Ely Folk School
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Building community by providing learning experiences that celebrate the wilderness heritage art history culture and craft of the people of northern Minnesota.
- Income
- $306,322
- Spending
- $277,674
- Spent on programs
- 65%
- Reserves
- 3.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 60%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 65
- Highest pay
- $44,706, 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: 78 out of 100. Higher than 53% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 8% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 9% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 15% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1565% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 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
Fair: 56 out of 100. Higher than 24% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no 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
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
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 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 (4)
- $144,081 spent. Ely Folk School classes offer intergenerational non-competitive learning for life opportunities to people of all backgrounds and abilities. Our organization holds firm to an early philosophical premise that education embrace heart mind and body. Our mission is to build community by providing learning experiences that celebrate the wilderness heritage art history culture and craft of the people of northern Minnesota. The Folk School movement is growing as is EFS with a desire to increase mutually beneficial connection between people and their places for a sense of belonging. EFS focuses most on arts programming with opportunities in ceramics; fiber arts; folk arts; humanities; metalworking; Northwoods crafting; nourishment; and music and writing all designed around EFS values of freedom intergenerational stewardship joy resilience wellness and connection. EFS fosters a culture of inclusion to serve as a welcoming and safe space for folks of all opinions beliefs cultures races gender expressions sexual orientations ages and abilities. EFS serves a broad rural community with 400 programs annually serving 1,700 students from across the state learning from 75 individual instructors. 61% of students register with an address from the Ely area and 87% of students reside in Minnesota. Students rediscover a love of learning and art and build strong relationships with others. These results are reinforced by responses to our evaluation surveys as well as by students returning to take more classes. Across our class evaluation surveys in 2025 less than 5% of students reported feeling somewhat satisfied or unsatisfied with the experience and outcomes of their class. One reported The instructor had the gift to instill confidence in our abilities during the making of the basket. She was very encouraging and she happily took as much time as we needed to demonstrate all the particular parts during the basket making process. It was a satisfying joyful feeling to make a basket. I found basket making to be a bit challenging but with the instructors encouragement she provided the resilience needed to persevere through the process. The Ely Folk School hosts classes across nine different program areas - Fiber Arts; Folk Arts; Humanities; Metalworking; Music Voice & Page; Northwoods Skills & Crafting; Nourishment; and Youth & Family. Nourishment Folk Arts and Northwoods Skills & Crafting are our biggest program areas offering classes such as Slovenian Walnut Potica Norwegian Rosemaling and Craft Your Own Wooden Paddle.
- $16,714 spent. The Ely Folk School Mercantile promotes area artists by offering a downtown store front with consignment and wholesale options. The Ely Folk School Mercantile celebrates the rich history and inspiration found in the Northwoods by uplifting local teaching artists. Artwork is displayed attractively with information about how visitors can learn to make something similar themselves through classes with the Ely Folk School. Also found in the Mercantile are tools and resources for beginning or continuing a craft journey and education. The Mercantile seeks to promote and preserve exploration of craft as an essential and accessible piece of life.
- $5,714 spent. Ely Folk School Community Events bring people together. Community Events often occur in conjunction with holidays as the culmination of a class series or in partnership with other active Ely area organizations. Our annual Thanksgiving Potluck seats over 100 people annually emphasizing the importance of sharing recognition and food in a healthy community. Our weekly Makers Morning offers coffee company and cookies as area artists bring their project to life at the Ely Folk School while receiving feedback and critique and developing new class ideas for the Ely Folk School. These events encourage well-being and connection while furthering the EFS mission of building community.
- $13,715 spent. The Ely Folk School Ceramics Studio offers monthly memberships to a full-service ceramics studio. It was created to provide the space and equipment to allow clay artists and potters of all levels to explore their creativity and work in a supportive environment. Members receive 24 7 access to the space as well as monthly Studio Manager Office Hours. Many studio members have had success starting small businesses and selling their pottery. Our local studio managers manage the firing of the kiln and cleanliness safety of the space.
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 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 November 6, 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 2025.
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 October 2015.
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 November 4, 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.