North Dakota Special Olympics Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO PROVIDE YEAR-ROUND SPORTS TRAINING AND COMPETITION IN A VARIETY OF OLYMPIC-TYPE SPORTS FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES BY GIVING THEM CONTINUING OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP PHYSICAL FITNESS, DEMONSTRATE COURAGE, EXPERIENCE JOY, AND PARTICIPATE IN A SHARING OF GIFTS, SKILLS, AND FRIENDSHIP.
- Income
- $1.4 million
- Spending
- $1.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 73%
- Reserves
- 14.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 88%
- Employees
- 15
- Volunteers
- 3,155
- Highest pay
- $162,043, 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
Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 76% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 14.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 3% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 23% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1573% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 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: 90 out of 100. Higher than 73% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2513 of 13 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
0 of 10Did not give 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)
- $569,676 spent. SOND IS A 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION INCORPORATED IN THE STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA TO ENABLE CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES TO BECOME A MORE ACCEPTED AND INTEGRAL PART OF THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH THEY RESIDE. THE PROGRAMS OFFERED BY SOND CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH PERSONS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES WILL BE PREPARED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE THROUGH ACTIVITIES THAT WILL (1) BETTER ENABLE THEM TO BE INDEPENDENT, PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF SOCIETY; (2) ASSIST THEM IN IMPROVING THEIR OVERALL HEALTH AND SAFETY THROUGH HEALTHY ATHLETE INITIATIVES AND VOLUNTEER TRAINING/EDUCATION; (3) ELIMINATE BARRIERS TO SUPPORT AND OTHER ASSISTANCE THROUGH COMMUNITY EDUCATION; (4) ENHANCE INDIVIDUAL, FAMILY AND CITIZEN PARTICIPATION AND INVOLVEMENT; AND (5) INCREASE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES TO MORE PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES. ADDITIONALLY SOND DOES NOT, NOR CANNOT, ASSESS ANY FEES TO THE PARTICIPANTS OR THEIR FAMILIES FOR THE PROGRAMS PROVIDED; THEREFORE, FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM FOUNDATIONS, BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS IS CRITICAL TO SUSTAINING PROGRAMS FOR THE PEOPLE IN ND. EDUCATION AND YOUTH LEADERSHIP IS WHAT SUPPORTS THE YEAR ROUND MISSION OF SPECIAL OLYMPICS AND IS A LARGE PART OF THE MORE THAN 3,000 VOLUNTEERS INVOLVED WITH THE PROGRAM IN A TRADITIONAL YEAR. RESOURCES PUT INTO ACTIVITIES ALLOWED DURING THE YEAR WERE A CRITICAL STRATEGY FOR CREATING ENLIGHTENED AND ACTIVATED YOUTH WHO CAN LEAD TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE WHO CAN HELP BUILD STRONGER CIVIL SOCIETIES. TARGETED TRAINING INSURED THAT VOLUNTEERS WERE PROVIDED THE RESOURCES AND DIRECTION TO PARTICIPATING IN PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR, AND CHANGING ATTITUDES TOWARDS PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES.
- $404,643 spent. COMPETITION AND TRAINING IS THE VEHICLE WIDELY USED TO PROVIDE PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES OPPORTUNITIES FOR FITNESS, INCLUSION, ACCEPTANCE AND LEADERSHIP. APPROXIMATELY, 1,907 PEOPLE IN NORTH DAKOTA PARTICIPATED IN EITHER A SANCTIONED TRAINING OR COMPETITION EVENT SPONSORED BY SOND AND SUPPORTED BY 267 VOLUNTEER COACHES. THE POWER OF SPORT SHIFTS FOCUS TO WHAT OUR PARTICIPANTS CAN DO, NOT WHAT THEY CAN'T. ATTENTION TO DISABILITIES FADES AWAY. INSTEAD, WE SEE OUR ATHLETES' TALENTS AND ABILITIES. OUR SPORTS AND COMPETITION EVENTS TRADITIONALLY BRING TOGETHER A LARGE AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY OF ATHLETES, SUPPORTERS AND FAMILIES, COACHES, VOLUNTEERS AND MANY OTHERS. AT EACH OF THESE EVENTS, THE EXPERIENCES DEMONSTRATE PURITY OF SPORTS AND REAL ATHLETIC PURSUITS ALL BASED UPON TRUE OLYMPIC IDEALS. SOND PROVIDES YEAR-ROUND TRAINING AND COMPETITION IN 11 OFFICIAL SPORTS. UNIFIED COMPETITIONS ARE OFFERED IN THE SPORTS OF BOCCE, SOCCER, VOLLEYBALL AND FLAG FOOTBALL. UNIFIED SPORTS COMBINE PEOPLE WITH AND WITHOUT INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES ON THE SAME TEAM. SPECIAL OLYMPICS NORTH DAKOTA HAS 26 UNIFIED SCHOOLS ACROSS THE STATE ENGAGING IN UNIFIED CHAMPION SCHOOL STRATEGIES.
- SOND OFFERS HEALTHY ATHLETE INITIATIVES DEDICATED TO PROVIDING HEALTH SERVICES AND EDUCATION TO SPECIAL OLYMPICS ATHLETES, AND CHANGING THE WAY HEALTH SYSTEMS INTERACT WITH PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES. THROUGH FREE HEALTH SCREENINGS, TRAINING FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS, AND EVALUATION OF THE HEALTH STATUS OF PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, HEALTHY ATHLETES HAS BECOME A POWERFUL PUBLIC HEALTH ORGANIZATION. SINCE 2003, 1,930 ATHLETES HAVE BEEN SCREENED IN OPENING EYES, SPECIAL SMILES, STRONG MINDS, AND FUN FITNESS AND HEALTH PROMOTION.
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 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 2024.
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 December 1981.
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.
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