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Anishinaabe Agriculture Institute

EIN 82-3639038 · Osage, MN

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak29 out of 100GovernanceFair64 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

ANISHINABE AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTE IS WORKING TO RESTORE FOODWAYS, REMATRIATE SEEDS, AND MAKE A NEW ECONOMY; ONE BASED ON LOCAL FOOD, ENERGY, AND FIBER.

Income
$475,312
Spending
$936,138
Spent on programs
72%
Reserves
0 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 90%
Employees
14
Volunteers
4
Highest pay
$64,726, former interim executive director

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

Weak: 29 out of 100. Higher than 2% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover -0.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 37% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 97% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 51% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    72% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 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

Fair: 64 out of 100. Higher than 41% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    18 of 25

    4 of 4 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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 (1)
  1. $671,522 spent. THE ANISHINAABE AGRICULTURE INSTITUTE HAS THREE FOCUS AREAS: COMMUNITY FOOD, RESEARCH, AND YOUTH EDUCATION. INDAKIINGIMIN MEANS THE VERY LAND TO WHICH WE BELONG IS WHERE WE LIVE AND WHERE THE GENERATIONS AHEAD WILL ALSO LIVE. INDAKIINGIMIN IS OUR WORK.COMMUNITY FOODS: WE PRODUCE FOODS FOR THE VILLAGE OF PINE POINT AND THE PEOPLE OF THE WHITE EARTH RESERVATION, WHILE BUILDING CAPACITY FOR THE VILLAGE AND OUR AREA TO HAVE FOOD SECURITY. OUR WORK IS PRIMARILY WITH HERITAGE CROPS OF CORN, BEANS, SQUASH, AND POTATOES, WITH EXPANSIONS INTO LAYING HENS. OUR WORK IN 2025, INCLUDES THE DEVELOPMENT OF ADEQUATE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF FOOD SECURITY INCLUDING PARTIALLY UNDERGROUND GREENHOUSES AND CAPACITY TO INCREASE OUR FIELDS AND CHICKEN PRODUCTION. RESEARCH: OUR WORK IS IN INDIGENOUS CROP VARIETALS, AND THE RESTORATION OF THESE SEEDS AND VARIETIES FOR OUR COMMUNITIES, AS WELL AS PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION FOR TRIBAL COMMMUNITIES REGIONALY AND NATIONALLY. OUR RESEARCH HAS INCLUDED CORN WHICH ADDS NITROGEN TO THE SOIL, HERITAGE POTATO VARIETIES, AND FIBER HEMP VARIETIES. OUR WORK WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA IS PRIMARIY ON FIBER HEMP VARIETIES AND VALUE ADDED PRODUCTION OPTIONS FOR TIRBAL HEMP FARMERS. AS WELL WE WORK ON SOIL HEALTH. WE ARE ABLE TO WORK IN SMALLER SCALE GARDENS AND ON LARGER CROP ACREAGE WHERE WE ARE RESTORING SOIL HEALTH AND REDEVELOPING INDIGENOUS FERTILIZERS AND CROP ROTATIONS. WE ARE SPECIALIZING ALSO IN OJIBWE PURPLE POTATOES. YOUTH PROGRAMS AND YOUNG FARMER EDUCATION: WE WORK TO TRAIN THE NEXT GENERATION OF YOUNG ANISHINAABE AND INDIGENOUS FARMERS, TO CARRY ON THE ABOE WORK, AND HAVE A SIGNIFICANT FOCUS ON HORSE THERAPY AND HORSE CULTURE. WE LIVE IN COMMUNITIES RIDDLED WITH AN OPIOID CRISIS, SYSTEMIC POVERTY, RACISM AND ONGOING ASSAULTS ON OUR FORESTS, OUR RIVERS AND OUR WILD RICE. MANY OF OUR PEOPLE SUFFER FROM INTERGENERATIONAL TRAUMA AND ONGOING TRAUMA. WE OFFER INFORMAL EQUINE THERAPY THROUGH OUR YOUTH HORSE PROGRAM TO CHANGE LIVES, HEAL, AND PROVIDE JOY TO MANY FAMILIES IN OUR TERRITORY. SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE: THROUGH ALL OF OUR WORK, WE ARE BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY FOR OUR COMMUNITY. OUR RESEARCH WORK HAS A GOAL TO RESTORE INDIGENOUS CROP VARIETIES, KNOWLEDGE, PRE- AND POST- PETROLEUM AGRICULTURE, AND, IMPORTANTLY, TO DO THIS WORK AS A LEARNING MODEL FOR OTHERS. TO CARRY OUT THIS WORK, WE'VE SUPPORTED THE INDIGENOUS FARMING CONFERENCE ANNUALLY, HOSTED FIVE INDIGENOUS HEMP CONFERENCES, HELD TWO ONLINE CLASSES OF TRIBAL HEMP 101, AND HOSTED ALMOST A HUNDRED RESEARCH INTERNS, FROM ELDERS TO STUDENTS AT COLUMBIA, WELLESLEY COLLEGE, AND OTHER UNIVERSITIES. THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS AND FARMERS WILL NEED TO LEARN FROM PEOPLE LIKE US, HERE ON THE FARM. OUR CHALLENGES ARE UNIVERSAL, AND WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE SOME GOOD STRATEGIES FOR THE FUTURE.

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

  1. 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.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Worth knowing.

    Status was revoked on May 15, 2020 for not filing returns for three years, and reinstated on July 15, 2022.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since January 2023.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.