Friends of the St Paul Public Library
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
AS AN INDEPENDENT, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, THE FRIENDS INVESTS LOCALLY IN THE LIBRARY THROUGH FUNDRAISING, ADVOCACY, AND PROGRAMMING. OUR VISION IS A DYNAMIC LIBRARY AT THE HEART OF EVERY COMMUNITY.
- Income
- $4.4 million
- Spending
- $3.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 71%
- Reserves
- 8.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 69%
- Employees
- 16
- Volunteers
- 64
- Highest pay
- $202,299, 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: 83 out of 100.
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 8.8 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 15% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 24% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1571% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 17 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.
Independent board
25 of 2541 of 41 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 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 (3)
- $1.1 million spent. FUNDRAISING. THE FRIENDS INVESTS ANNUALLY IN OUR LIBRARY THROUGH FUNDRAISING, ADVOCACY, AND PROGRAMMING. WE ALSO FUNCTION AS THE LIBRARY'S FOUNDATION, MANAGING $18.5 MILLION IN ENDOWMENT ASSETS. IN 2025, THE FRIENDS SENT $762,000 TO SUPPORT SAINT PAUL PUBLIC LIBRARY PROGRAMS AND $342,000 IN CAPITAL GRANTS FOR BUILDING RENOVATIONS. ABOUT 25% OF FRIENDS FUNDING WENT TO SUPPORT LIBRARY PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND FAMILIES SUCH AS HOMEWORK CENTERS AND THE SUMMER READING PROGRAM. BECAUSE OF THE FRIENDS, THE LIBRARY CAN SPARK THE JOY OF READING FOR KIDS, SUPPORT STUDENTS IN THEIR ACADEMIC JOURNEYS, AND TRANSFORM CHILDREN'S AREAS WITHIN EACH LIBRARY.
- $26,790 spent. ADVOCACY. VOLUNTEER CITIZEN ADVOCATES HELP EDUCATE ELECTED OFFICIALS ABOUT LIBRARY PRIORITIES, NEEDS, AND PROGRAMS. IN 2025, FRIENDS ADVOCACY EFFORTS INFLUENCED COUNCILMEMBERS NOT TO CUT A 0.8 FTE OR THE COLLECTIONS BUDGET, AS WAS INITIALLY PROPOSED IN THE CITY OF SAINT PAUL'S 2026 LIBRARY BUDGET. STRONG COMMUNITY RESPONSE TO A CITY SURVEY ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO AN ADDITIONAL CITY INVESTMENT OF MORE THAN $4.3 MILLION TOWARD THE TRANSFORMING LIBRARIES CAPITAL PROJECTS. THE FRIENDS INVITED SUPPORTERS TO CONTACT THEIR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO ADVOCATE FOR THESE PRIORITIES, AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE RESPONDED, CONTRIBUTING TO THESE SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMES.
- $1.5 million spent. PROGRAMMING. AS MINNESOTA'S CENTER FOR THE BOOK, A LIBRARY OF CONGRESS DESIGNATION, THE FRIENDS PRESENTED 43 PROGRAMS AND EVENTS AND WELCOMED THOUSANDS OF PARTICIPANTS FROM ACROSS THE STATE. WE ACCEPTED MORE THAN 300 SUBMISSIONS TO THE BOOK AWARDS FROM MINNESOTA WRITERS. BECAUSE OF THE FRIENDS' PROGRAMMING, LIBRARIES ACROSS MINNESOTA CONNECTED THEIR COMMUNITIES WITH LOCAL AUTHORS. OUR LIBRARY STRATEGIES CONSULTING GROUP WORKED WITH 24 CLIENTS IN 12 STATES, ASSISTING LIBRARY SYSTEMS AND FOUNDATIONS WITH THEIR OWN STRATEGIC PLANNING, FUNDRAISING, AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES.
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
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 December 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 July 1960.
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.