Dakota Wicohan
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
PRESERVING DAKOTA AS A LIVING LANGUAGE AND THROUGH IT TRANSMIT DAKOTA LIFE WAYS TO FUTURE GENERATIONS
- Income
- $778,897
- Spending
- $881,038
- Spent on programs
- 68%
- Reserves
- 1.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 79%
- Employees
- 7
- Volunteers
- 25
- Highest pay
- $75,780, executive director (thru 12/6/24)
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
Fair: 64 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 9% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 13% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 10% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1568% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 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 94% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 254 of 5 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, 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 (3)
- $440,369 spent. YOUTH PROGRAMS - TO DEVELOP AND SUPPORT EMERGING LEADERSHIP THAT LEADS WITH WO'DAKOTA. YOUTH ARE PROVIDED WITH A PROVEN AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM THAT HELPS REVITALIZE THEIR TRADITIONAL CULTURE WHILE ALSO TEACHING A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF LIFE SKILLS. YOUTHS PARTICIPATE IN LEADERSHIP BUILDING ACTIVITIES, SUICIDE PREVENTION EFFORTS, LANGUAGE CLASSES, FINANCIAL LITERACY CLASSES, TAKE CARE OF AND LEARN TO RIDES HORSES, LEARN TO SING TRADITIONAL DAKOTA SONGS, POST-SECONDARY COUNSELING AND ALSO LEAD A NATIVE AMERICAN 4H GROUP. OUR YOUTH ARE THE FUTURE LEADERS OF THE DAKOTA COMMUNITY AND IT IS CRITICAL THAT THEY BE MENTORED AND DEVELOPED WITH A FOUNDATION OF TRADITIONAL DAKOTA VALUES.
- $145,137 spent. LIFEWAY PROGRAMS - TO SUPPORT AND INSPIRE A NEW GENERATION OF DAKOTA ARTISTS. THE TAWOKAGA PROGRAM GIVES EMERGING AND MASTER ARTISTS OPPORTUNITIES TO EITHER DEVELOP OR TEACH THEIR RESPECTIVE ART SKILL. THIS INCLUDES BEADING, BRAIN TANNING, HORSE REGALIA AND QUILLING. THIS IN TURN INCREASES APPRECIATION OF DAKOTA ARTS IN THE COMMUNITY AND INSPIRES NEW ARTISTS TO GET INVOLVED. ARTS HAVE LONG BEEN A PART OF TRADITIONAL DAKOTA CULTURE AND THESE ART MAKING PRACTICES HAVE BEEN PASSED DOWN MANY GENERATIONS. DAKOTA WICOHAN CONTINUES THIS TRADITION WITH OPTIMISM.
- $12,095 spent. CURRICULUM PROJECT - DAKOTA HOMELANDS CURRICULUM PROJECT-THIS PROJECT MAKES AVAILABLE TO SCHOOLS AROUND THE REGION A HIGH-QUALITY TEN-LESSON CURRICULUM THAT INTRODUCES DAKOTA ENVIRONMENTAL TEACHINGS AND APPLIES THESE TEACHINGS TO MINNESOTA HISTORY. THROUGH THIS EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE, STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT AND INTEGRATE DAKOTA VALUES OF CARING FOR THE LAND AS A RELATIVE. TEACHERS ARE SUPPORTED THROUGH SPECIALIZED TRAINING TO APPROPRIATELY IMPLEMENT THE CURRICULUM. THE CURRICULUM IS ACCESSIBLE ONLINE WHERE PROJECT STAFF CAN MAKE UPDATES AND ADDITIONS AS MORE CLASSROOMS INTEGRATE THE CURRICULUM INTO THEIR 6TH GRADE CLASSROOMS.
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
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.
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.
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.
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 October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since May 2003.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 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.