Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation Inc

EIN 41-1429402 · Duluth, MN

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood87 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

WE UNITE PEOPLE AND RESOURCES, DRIVING BOLD ACTION TO CREATE LASTING IMPACT FOR A BRIGHTER TOMORROW.

Income
$6.4 million
Spending
$7.1 million
Spent on programs
89%
Reserves
48.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
investment income, 63%
Employees
14
Volunteers
240
Highest pay
$210,833, president/ceo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 87 out of 100. Higher than 61% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 48.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 7% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 10% of income.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    89% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 13 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    14 of 14 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, 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 (2)
  1. $6.0 million spent. IN 2024, THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION AWARDED $4,597,558 IN GRANTS AND $819,906 IN SCHOLARSHIPS. TOTAL GRANTS AWARDED (INCLUDING INTERFUND GRANTS) FOR ALL PROGRAM AREAS WAS $5,417,464 COMPRISED OF: 27% UNRESTRICTED FUNDS, 19% DESIGNATED, 18% FIELD OF INTEREST, 5% ORGANIZATIONAL ENDOWMENTS, 15% SCHOLARSHIPS AND 16% DONOR ADVISED. THE LARGEST PROGRAM AREA SUPPORTED WAS HUMAN SERVICES WITH 38% OF GRANT FUNDS, FOLLOWED BY, 20% COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT , 15% EDUCATION, 13% IN SCHOLARSHIPS, 10% IN ENVIRONMENT, AND 4% IN ARTS. IN 2024, THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION AWARDED $392,015 SCHOLARSHIPS FROM ENDOWED FUNDS AND $41,000 FROM 4 TEMPORARY SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS THAT THE FOUNDATION PROVIDES SCHOLARSHIP SERVICES. IN ADDITION, THE FOUNDATION PROVIDED ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES FOR TWO AFFILIATED SCHOLARSHIPS TOTALING $244,833 WHERE ALL OF THE FUNDS ARE HELD BY A LOCAL BANK.
  2. $264,149 spent. IN 2024, AS PART OF ONGOING STRATEGIC PLANNING EFFORTS, BOREAL WATERS MADE SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS TO GRANTMAKING DESIGNED TO BETTER ALIGN RESOURCES WITH THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITIES SERVED. THIS INVOLVED RESTRUCTURING COMMITTEES TO INCLUDE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE IN THE AREAS WHERE FUNDS ARE DIRECTED (E.G., CHILDHOOD POVERTY, MISSING A SENSE OF BELONGING, ETC.). THE FOCUS AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY, RESILIENCE, BELONGING AND TRANSFORMATION WERE BETTER DEFINED THROUGH COMMUNITY FEEDBACK AND RESEARCH TO ENSURE EFFORTS ARE IMPACTFUL AND SUSTAINABLE. THE SECOND REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS WAS ALSO MADE MORE ACCESSIBLE BY CREATING A LETTER OF INTENT PROCESS, WHICH ALLOWED FOR US TO GET BACK TO ORGANIZATIONS FASTER. THESE CHANGES ARE PART OF THE BROADER STRATEGY TO ENHANCE THE EFFECTIVENESS AND REACH OF BOREAL WATER'S GRANTMAKING, ENSURING THAT NOT ONLY NEEDS ARE MET, BUT EFFORTS FOCUS ON MEANINGFUL, LASTING IMPROVEMENTS.BOREAL WATERS CONTINUED TO BE RESPONSIVE TO COMMUNITY NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES. LEADERSHIP INITIATIVES WERE DEVELOPED WITH COLLABORATING ORGANIZATIONS, SUCH AS NONPROFITS AT NOON, BE ON BOARD, AND OTHER PROGRAMS TO HELP NONPROFITS BUILD SKILLS AND PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP SOUGHT TO FILL A GAP FOR LOCAL NONPROFITS IN RECRUITING VOLUNTEERS TO SERVE AS TRUSTEES. COMMUNITY IMPACT PROGRAMMING IS IN ADDITION TO BOREAL WATERS ON-GOING GRANT AND SCHOLARSHIP ACTIVITY.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 December 2024.

    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 September 1982.

    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.