Ecolibrium3
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
ECOLIBRIUM3'S MISSION IS TO LEAD AND INSPIRE CHANGE IN OUR COMMUNITY TOWARD AN EQUITABLE AND SUSTAINABLE FUTURE. WE WORK AT THE INTERSECTION OF ENERGY, EQUITY, AND ECONOMIC VITALITY.
- Income
- $2.8 million
- Spending
- $1.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- 1.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 82%
- Employees
- 23
- Volunteers
- 300
- Highest pay
- $157,500, ceo/cfo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 71 out of 100. Higher than 41% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.8 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 23% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 41% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 58% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 60% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 255 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 September 30, 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)
- $522,921 spent. ENERGY: IN 2025, ECOLIBRIUM3 HELPED OVER 170 HOUSEHOLDS REDUCE THEIR ENERGY COSTS THROUGH OUR ENERGY ASSESSMENT AND LOW-INCOME WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM. IN ADDITION TO UTILITY BILL CONSULTATIONS, A HOME ENERGY ANALYSIS, AND STEPS FOR INCREASING ENERGY EFFICIENCY, WE DEVELOPED AN IMPROVED AUDIT PROGRAM THAT INCLUDES AN ELECTRIFICATION ASSESSMENT, AUGMENTED WITH HEALTHY HOUSING, RAIN-READINESS, AND AGING-IN-PLACE RECOMMENDATIONS. THIS WILL IMPROVE HOUSING STOCK, ENHANCE HEALTH OUTCOMES, AND REDUCE ENERGY BURDENS. OUR COMMUNITY-OWNED, LOW-INCOME SOLAR PROJECT, THE LINCOLN PARK SOLAR GARDEN CONTINUES TO PROVIDE FUNDING TO SUPPORT A TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROJECT FOR VETERANS AND AN ENERGY FUND TO HELP LOW-INCOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS MAKE THEIR HOMES MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT. WE ALSO LAUNCHED AN ENERGY TRAINING CORPS, AN AMERICORPS PROGRAM THAT EQUIPS COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH ROBUST TRAINING AND ENERGY INDUSTRY CERTIFICATIONS TO PREPARE THEM FOR CAREERS IN THE GROWING ENERGY INDUSTRY. THIS 25+ MEMBER CREW WILL COMPLETE WORK THAT IMPROVES THE EFFICIENCY OF LOCAL HOUSING STOCK AND REDUCES UTILITY COSTS FOR RESIDENTS. ECOLIBRIUM3 ALSO PARTNERED WITH THE NATIONAL LAB OF THE ROCKIES TO EXPLORE THE TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY, LIFE-CYCLE IMPACTS, AND SOCIAL IMPACTS OF INDUSTRIAL INNOVATION IN NORTHEASTERN MINNESOTA.
- $309,115 spent. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT: ALTHOUGH ECOLIBRIUM3 WORKS AT MULTIPLE SCALES, OUR DEEPEST WORK IS CENTERED ON THE TRADITIONALLY DISADVANTAGED LINCOLN PARK NEIGHBORHOOD. ECOLIBRIUM3 SERVES AS THE LEAD COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION WORKING TO ADVANCE HEALTH, SAFETY, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND CONNECTEDNESS. IN 2025 WE COMPLETED THE RENOVATION OF THE LINCOLN PARK COMMUNITY CENTER. RENAMED THE LNPK HUB, THE REJUVENATED FACILITY SERVES AS AN EXPANDED COMMUNITY CENTER, HOSTS EVENTS AND MEETINGS, AND PROVIDES PUBLIC COMPUTER ACCESS. THE LNPK HUB HAS BEEN A HOME FOR OUR EXPANDED WELLNESS PROGRAMMING, INCLUDING WALKING WELLNESS UPLIFT, AN ELDER-CENTERED, HOLISTIC HEALTH CLASS. OVER THE SUMMER, WE TEAMED UP WITH HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE STUDENTS FOR INTERGENERATIONAL CONNECTION. SINCE THE START OF THIS PROGRAM, WE HAVE WORKED WITH 20 ELDERS AND 15 STUDENTS. THE HUB IS ALSO THE SITE FROM WHICH WE CO-LEAD THE DULUTH AGE FRIENDLY INITIATIVE TO ADVANCE A THRIVING COMMUNITY FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES. WE HAVE CONTINUED OUR SUPPORT OF THE ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION OF LINCOLN PARK THROUGH THE STRATEGIC MERGER OF ECOLIBRIUM3'S AWARD-WINNING MAIN STREET LINCOLN PARK WITH THE LINCOLN PARK BUSINESS GROUP. AND, WE COMPLETED THE RENOVATION OF A CONDEMNED HOME IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD TO EXPAND ACCESSIBLE HOUSING OPTIONS FOR OUR AMERICORPS MEMBERS. IN OCTOBER, WE ANNOUNCED THAT THE HOUSE IS NO LONGER CONDEMNED AND READY FOR AMERICORPS MEMBERS TO MOVE IN IN 2026. LASTLY, OUR ANNUAL ECOFEST CELEBRATION RESULTED IN OVER 225 VOLUNTEERS CLEANING OVER 4,000 POUNDS OF LITTER FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
- $294,700 spent. CAPACITY BUILDING: OUR AMERICORPS VISTA PROGRAM SUPPORTED 18 AMERICORPS VISTA MEMBERS WHO SERVED FOR A YEAR BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF 10 LOCAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND PUBLIC AGENCIES IN THE NORTHLAND. THE ECO3 VISTA CORPS FOCUSED ON ADDRESSING POVERTY HOLISTICALLY FROM VARIOUS ANGLES SUCH AS FOOD ACCESS AND SYSTEMS, GOVERNMENT POLICY, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, EDUCATION, PUBLIC HEALTH, CREATIVE PLACE MAKING, ENERGY SECURITY AND MORE. ECO3 VISTA MEMBERS WORKED WITH ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE DEEPLY EMBEDDED IN THE COMMUNITY TO HELP DEVELOP SOLUTIONS TO COMMUNITY CHALLENGES THROUGH LEVERAGING RESOURCES, BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS, EXPANDING REACH AND IMPROVING ORGANIZATIONAL EFFICIENCY. MEMBERS RECRUITED 516 VOLUNTEERS AND LEVERAGED $4.5 MILLION OF RESOURCES FOR THEIR AGENCIES. IN ADDITION, OVER 300 YOUTH WERE AIDED BY MEMBER PROJECTS. ECOLIBRIUM3 ALSO BUILT REGIONAL CAPACITY BY ASSISTING OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES IN PROGRAM AND RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT CENTERED ON ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT, ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION, AND INDUSTRIAL TRANSFORMATION.
- $204,634 spent. FOOD ACCESS: THE LINCOLN PARK NEIGHBORHOOD IS DULUTH'S HIGHEST PRIORITY FOOD AREA WITH HIGH LEVELS OF POVERTY, LOW VEHICLE ACCESS, AND LIMITED FOOD VARIETY PROVIDED ONLY THROUGH CONVENIENCE STORES. OUR FOOD ACCESS PROGRAMMING SEEKS TO EXPAND HEALTH EQUITY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD BY INCREASING CONSISTENT ACCESS TO FRESH, HEALTHY, AND AFFORDABLE FOOD THROUGH OUR URBAN FARM, HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAMMING, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SMALL FOOTPRINT GROCERY STORE. IN 2025, THE ECO3 URBAN FARM GREW AND HARVESTED OVER 5100 POUNDS OF FRESH PRODUCE FOR THE COMMUNITY. WE EXPANDED OUR REACH BY JOINING THE CENTRAL HILLSIDE FARMER'S MARKET, SELLING AROUND 2900 POUNDS OF FRESH PRODUCE, AND WE DONATED 1800 POUNDS OF PRODUCE TO OTHER FOOD ACCESS PROGRAMS. IN THE FALL, WE HOSTED A GLEANING DAY WITH LAKE SUPERIOR COLLEGE, AT WHICH OVER 900 POUNDS OF PRODUCE WERE HARVESTED BY STUDENTS. DURING THE 2025 SEASON, OVER 150 COMMUNITY MEMBERS VISITED OUR FARM FOR WORKSHOPS, COMMUNITY GATHERINGS, VOLUNTEERING, AND TOURS. IN ADDITION TO GROWING PRODUCE, WE HELD WHOLE FOOD COOKING CLASSES, TEACHING COMMUNITY MEMBERS HOW TO COOK AND USE A VARIETY OF SPICES, HERBS, AND CULINARY EQUIPMENT. WE WORKED WITH 22 ADULTS AND 9 TEENS TO BUILD COOKING SKILLS, MAKING HEALTHY EATING EASIER AND MORE ACCESSIBLE. WE ALSO ADVANCED ONE OF OUR BIGGEST PROJECTS TO DATE, THE DEVELOPMENT OF LNPK GROCERY, A NONPROFIT GROCERY STORE THAT WILL FILL THE FOOD ACCESS GAP IN LINCOLN PARK. CONSTRUCTION HAS STARTED, THE FLOOR PLAN IS FINAL, INVENTORY PLANNING IS UNDERWAY, AND PLANS TO OPEN IN 2026.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 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 September 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 September 2011.
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.