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Friends of the Hennepin County Library

EIN 36-3579536 · Minneapolis, MN

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

FRIENDS OF THE HENNEPIN COUNTY LIBRARY IS THE FUNDRAISING PARTNER OF HENNEPIN COUNTY LIBRARY AND BUILDS AWARENESS, APPRECIATION AND SUPPORT FOR OUR WORLD-CLASS LIBRARY.

Income
$6.0 million
Spending
$4.2 million
Spent on programs
79%
Reserves
26.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 80%
Employees
12
Volunteers
45
Highest pay
$191,752, ceo

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

Strong: 100 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 26.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 2% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 29% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 38% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    79% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 13 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: 100 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    13 of 13 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 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 (3)
  1. $2.6 million spent. LIBRARY SUPPORT: AS THE LIBRARY'S NONPROFIT FUNDRAISING PARTNER, FHCL BUILDS LIBRARY AWARENESS AND APPRECIATION THROUGH COMPELLING STORYTELLING AND RAISES SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL RESOURCES FOR LIBRARY STRATEGIC PRIORITIES, INCLUDING WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY OUTREACH, YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND THE WORLD CLASS COLLECTION. TOGETHER, WE ENVISION A HENNEPIN COUNTY WHERE LIBRARY SERVICES ENSURE THAT EVERY PERSON HAS THE OPPORTUNITY AND RESOURCES TO READ, GRADUATE, ENGAGE, WORK AND LEARN.
  2. $295,126 spent. PEN PALS: PEN PALS IS THE HIGHLY ACCLAIMED, LONGEST RUNNING LITERARY SERIES IN THE TWIN CITIES FEATURING AWARD-WINNING, BEST-SELLING AUTHORS WHO SPEAK ON THEIR LIFE AND WORK AS WRITERS. THIS AUTHOR LECTURE SERIES GENERATES INCOME SUPPORTING THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION. FORTY-ONE VOLUNTEERS ASSISTED STAFF AT FIVE IN-PERSON EVENTS, CONTRIBUTING 280 HOURS TO THE PROGRAM. IN 2025, 4,500 PEOPLE ATTENDED IN-PERSON EVENTS, AND 3,320 HOUSEHOLDS ATTENDED VIRTUAL LIVESTREAM PROGRAMS OR ON-DEMAND RECORDINGS.
  3. $482,854 spent. PUBLIC AWARENESS AND DONOR ENGAGEMENT: TALK OF THE STACKS IS A FREE AUTHOR LECTURE SERIES PRODUCED BY FRIENDS WITH GUEST AUTHORS WHO FOCUS ON CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE AND CULTURE ACROSS AN ARRAY OF SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND GLOBAL TOPICS. THE 2025 SEASON INCLUDED FOUR IN-PERSON EVENTS, THAT ALSO OFFERED A VIRTUAL LIVESTREAM OPTION, AND ONE VIRTUAL-ONLY PROGRAM. IN TOTAL, 740 PEOPLE ATTENDED IN-PERSON EVENTS, 2,190 HOUSEHOLDS ATTENDED VIRTUAL PROGRAMS AND 1,590 ACCESSED ON-DEMAND RECORDINGS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AT NO COST. IN ADDITION TO THESE PROGRAMS, ONE AUTHOR/BOOK CLUB PANEL EVENT WAS PRODUCED WITH 225 PEOPLE ATTENDING IN-PERSON, 140 HOUSEHOLDS ATTENDING VIRTUALLY, AND ANOTHER 290 ATTENDEES VIEWING THE ON-DEMAND RECORDING THEREAFTER. FINALLY, ONE LIBRARY FUNDRAISER WAS (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)ATTENDED BY 151 GUESTS, AND ONE DONOR STEWARDSHIP LUNCHEON WAS ATTENDED BY 116 GUESTS. FURTHER PUBLIC AWARENESS PIECES ON BEHALF OF THE LIBRARY SYSTEM: 2,500 PRINTED EVENT GUIDES WERE DISTRIBUTED TO AUDIENCE MEMBERS AT THE FIVE IN-PERSON PEN PALS EVENTS AND FOUR IN-PERSON TALK OF THE STACKS EVENTS, AND 1,036 ATTENDEES ACCESSED VIRTUAL EVENT GUIDES. MORE THAN 25,984 PRINT NEWSLETTERS WERE DISTRIBUTED. 12 EMAIL COMMUNICATIONS WERE SENT TO 30,779 E-NEWS SUBSCRIBERS. SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWERS (FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, TWITTER, LINKEDIN) GREW TO 14,883 SUBSCRIBERS, AND THERE WERE 163,934 FHCL WEBSITE VISITS.

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

  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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.

  4. 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 October 13, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since August 1989.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 21, 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.