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Voyageur Outward Bound School

EIN 41-0877459 · St Paul, MN

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood78 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

WE BRING YOUNG PEOPLE TOGETHER FOR GROUP LEARNING ADVENTURES IN WILDERNESS AND URBAN SETTINGS IN MINNESOTA. WE INVITE TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS TO IDENTIFY, PRACTICE AND GROW LEADERSHIP SKILLS THROUGH SHARED EXPERIENCES. WE ALSO OFFER THE OUTWARD BOUND EXPERIENCE TO ADULTS OF ALL AGES. WE KNOW THAT MORE RESILIENT AND COMPASSIONATE PEOPLE CREATE A MORE RESILIENT AND COMPASSIONATE WORLD, AND WE WANT TO HELP MAKE THAT VISION A REALITY BY EMPOWERING PEOPLE WITH LIFE AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS. WE TEACH THROUGH CHALLENGE, ADVENTURE AND NATURE. WE BELIEVE IN THE POTENTIAL OF EVERY INDIVIDUAL, AND SEEK TO INCREASE ACCESS TO OUR VALIDATED AND TIME-TESTED EXPERIENTIAL LEADERSHIP LEARNING PROGRAMS. WE INVITE INDIVIDUALS TO GO OUTWARD BOUND, AND WE PARTNER WITH SCHOOLS AND YOUTH-SERVING NONPROFITS TO CREATE CUSTOM PROGRAMS THAT ADVANCE THEIR GOALS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.

Income
$5.0 million
Spending
$5.2 million
Spent on programs
74%
Reserves
4.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 50%
Employees
114
Volunteers
30
Highest pay
$181,812, executive director

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

Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 49% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 4.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 4% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 3% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 1% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    74% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 19 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. Higher than 60% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • 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 (2)
  1. $2.2 million spent. VOBS WILDERNESS PROGRAMS OPERATE OUT OF OUR HOMEPLACE BASECAMP ON THE EDGE OF THE BOUNDARY WATERS CANOE AREA WILDERNESS (BWCAW) IN NORTHERN MINNESOTA. WE INVITE STUDENTS OF ALL AGES, BUT PRIMARILY YOUNG PEOPLE FROM 13-25, TO VENTURE INTO THE WILDERNESS FOR 4 TO 50 DAYS TO LEARN THAT THERE IS MORE IN THEM THAN THEY KNOW. THROUGH ACTIVITIES SUCH AS HIKING, CANOEING, BACKPACKING, DOGSLEDDING AND CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING, VOBS INSTRUCTORS FACILITATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO DEVELOP AND STRENGTHEN THEIR CONFIDENCE, RESILIENCE, AND COMPASSION, AND SKILLS SUCH AS TEAMWORK AND LEADERSHIP. VOBS SERVED 552 STUDENTS IN ITS HOMEPLACE WILDERNESS PROGRAMS IN 2025.
  2. $782,646 spent. VOBS TWIN CITIES CENTER DELIVERS OUTDOOR PROGRAMS PRIMARILY TO STUDENTS LIVING IN AND NEAR ST PAUL AND MINNEAPOLIS. THE PROGRAMMING USES THE SAME CURRICULUM AND ACTIVITIES, CUSTOMIZED AND ADAPTED TO BE DELIVERED THROUGH A SERIES OF DAY PROGRAMS. THESE PROGRAMS PRIMARILY SERVE MARGINALIZED AND UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS IN THE URBAN CORE AND GIVE ACCESS TO THE POWER OF THE OUTDOORS AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT TO TRADITIONALLY UNDER-RESOURCED POPULATIONS. IN ADDITION TO THIS DAY PROGRAMMING, CALLED INSIGHT, VOBS OFFERS SUMMER MULTIDAY EXPEDITIONS OUT OF OUR TWIN CITIES CENTER, PRIMARILY UTILIZING THE ST CROIX RIVER, A DESIGNATED WILD AND SCENIC RIVER, AND THE SUPERIOR HIKING TRAIL ON THE NORTH SHORE OF LAKE SUPERIOR. VOBS SERVED 587 STUDENTS IN ITS TWIN CITIES CENTER URBAN PROGRAMS IN 2025.

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 April 1965.

    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.