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Department of Public Transformation

EIN 83-0770235 · Granite Falls, MN

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC TRANSFORMATION IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT DEVELOPS CREATIVE STRATEGIES FOR INCREASED COMMUNITY CONNECTION, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, AND EQUITABLE PARTICIPATION IN RURAL PLACES.

Income
$2.5 million
Spending
$1.1 million
Spent on programs
89%
Reserves
3.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 92%
Employees
12
Volunteers
25
Highest pay
$95,823, creative ex.

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: 85 out of 100. Higher than 68% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 3.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 3% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 55% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 91% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    89% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 of 11 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a 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

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited 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, 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 (5)
  1. $525,913 spent. ACTIVATE STRATEGY AREA IS TO ACTIVATE RURAL COMMUNITY ASSETS. THE YES HOUSE IS A MULTI-USE COMMUNITY SOCIAL AND CREATIVE GATHERING SPACE CURRENTLY UNDER RENOVATION THROUGH AN ARTIST-LED COMMUNITY DESIGN AND BUILD PROCESS. THE ORGANIZATION HOSTED AND/OR COLLABORATED ON OVER 80 EVENTS, PERFORMANCES, WORKSHOPS, AND GATHERINGS. CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS CONTINUED THROUGHOUT 2025. THE YES HOUSE ALSO HOSTED THE RIVER VALLEY RIPPLE ARTIST RESIDENCY, FOCUSED ON UPLIFTING AND SUPPORTING RURAL ARTISTS WITH TIME, SPACE, AND RESOURCES TO FURTHER DEVELOP AND/OR EXPAND THEIR ARTISTIC PRACTICE. ACTIVATE RURAL USES A COHORT-BASED LEARNING LAB TO CULTIVATE AND INCREASE WELCOMING PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE IN RURAL COMMUNITIES USING AN ARTIST-LED ASSET ACTIVATION FRAMEWORK. FIVE BUILDING ACTIVATION PROJECTS IN MINNESOTA COMMUNITIES WITH A POPULATION UNDER 10,000 WERE SELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE INAUGURAL 2023-2025 PROGRAM CYCLE. ACTIVATE RURAL ALSO LAUNCHED A SERIES OF PUBLIC WORKSHOPS AND COACHING SESSIONS TO SUPPORT CREATIVE ENTREPRENEURS AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS IN MINNESOTA AND BEYOND. THE ACTIVATE RURAL PUBLIC WORKSHOP SERIES SERVED OVER 1,000 UNIQUE BUSINESSES OR ENTREPRENEURS DURING 2025. ACTIVATE STRATEGY AREA IS TO ACTIVATE RURAL COMMUNITY ASSETS. THE YES HOUSE IS A MULTI-USE COMMUNITY SOCIAL AND CREATIVE GATHERING SPACE CURRENTLY UNDER RENOVATION THROUGH AN ARTIST-LED COMMUNITY DESIGN AND BUILD PROCESS. THE ORGANIZATION HOSTED AND/OR COLLABORATED ON OVER 80 EVENTS, PERFORMANCES, WORKSHOPS, AND GATHERINGS. CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS CONTINUED THROUGHOUT 2025. THE YES HOUSE ALSO HOSTED THE RIVER VALLEY RIPPLE ARTIST RESIDENCY, FOCUSED ON UPLIFTING AND SUPPORTING RURAL ARTISTS WITH TIME, SPACE, AND RESOURCES TO FURTHER DEVELOP AND/OR EXPAND THEIR ARTISTIC PRACTICE. ACTIVATE RURAL USES A COHORT-BASED LEARNING LAB TO CULTIVATE AND INCREASE WELCOMING PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE IN RURAL COMMUNITIES USING AN ARTIST-LED ASSET ACTIVATION FRAMEWORK. FIVE BUILDING ACTIVATION PROJECTS IN MINNESOTA COMMUNITIES WITH A POPULATION UNDER 10,000 WERE SELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE INAUGURAL 2023-2025 PROGRAM CYCLE. ACTIVATE RURAL ALSO LAUNCHED A SERIES OF PUBLIC WORKSHOPS AND COACHING SESSIONS TO SUPPORT CREATIVE ENTREPRENEURS AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS IN MINNESOTA AND BEYOND. THE ACTIVATE RURAL PUBLIC WORKSHOP SERIES SERVED OVER 1,000 UNIQUE BUSINESSES OR ENTREPRENEURS DURING 2025.
  2. $260,274 spent. SUPPORT STRATEGY AREA IS TO SUPPORT RURAL ARTS AND CULTURAL WORKERS. IGNITE RURAL SUPPORTS RURAL ARTISTS AND CULTURE BEARERS TO IMPLEMENT CREATIVE PROJECTS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. THE 2025 IGNITE RURAL ARTIST COHORT SUPPORTED SIX ARTISTS AND CULTURE BEARERS BASED IN RURAL COMMUNITIES WITH A POPULATION OF 20,000 OR LESS WITHIN THE BORDERS OF MINNESOTA, NORTH DAKOTA, SOUTH DAKOTA, AND THE 23 NATIVE NATIONS THAT SHARE THE SAME GEOGRAPHY. FISCAL SPONSORSHIP SUPPORTS SMALL, START-UP ARTS GROUPS AND PROJECTS WORKING IN OR WITH RURAL COMMUNITIES THAT DO NOT WANT (OR ARE NOT READY) TO BECOME TAX-EXEMPT NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. DOPT MANAGED 63,269 IN FISCAL SPONSORSHIP FUNDS DURING 2025.
  3. $124,758 spent. NURTURE STRATEGY AREA IS TO NURTURE THE RURAL ARTS AND CULTURE FIELD. BEYOND THE CLOCK IS A SERIES OF VIRTUAL LEARNING EXCHANGES CONNECTING AND LIFTING UP RURAL ARTISTS, CULTURE WORKERS, AND CONNECTORS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. DOPT HOSTED 9 VIRTUAL EVENTS AND 2 IN-PERSON EVENTS AS PART OF BEYOND THE CLOCK THROUGHOUT 2025, ENGAGING OVER 180 ATTENDEES. DOPT ENGAGED IN MENTORSHIP, COACHING, AND KEYNOTE/BREAKOUT PRESENTATIONS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. DOPT ALSO FACILITATED AND/OR PARTICIPATED IN VARIOUS PARTNERSHIPS, COHORTS, PROGRAM DESIGN SESSIONS, ROUND TABLES, EXCHANGES, COALITIONS, AND COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE.
  4. $73,352 spent. CONNECT STRATEGY AREA IS TO CONNECT RURAL MUNICIPALITIES, ORGANIZATIONS, ARTISTS, AND SYSTEMS. ENGAGE RURAL IS A DYNAMIC PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES RESOURCES, GUIDANCE, AND CONNECTION FOR RURAL COMMUNITY LEADERS AS THEY DEVELOP CREATIVE STRATEGIES FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. SUCH STRATEGIES CAN BREAK DOWN BARRIERS TO CIVIC PARTICIPATION AND STRENGTHEN LOCAL LEADERSHIP. DURING 2025, DOPT DOCUMENTED, EXPANED, AND UPDATED THE PROGRAM WITH AN EYE TOWARD SUSTAINABILITY AND APPROACHABILITY. THROUGH THE DISCOVER, CONNECT, AND DESIGN TRACKS, ENGAGE RURAL IS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT COMMUNITIES WITH A POPULATION OF 20,000 OR LESS, OFFERING SERVICES THAT WILL BENEFIT PARTICIPANTS AT VARIOUS STAGES IN THEIR ARTS-BASED CIVIC ENGAGEMENT JOURNEY.
  5. CONNECT STRATEGY AREA IS TO CONNECT RURAL MUNICIPALITIES, ORGANIZATIONS, ARTISTS, AND SYSTEMS. ENGAGE RURAL IS A DYNAMIC PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES RESOURCES, GUIDANCE, AND CONNECTION FOR RURAL COMMUNITY LEADERS AS THEY DEVELOP CREATIVE STRATEGIES FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. SUCH STRATEGIES CAN BREAK DOWN BARRIERS TO CIVIC PARTICIPATION AND STRENGTHEN LOCAL LEADERSHIP. DURING 2025, DOPT DOCUMENTED, EXPANED, AND UPDATED THE PROGRAM WITH AN EYE TOWARD SUSTAINABILITY AND APPROACHABILITY. THROUGH THE DISCOVER, CONNECT, AND DESIGN TRACKS, ENGAGE RURAL IS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT COMMUNITIES WITH A POPULATION OF 20,000 OR LESS, OFFERING SERVICES THAT WILL BENEFIT PARTICIPANTS AT VARIOUS STAGES IN THEIR ARTS-BASED CIVIC ENGAGEMENT JOURNEY.

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

  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? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 2025.

    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 June 2018.

    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 October 21, 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.