Second Harvest Northland
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
End hunger together in NE Minnesota and NW Wisconsin.
- Income
- $30.4 million
- Spending
- $27.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 94%
- Reserves
- 3.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 86%
- Employees
- 17
- Volunteers
- 2,000
- Highest pay
- $194,533, ceo & president
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: 85 out of 100.
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 6% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 11% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 23% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1594% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 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 2511 of 11 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 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)
- $16.4 million spent. Second Harvest Northland's primary program is food banking. As the only "food bank" serving NE Minnesota (St. Louis, Carlton, Lake, Cook, Koochiching, Itasca, Aitkin, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Crow Wing, and Cass counties) and NW Wisconsin (Douglas, Bayfield, Ashland and Iron counties), we access nationally and regionally donated and purchased product from manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers and growers, for distribution to over 100 agency and community partners (food shelves, on-site meal programs, tribal organizations). During fiscal year 2025, we provided 8.2 million pounds of food and grocery product, the equivalent of 6.8 million meals, to our agency and community partners. Volunteers are critical to our food bank and its operations. Volunteers contributed 15,605 hours to our food bank program during fiscal year 2025, which was the equivalent of 7.5 full-time positions at our organization. Reason for Amended Return: This amended return was filed to update and clarify the numerical data reported in Part III, Program Service Accomplishments, lines 4a-4d. The revisions reflect more accurate program output figures and clearer descriptions of program service accomplishments. No other changes were made to the return.
- $5.3 million spent. Our Food Shelf is a program operated by Second Harvest Northland to provide food directly to people experiencing hunger in the Duluth and Grand Rapids, MN area. During fiscal year 2025, we provided food shelf service directly to in-need children, adults and seniors resulting in over 2.2 million meals. Our Food Shelf Programs are operated almost entirely by volunteers. During fiscal year 2025, volunteers contributed 2,346 hours of service, equivalent to 1.1 full-time positions at our organization.
- $1.2 million spent. Our Nutrition for Seniors Program (Commodity Supplemental Food Assistance Program) is a federal commodity food program administered by the Minnesota Department of Health and implemented locally by Second Harvest Northland. During fiscal year 2025, we provided commodity food boxes directly to in-need seniors resulting in over 411,000 meals. Our Nutrition for Seniors Program relies heavily on volunteers. During fiscal year 2025, volunteers contributed 2,122 hours of service, equivalent to 1 full-time positions at our organization.
- $1.8 million spent. Our Mobile Food Pantry Programs are operated by Second Harvest Northland to provide food directly to people experiencing hunger in NE Minnesota and NW Wisconsin communities with a high level of need and low food resources. During fiscal year 2025, we provided pantry service directly to in-need children, adults and seniors resulting in over 751,000 meals. Our Mobile Food Pantry Programs are operated almost entirely by volunteers. During fiscal year 2025, volunteers contributed 563 hours of service, equivalent to .27 full-time positions at our organization.
- $740,575 spent. Our BackPack Program is operated by Second Harvest Northland, in partnership with regional schools, to provide food to children in need on weekends. During fiscal year 2025, we provided food to children resulting in over 106,000 meals. During fiscal year 2025, volunteers contributed 1,499 hours of service, equivalent to .72 full-time positions at our organization.Our School Pantry Program is operated by Second Harvest Northland, in partnership with regional schools, to provide out-of-school food to children. During fiscal year 2025, we provided food to children resulting in over 225,000 meals.
- Reason for Amended Return: This amended return was filed to update and clarify the numerical data reported in Part III, Program Service Accomplishments, lines 4a-4d. The revisions reflect more accurate program output figures and clearer descriptions of program service accomplishments. No other changes were made to the return.
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 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 June 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 March 1987.
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.