Serveminnesota
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO STRENGTHEN MINNESOTA THROUGH HIGH-IMPACT SERVICE.
- Income
- $71.0 million
- Spending
- $70.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 97%
- Reserves
- 0.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 92%
- Employees
- 57
- Volunteers
- 55
- Highest pay
- $192,550, ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 51 out of 100. Higher than 29% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.2 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 37% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 0% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 3% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1597% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 16% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2525 of 25 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
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 August 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 (4)
- $33.8 million spent. SEE SCHEDULE O.READING CORPSMINNESOTA READING CORPS IS AN AMERICORPS PROGRAM WITH A SINGULAR FOCUS: ENSURING THAT EVERY MINNESOTA CHILD READS PROFICIENTLY BY THE END OF THIRD GRADE. THAT MILESTONE MATTERS BECAUSE STUDENTS WHO REACH IT ARE FOUR TIMES MORE LIKELY TO GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL, AND THOSE WHO DON'T ARE AT A LASTING DISADVANTAGE.READING CORPS PLACES TRAINED AMERICORPS MEMBERS IN K-3 CLASSROOMS TO PROVIDE INDIVIDUALIZED, EVIDENCE-BASED TUTORING TO STUDENTS WHO NEED AN EXTRA BOOST. TUTORS WORK ONE-ON-ONE AND IN SMALL GROUPS, DELIVERING INTERVENTIONS WITH THE FREQUENCY AND FIDELITY SHOWN TO DRIVE REAL RESULTS. THEY ARE COACHED BY SOME OF MINNESOTA'S TOP LITERACY EXPERTS AND HAVE ACCESS TO THE LATEST INTERVENTION RESEARCH.THAT MODEL HAS BEEN INDEPENDENTLY VALIDATED FOUR TIMES. RIGOROUS EVALUATIONS BY NORC AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO CONFIRMED THAT READING CORPS STUDENTS ACHIEVE OUTCOMES EQUAL TO OR BETTER THAN THEIR PEERS, WITH THE GREATEST GAINS AMONG STUDENTS WHO STARTED FURTHEST BEHIND. THE PROGRAM WORKS IN URBAN, SUBURBAN, AND RURAL COMMUNITIES ALIKE. STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATE ARE THREE TIMES LESS LIKELY TO BE REFERRED TO SPECIAL EDUCATION, DELIVERING A LASTING BENEFIT TO CHILDREN AND MEANINGFUL COST SAVINGS FOR SCHOOLS.READING CORPS HAS EARNED THE HIGHEST EVIDENCE RATING FROM BOTH THE EVIDENCE FOR ESSA CLEARINGHOUSE AT JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY AND THE US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S WHAT WORKS CLEARINGHOUSE. IT IS SPECIFICALLY NAMED IN MINNESOTA'S READ ACT AS AN ALIGNED, EVIDENCE-BASED INTERVENTION.IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, 98% OF K-3 STUDENTS DEMONSTRATED GROWTH. OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES, READING CORPS HAS HELPED MORE THAN 400,000 STUDENTS PROGRESS TOWARD READING PROFICIENCY. AT YEAR'S END, 99% OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS REPORTED A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THEIR SITE AND STUDENTS; TEACHERS CONSISTENTLY REPORT THAT READING CORPS HELPS REACH MORE STUDENTS AND BUILDS THEIR CONFIDENCE AS READERS.
- $24.9 million spent. SEE SCHEDULE O.AMERICORPSAMERICORPS GIVES PEOPLE THE CHANCE TO SERVE THEIR COMMUNITIES AND GAIN REAL-WORLD WORK EXPERIENCE AT THE SAME TIME. MEMBERS COMMIT TO SERVING A TERM OF THREE TO 12 MONTHS IN EXCHANGE FOR A MODEST LIVING ALLOWANCE AND AN EDUCATION AWARD THEY CAN APPLY TO STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENT OR FUTURE EDUCATION. THE AMERICORPS MOTTO "GET THINGS DONE" REFLECTS THE BREADTH OF WHAT MEMBERS DO: TUTORING AND MENTORING YOUNG PEOPLE, PROVIDING HOUSING SERVICES, CLEANING PARKS AND WATERWAYS, SUPPORTING PEOPLE IN RECOVERY FROM SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, HELPING COMMUNITIES RECOVER FROM DISASTERS, AND MORE. MEMBERS ALSO EXTEND THEIR IMPACT WELL BEYOND THEIR DIRECT SERVICE BY RECRUITING AND TRAINING LOCAL VOLUNTEERS WHO THEN SERVE THEIR COMMUNITIES. SINCE ITS LAUNCH IN 1994, SERVEMINNESOTA HAS MOBILIZED 41,000 AMERICORPS MEMBERS WHO HAVE TRAINED AND SUPPORTED MORE THAN 500,000 VOLUNTEERS.
- $7.7 million spent. SEE SCHEDULE O.MATH CORPSMINNESOTA MATH CORPS IS AN AMERICORPS PROGRAM MODELED AFTER MINNESOTA READING CORPS, DESIGNED TO HELP K-8 STUDENTS ACHIEVE MATH PROFICIENCY. MATH SKILLS ARE LINKED TO ACADEMIC SUCCESS, HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION, AND STRONG FUTURE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES. RESEARCH SHOWS THAT MATH GAPS FORMED IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WIDEN OVER TIME, MAKING EARLY INTERVENTION THROUGH MATH CORPS CRITICAL.MATH CORPS TUTORS ARE RIGOROUSLY TRAINED AND SUPPORTED BY MATH EXPERTS. THEY DELIVER EVIDENCE-BASED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES (EXPLICIT INSTRUCTION, IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK, AND VISUAL SUPPORTS) FROM THE INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION SCIENCES, BUILDING THE STRONG FOUNDATION STUDENTS NEED FOR PROGRESSIVELY MORE COMPLEX COURSEWORK. THE PROGRAM IS PROVIDED DURING THE SCHOOL DAY, FREE OF CHARGE.AN INDEPENDENT EVALUATION FUNDED BY ARNOLD VENTURES FOUND THAT MATH CORPS STUDENTS MADE SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER MATH GAINS THAN THEIR PEERS WHO DID NOT RECEIVE TUTORING. BY THE STUDY'S END, MATH CORPS STUDENTS WERE PERFORMING A SEMESTER AHEAD OF THEIR EXPECTED TRAJECTORY. MATH CORPS HAS EARNED THE HIGHEST EVIDENCE RATING FROM THE EVIDENCE FOR ESSA CLEARINGHOUSE AT JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY. ACCELERATE, A NATIONAL RESEARCH AND FUNDING ORGANIZATION, IDENTIFIED MATH CORPS AS ONE OF THE MOST EFFICIENT SOLUTIONS FOR IMPROVING MATH OUTCOMES NATIONWIDE.IN 2024-2025, MATH CORPS SERVED 8,929 STUDENTS IN GRADES K-8 STATEWIDE; ALL STUDENTS ENTERED THE PROGRAM BELOW GRADE-LEVEL PROFICIENCY IN MATH. RESULTS: 90% OF STUDENTS IMPROVED THEIR SKILLS IN MATH. ALSO, 99% OF ADMINISTRATORS AGREED MATH CORPS HAD A POSITIVE IMPACT ON STUDENTS' ACADEMIC SKILLS, CONFIDENCE, AND ENGAGEMENT.LAUNCHED IN 2008 IN A SINGLE MINNESOTA SCHOOL DISTRICT, MATH CORPS HAS GROWN TO SERVE SCHOOLS STATEWIDE AND HAS BEEN REPLICATED NATIONALLY. TO DATE, THE PROGRAM HAS HELPED MORE THAN 50,000 MINNESOTA STUDENTS STRENGTHEN THE MATH SKILLS THEY NEED TO REACH GRADE-LEVEL PROFICIENCY.
- $2.3 million spent. RECOVERY CORPS - MINNESOTA RECOVERY CORPS LAUNCHED IN 2017 TO ADDRESS THE SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER CRISIS. SUSTAINED RECOVERY DEPENDS ON MORE THAN TREATMENT; IT REQUIRES CONNECTION, PURPOSE, AND A COMMUNITY OF SUPPORT. RECOVERY CORPS HARNESSES THE POWER OF AMERICORPS TO PROVIDE ALL THAT AND MORE.RECOVERY CORPS MEMBERS ARE TRAINED PEER MENTORS WHO UNDERSTAND THE RECOVERY JOURNEY FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. THEY PROVIDE ONE-ON-ONE SUPPORT AND HELP PARTICIPANTS ACCESS A FULL RANGE OF RESOURCES, INCLUDING FAMILY SUPPORT, HOUSING, AND EMPLOYMENT. MEMBERS ARE NOT SPONSORS OR COUNSELORS; THEY ARE GUIDES WHO KNOW THE TERRAIN.AMERICORPS SERVICE IS ITSELF PART OF THE RECOVERY MODEL. BY HELPING OTHERS, MEMBERS REINFORCE THEIR OWN RECOVERY AND BUILD THE PROFESSIONAL SKILLS THEY NEED FOR FULL-TIME JOBS IN THIS GROWING FIELD. MEMBERS RECEIVE TRAINING AND TEST PREPARATION TOWARD CERTIFICATION AS PEER RECOVERY SPECIALISTS, COMPLETING THEIR TERMS WITH HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE AND A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED CREDENTIAL.IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, RECOVERY CORPS MEMBERS SUPPORTED 1,138 PEOPLE ON THEIR PATH TO SUSTAINED RECOVERY.HEADING HOME CORPS - HEADING HOME CORPS IS AN AMERICORPS PROGRAM THAT CONNECTS PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOUSING INSTABILITY TO THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO FIND AND KEEP STABLE HOUSING.TRAINED AMERICORPS MEMBERS SERVE AS RESOURCE NAVIGATORS IN SHELTERS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, WORKING ALONGSIDE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES TO IDENTIFY NEEDS, SET GOALS, AND ACCESS SUPPORT, INCLUDING HOUSING ASSISTANCE, EMPLOYMENT, HEALTH CARE, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, AND MORE. ABOUT 65% OF MEMBERS HAVE PERSONAL LIVED EXPERIENCE WITH HOUSING INSTABILITY.RESEARCH CONFIRMS THAT PERSONALIZED CASE MANAGEMENT IS AMONG THE MOST EFFECTIVE TOOLS FOR HELPING PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, HEADING HOME CORPS SERVED MORE THAN 1,500 PEOPLE.EARLY LEARNING CORPS - EARLY LEARNING CORPS IS AN AMERICORPS PROGRAM THAT BUILDS LITERACY AND MATH SKILLS IN PRESCHOOL CLASSROOMS. THE PROGRAM COMBINES EVIDENCE-BASED READING AND MATH SUPPORT TO ACCELERATE ACADEMIC READINESS FOR MINNESOTA'S YOUNGEST LEARNERS.A TRAINED AMERICORPS MEMBER IS PLACED IN EACH CLASSROOM TO SUPPORT THE TEACHER AND PROVIDE ONE-ON-ONE AND SMALL-GROUP TUTORING TO CHILDREN WHO NEED AN EXTRA BOOST. INSTRUCTION IS GROUNDED IN THE SCIENCE OF LITERACY AND NUMERACY, USING STRATEGIES VALIDATED THROUGH RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS BY NORC AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO. THE STUDIES, REPLICATED IN OTHER STATES WITH SIMILAR RESULTS, CONFIRM THAT THE PROGRAM WORKS IN RURAL, SUBURBAN, AND URBAN SETTINGS.IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, EARLY LEARNING CORPS HELPED 3,151 CHILDREN AGES 3 TO 5 BUILD THE SKILLS THEY NEED TO THRIVE IN KINDERGARTEN: 90% OF PREK STUDENTS MET THE SPRING TARGET FOR EARLY LITERACY AND LANGUAGE SKILLS, AND 87% MET THE TARGET FOR EARLY NUMERACY. SINCE LAUNCHING IN FOUR HEAD START CENTERS IN 2003, THE PROGRAM HAS EXPANDED TO 111 SITES ACROSS MINNESOTA.BRIDGE2READ - BRIDGE2READ IS A FOUNDATIONAL LITERACY CURRICULUM BASED ON RESEARCH THAT WILL HELP STUDENTS LEARN TO READ. THIS COMPREHENSIVE LITERACY SUPPORT PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO HELP TEACHERS AND SCHOOL LEADERS IMPLEMENT EVIDENCE-BASED READING INSTRUCTION IN ENTIRE CLASSROOMS. IT WAS CREATED TO BUILD ON THE PROVEN SUCCESS OF READING CORPS AND HELP BRING EFFECTIVE LITERACY INSTRUCTION TO EVEN MORE STUDENTS ACROSS MINNESOTA. THROUGH ONGOING COACHING, PARTNERSHIP, AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT INFORMED DIRECTLY BY EDUCATORS, BRIDGE2READ IS HELPING TRANSFORM LITERACY INSTRUCTION ACROSS MINNESOTA. IN 2024-2025, MORE THAN 1,000 TEACHERS USED THE PROGRAM TO SERVE MORE THAN 17,000 STUDENTS, DEMONSTRATING THE POWER OF COLLABORATION BETWEEN SCHOOLS, RESEARCHERS, FUNDERS, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS. BRIDGE2READ IS RECOGNIZED AS HIGHLY ALIGNED WITH THE READ ACT, LEGISLATION PASSED IN 2023 THAT REQUIRES SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE EVIDENCE-BASED READING INSTRUCTION FOCUSED ON FOUNDATIONAL READING SKILLS. NATIONAL REPLICATION - SERVEMINNESOTA PROVIDES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, TRAINING, AND EVALUATION TO STATES THAT ARE PLANNING OR IMPLEMENTING REPLICATIONS OF THE PROVEN MINNESOTA EARLY LEARNING CORPS, READING CORPS, MATH CORPS, OR RECOVERY CORPS MODELS. SERVEMINNESOTA OFFERS OVERSIGHT AND CONSULTATION TO ENSURE FIDELITY AT REPLICATION SITES, ALONG WITH DATA MANAGEMENT AND EVALUATION SUPPORT.PROGRAM SUPPORT - SERVEMINNESOTA PROVIDES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, TRAINING, PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT, MONITORING, AND COMPLIANCE SUPPORT TO MINNESOTA AMERICORPS PROGRAMS.TRAINING - SERVEMINNESOTA PROVIDES LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, TRAINING, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO ENHANCE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF AMERICORPS PROGRAMS, RESEARCH ACTIVITIES, AND PROGRAM EVALUATION.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 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 August 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 February 2003.
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.