Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Fond Du Lac Festivals Inc

EIN 39-1387857 · Fond Du Lac, WI

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceStrong91 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

DIRECT, PROMOTE, AND SUPPORT FESTIVALS AND SPECIAL EVENTS THAT SHOWCASE FOND DU LAC AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES, AND ALSO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO OTHER AREA CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS.

Income
$467,560
Spending
$455,379
Spent on programs
69%
Reserves
3.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 59%
Employees
2
Volunteers
200
Highest pay
$79,325, executive di

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 50% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 3.3 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 3% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 3% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    69% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 91 out of 100. Higher than 76% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    12 of 12 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

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 September 30, 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 (1)
  1. $312,532 spent. IN 2024, FOND DU LAC FESTIVALS HELPED RAISE OVER 270,000 IN OUR FISCAL YEAR ACROSS FOUR EVENTS BY PARTNERING WITH 44 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. THROUGH COMMUNITY EVENTS LIKE BAGS FEST, STURGEON SPECTACULAR, WALLEYE WEEKEND AND THE NEW FONDY FALLTOBERFEST FALL FESTIVAL, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONTINUE FULFILLING OUR MISSION OF CREATING AND HOSTING FREE, FAMILY- FRIENDLY FESTIVALS AND EVENTS AND ALSO GIVING BACK TO OTHER NONPROFITS IN THE AREA. IN FEBRUARY 2024, FOND DU LAC FESTIVALS HOSTED OUR PREMIER WINTER CORNHOLE TOURNAMENT KNOWN AS BAGS FEST. IT REMAINS ONE OF THE LARGEST WINTER TOURNAMENTS IN OUR REGION. A TOTAL OF 80 TEAMS PARTICIPATED ACROSS TWO DAYS (FEBRUARY 2ND & 3RD), INCREASING PARTICIPATION BY 25%. WE PARTNERED WITH A FEW NONPROFITS TO OFFER A FREE, FAMILY-FRIENDLY TOURNAMENT AS WELL AND OFFER FOOD & BEVERAGE CONCESSIONS. FOR STURGEON SPECTACULAR IN 2024, WE BROUGHT WINTER ACTIVITIES AND TRADITIONS TOGETHER IN DOWNTOWN FOND DU LAC TO OFFER ANOTHER FREE, FAMILY- FRIENDLY FESTIVAL. WE PARTNERED WITH ANOTHER NONPROFIT (THELMA SADOFF CENTER FOR THE ARTS) AND ALSO THE CITY OF FOND DU LAC AND DOWNTOWN FOND DU LAC PARTNERSHIP TO EXPAND ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT. THE FESTIVAL ACTIVITIES SPANNED THREE DAYS (FEBRUARY 9TH 11TH) WITH SNOW AND ICE DISPLAYS REMAINING FOR OVER ONE WEEK. EVENTS INCLUDED THE WISCONSIN STATE SNOW SCULPTING CHAMPIONSHIPS, AN ICE SCULPTING COMPETITION, OUTDOOR FLOOR CURLING, HORSE-DRAWN WAGON RIDES THROUGH DOWNTOWN, AS WELL AS INDOOR PROGRAMMING AND LIVE MUSIC. IN SUMMER, WE ONCE AGAIN HOSTED WALLEYE WEEKEND AN EVENT THAT SERVES AS THE LARGEST ANNUAL FUNDRAISER FOR MANY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. THROUGH THE EVENT, FOND DU LAC FESTIVALS AND PARTNERING ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RAISE ON AVERAGE 225,000 ANNUALLY FOR NEEDED PROGRAMS AND CAUSES IN THE COMMUNITY SINCE 2010. OVER 45,000 PEOPLE JOINED US FOR THREE DAYS OF FAMILY-FUN, TOURNAMENTS, LIVE MUSIC ON THREE STAGES, GREAT FOOD, AND ALL THAT TRADITIONS THAT ACCOMPANY FOND DU LACS BIGGEST FESTIVAL. ATTENDANCE WAS AFFECTED BY RAIN ON SATURDAY MORNING INTO EARLY AFTERNOON, BUT OVERALL THE EVENT WAS SUCCESSFUL WITH MANY NONPROFITS REACHING OR EXCEEDING THEIR FUNDRAISING GOALS. IN OCTOBER OF 2024, WE HOSTED OUR 2ND ANNUAL FONDY FALLTOBERFEST EVENT, WHICH IS ANOTHER FREE, FAMILY-FRIENDLY FESTIVAL THAT BRINGS FAMILY- FRIENDLY, FALL-THEMED ACTIVITIES TOGETHER WITH OKTOBERFEST AND GERMAN TRADITIONS. THE EVENT WAS HOSTED ON OVEN ISLAND AND SAW AN INCREASE IN ATTENDANCE TO 7,500 PEOPLE IN ITS 2ND YEAR. FOND DU LAC FESTIVALS OFFERED FREE EXPOSURE TO THIRTEEN TRUNK OR TREAT PARTNERS, AND OUR NONPROFIT FOOD CONCESSIONAIRE ALSO REACHED THEIR FUNDRAISING GOAL. IN 2024, FOND DU LAC FESTIVALS HELPED RAISE OVER 270,000 IN OUR FISCAL YEAR ACROSS FOUR EVENTS BY PARTNERING WITH 44 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. THROUGH COMMUNITY EVENTS LIKE BAGS FEST, STURGEON SPECTACULAR, WALLEYE WEEKEND AND THE NEW FONDY FALLTOBERFEST FALL FESTIVAL, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONTINUE FULFILLING OUR MISSION OF CREATING AND HOSTING FREE, FAMILY- FRIENDLY FESTIVALS AND EVENTS AND ALSO GIVING BACK TO OTHER NONPROFITS IN THE AREA. IN FEBRUARY 2024, FOND DU LAC FESTIVALS HOSTED OUR PREMIER WINTER CORNHOLE TOURNAMENT KNOWN AS BAGS FEST. IT REMAINS ONE OF THE LARGEST WINTER TOURNAMENTS IN OUR REGION. A TOTAL OF 80 TEAMS PARTICIPATED ACROSS TWO DAYS (FEBRUARY 2ND & 3RD), INCREASING PARTICIPATION BY 25%. WE PARTNERED WITH A FEW NONPROFITS TO OFFER A FREE, FAMILY-FRIENDLY TOURNAMENT AS WELL AND OFFER FOOD & BEVERAGE CONCESSIONS. FOR STURGEON SPECTACULAR IN 2024, WE BROUGHT WINTER ACTIVITIES AND TRADITIONS TOGETHER IN DOWNTOWN FOND DU LAC TO OFFER ANOTHER FREE, FAMILY- FRIENDLY FESTIVAL. WE PARTNERED WITH ANOTHER NONPROFIT (THELMA SADOFF CENTER FOR THE ARTS) AND ALSO THE CITY OF FOND DU LAC AND DOWNTOWN FOND DU LAC PARTNERSHIP TO EXPAND ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT. THE FESTIVAL ACTIVITIES SPANNED THREE DAYS (FEBRUARY 9TH 11TH) WITH SNOW AND ICE DISPLAYS REMAINING FOR OVER ONE WEEK. EVENTS INCLUDED THE WISCONSIN STATE SNOW SCULPTING CHAMPIONSHIPS, AN ICE SCULPTING COMPETITION, OUTDOOR FLOOR CURLING, HORSE-DRAWN WAGON RIDES THROUGH DOWNTOWN, AS WELL AS INDOOR PROGRAMMING AND LIVE MUSIC. IN SUMMER, WE ONCE AGAIN HOSTED WALLEYE WEEKEND AN EVENT THAT SERVES AS THE LARGEST ANNUAL FUNDRAISER FOR MANY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. THROUGH THE EVENT, FOND DU LAC FESTIVALS AND PARTNERING ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RAISE ON AVERAGE 225,000 ANNUALLY FOR NEEDED PROGRAMS AND CAUSES IN THE COMMUNITY SINCE 2010. OVER 45,000 PEOPLE JOINED US FOR THREE DAYS OF FAMILY-FUN, TOURNAMENTS, LIVE MUSIC ON THREE STAGES, GREAT FOOD, AND ALL THAT TRADITIONS THAT ACCOMPANY FOND DU LACS BIGGEST FESTIVAL. ATTENDANCE WAS AFFECTED BY RAIN ON SATURDAY MORNING INTO EARLY AFTERNOON, BUT OVERALL THE EVENT WAS SUCCESSFUL WITH MANY NONPROFITS REACHING OR EXCEEDING THEIR FUNDRAISING GOALS. IN OCTOBER OF 2024, WE HOSTED OUR 2ND ANNUAL FONDY FALLTOBERFEST EVENT, WHICH IS ANOTHER FREE, FAMILY-FRIENDLY FESTIVAL THAT BRINGS FAMILY- FRIENDLY, FALL-THEMED ACTIVITIES TOGETHER WITH OKTOBERFEST AND GERMAN TRADITIONS. THE EVENT WAS HOSTED ON OVEN ISLAND AND SAW AN INCREASE IN ATTENDANCE TO 7,500 PEOPLE IN ITS 2ND YEAR. FOND DU LAC FESTIVALS OFFERED FREE EXPOSURE TO THIRTEEN TRUNK OR TREAT PARTNERS, AND OUR NONPROFIT FOOD CONCESSIONAIRE ALSO REACHED THEIR FUNDRAISING GOAL.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, 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 September 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 February 2020.

    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.