North Country Food Alliance
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The mission of North Country Food Alliance is to strengthen food sovereignty in the Twin Cities Metro Area. We do this through two main program areas: foodshare and gardening. Our foodshare program rescues overstock food that would otherwise go to waste at farms, grocery stores, and distribution centers, and delivers it to community food shelves and kitchens. We also purchase produce from BIPOC-run farms to share for free with community groups. Our garden program increases access to land for food production and shares fresh, healthy produce with people in the neighborhood. We also educate the public on issues of food waste and food sovereignty.
- Income
- $724,482
- Spending
- $739,682
- Spent on programs
- 88%
- Reserves
- 0.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 84%
- Employees
- 14
- Volunteers
- 1
- Highest pay
- $21,658, chair
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 62 out of 100. Higher than 22% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 5% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1588% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 91 out of 100. Higher than 82% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $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
6 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 June 30, 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)
- $3,245 spent. The outreach and education program has approximately 12,500 conversations in the Twin Cities Metro raising awareness of commercial food waste. These conversations don't just affect people's view of the world but also drive fellow community members into action. Business owners, store managers, farmers, gardeners, and other people participate with the foodshare and community garden program because of their contact with canvassers. In addition we find and start communication with local nonprofit workers that guide the focus of our work. Our other programs are informed by the outreach program. We educate our neighbors and they return in kind.
- $638,671 spent. Foodshare: We partner with businesses metro wide including but not limited to grocery stores, food coops, distributors, farmers markets, and food production facilities. We take the perishable food products such as fresh produce, meat, bread, and dairy that these businesses would ave to waste without our help. Our workers ensure rapid and safe transportation of the food to Twin Cities nonprofits every weekday. This fiscal year, we rescued 441,337lbs of rescued food from our grocery partners, 54,975lbs of food from farmers markets, and purchased $63,605 worth of food directly from local BIPOC farmers.
- $6,376 spent. Community Gardens: We plant gardens in neighborhoods with restricted access to fresh produce. These gardens give people the opportunity to learn how to grow their own healthy food and provide free produce to folks in the neighborhood. In 2021, we worked with the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority to transfer management of this community garden to the Somali American Farmers Association (SAFA). Horn Towers is home to many Somali elders, and SAFA grows East African greens and crops like millet and okra in traditional ways that include regenerative practices. We also manage a garden in North Minneapolis, which has grown to house 24 circular raised beds and 16 rectangular ones. This is the largest it's been since its founding in 2017. In spring 2022, we also started managing the community garden at Walker Church and we also cultivate a plot at the Merriam Station Community Garden in St. Paul.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 June 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 July 2015.
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.