Normandale Community College Foundation Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Our goal at Normandale is to make a college education achievable for all students. The Normandale Community College Foundation provides financial support for students, programs, and services to help this become a reality.
- Income
- $5.8 million
- Spending
- $2.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 75%
- Reserves
- 10.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 91%
- Employees
- 5
- Volunteers
- 50
- Highest pay
- $146,404, executive director
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
Strong: 93 out of 100.
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 10.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 62% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 180% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1574% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 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 2518 of 18 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 (3)
- $849,758 spent. College Improvements and Program Support: At Normandale Community College, innovation begins where need is greatest. The Foundation plays a catalytic role---responding quickly to barriers that prevent students from succeeding, and piloting programs until the College can assume them long term. We act as the bridge between what students need now and what systems will eventually sustain. In FY2025, Foundation-led initiatives reached hundreds of students and families:Academy of Math and Science - A cohort-based STEM program designed to increase the representation of students of color in high-demand science and math fields. Students receive mentoring, community, and targeted academic support that translate to higher retention and transfer rates.Random Acts of Kindness Emergency Grants - Rapid, no-red-tape assistance that helps students weather crises like eviction, illness, or loss of transportation. Many say it's the single reason they remained in school.Campus Cupboard - A dignified, full-service grocery store where students can access fresh produce, dairy, frozen meals, and culturally specific foods. The program grows by 30% annually and is vital for students balancing rent, childcare, and food costs.Laptops for Lions - Free laptops and digital literacy support distributed through the Student Success Center. Providing access to technology reduces the Black-White achievement gap by one-third, illustrating how targeted resources create structural equity.Sirtify Teacher Pathway Program - A transformative partnership preparing Black men to become licensed K-12 teachers. Participants receive tuition, living stipends, books, fees, and professional development. The Foundation is sustaining program staff for three years until institutional funding is secured.Academic Travel Scholarships - Grants of $500-$1,000 enabling students---many first-generation or low-income---to experience academic travel opportunities that expand worldview and confidence.These programs embody our belief that access alone is not enough; students need safety, stability, and opportunity. From food and housing to digital access and global experience, each initiative is an investment in dignity and success.
- $719,607 spent. Scholarship Program: At the heart of the Normandale Community College Foundation is a simple belief: when you remove financial barriers, talent rises. In FY2025, the Foundation awarded $725,928 in direct student aid through 828 individual scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $3,000. Each award represents one student's turning point---an early-childhood educator able to finish her practicum, a dental-hygiene student affording required equipment, a parent able to reduce work hours and focus on coursework. Most Normandale students are working adults, many balancing parenting, elder care, and multiple jobs. A modest scholarship can literally determine whether a student persists or pauses their education. Our recipients frequently write to say that scholarship support gave them "the chance to breathe," "the courage to keep going, and "the belief that someone saw potential in me." The program advances the College's strategic goal to eliminate all race-based gaps in opportunity and achievement by 2030. More than half of Normandale students identify as racially diverse, and most are first-generation. Our scholarship portfolio is designed to meet students where they are---funding both individual awards and community-scale initiatives such as the campus free grocery store, free laptop program, and emergency aid fund. We are building not just access but equity. Each scholarship strengthens Minnesota's workforce, fuels local economic mobility, and affirms the dignity of students who have long been underrepresented in higher education. Every donor partnership is a story of belief. Together, we are rewriting what community college success looks like---and proving that when investment meets potential, the return is extraordinary.
- $69,476 spent. Japanese Garden: The Normandale Japanese Garden is both a sanctuary and a symbol---a living testament to peace, cross-cultural understanding, and the quiet strength of nature's design. Created in 1976 by Kyoto landscape architect Takao Watanabe, the Garden was envisioned as a place where people of all backgrounds could reflect, restore, and connect. Nearly fifty years later, it continues to serve as a tranquil oasis for students, faculty, and the surrounding community---welcoming more than 10,000 visitors each year. Home to over 300 varieties of plants and trees and more than 35 authentic Japanese koi, the Garden's design honors traditional Japanese principles of harmony and simplicity while embracing the natural rhythms of Minnesota's seasons. It also stands as a memorial to Japanese-American veterans, whose legacy of service and perseverance is reflected in the Garden's enduring calm and beauty. Today, the Foundation works to preserve this cultural and ecological landmark as a space for reflection, education, and healing. The Garden serves as an outdoor classroom for courses in art, biology, and intercultural studies; a site for community gatherings and ceremonies; and a living symbol of the global connections that define Normandale's mission. To walk its paths is to experience a bridge between continents, generations, and ideals---a place where education and tranquility meet.
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 April 1977.
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.