCHED AND JOINED POLICY-RELATED SIGN-ON LETTERS, INCLUDING THOSE ON THE ROADLESS RULE AND THE FIX OUR FORESTS ACT. THE FRIENDS ALSO ENGAGED IN EFFORTS TO UNDERCUT FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE EFFORTS TO FAST-TRACK THE TWIN METALS PROJECT IN TRUMP'S "BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL." THE FRIENDS IDENTIFIED THAT MANY ASPECTS OF H.R. 3195 WOULD NOT SATISFY THE BYRD RULE AND RESEARCHED AND DRAFTED A MEMO WITH A CONCISE BUT POWERFUL ARTICULATION OF WHY THE PROVISIONS OF HR 3195 THAT DEALT WITH TWIN METALS WERE INAPPROPRIATE FOR THE BUDGET RECONCILIATION PROCESS. WE ALSO ORGANIZED OUR VOLUNTEERS AND SUPPORTERS TO SEND 1,291 EMAILS TO THE MINNESOTA GOVERNOR AND STATE LEGISLATORS, HELD 58 MEETINGS WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS ON OUR ISSUES, HOSTED A DAY AT THE STATE CAPOTOL ATTENDED BY OVER 200 PEOPLE, AND HELD A PUBLIC HEARING ON SULFIDE MINING ATTENDED BY MORE THAN 300 PEOPLE. IN WASHINGTON DC, WE HAD 176 CONGRESSIONAL OFFICE VISITS AND ORGANIZED OUR SUPPORTERS SENDING 52,000 EMAILS TO CONGRESS. NORTHERN COMMUNITIES - IN ELY AND GRAND MARAIS, FRIENDS HAS CONNECTED WITH MORE THAN 500 PEOPLE IN EACH COMMUNITY THROUGH HOSTED EVENTS AND PARTICIPATION IN COMMUNITY EVENTS. FRIENDS USES THESE EVENTS TO NOT ONLY BRING AWARENESS TO OUR ORGANIZATION AND THE BOUNDARY WATERS, BUT TO GIVE FOLKS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MORE AND ENGAGE WITH WILDERNESS TOPICS, SUCH AS THROUGH SPEAKERS HOSTED DURING ELY DARK SKY WEEK. IN ADDITION TO CULTIVATING ENGAGMENT AROUND THE BOUNDARY WATERS, FRIENDS SEEKS TO MAKE COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS AND GIVE BACK. OUR ELY "TREE FEST" GAVE AWAY 300 TRESS TO THE COMMUNITY FOR PLANTING. OUR BOUNDARY WATERS IS OUR BACKYARD PROGRAM GOES HAND IN HAND AS WE INCREASE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL YOUTH TO IMMERSE THEMSELVES IN THE WILDERNESS AREA. IN GRAND MARAIS, WE HAVE ONLY BEEN HERE ABOUT A YEAR, BUT THERE IS INTEREST AND ENGAGEMENT ACROSS THE COMMUNITY IN OUR MISSION TO STRENGTHEN THE COMMUNITY AND CONNECT FOLKS TO THE BOUNDARY WATERS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 November 6, 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 September 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 April 1986.
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 November 4, 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.