North Dakota Rural Electric Cooperatives Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It owes more than it owns.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
To empower communities to pursue opportunities, address challenges, and bring dreams to reality.
- Income
- $234,848
- Spending
- $269,047
- Spent on programs
- 92%
- Reserves
- -0.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 55%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 9
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: 34 out of 100. Higher than 11% of charities in its peer group (human services, under $250k).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
0 of 20It owes 164% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 15% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 88% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1592% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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
Good: 88 out of 100. Higher than 79% of charities in its peer group (human services, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 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
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
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, 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 (2)
- $203,724 spent. North Dakota Rural Electric Cooperatives Foundation (ND REC Foundation) provides training and technical assistance to sustain quality of life for rural people and businesses at no charge to the individuals or businesses. The focus of the technical assistance recently is around food access in rural communities. ND REC Foundation is a sub awardee for a USDA Regional Food Business Center 5-year grant with Region Five Development Commission. Purpose of the grant is pay for employees' time to provide direct technical assistance to small-and-mid-sized food and farm businesses by partnering with other organizations in the region to develop a statewide action plan that will be aggregated with other regional state plans to find common goals and objectives to help with local and statewide objectives. (Continued on Schedule O)The work on this grant in 2024 consisted of assisting with the creation of a statewide action plan related to local foods and providing technical assistance to individuals and organizations that were looking to apply for Business Builder grants from Region Five Development Commission. ND REC Foundation was also awarded a Local Foods Promotion Program 3-year grant from USDA Agricultural Marketing Service to assist with providing technical assistance around local food aggregation and redistribution in a region within North Dakota and how this might help to reduce costs, increase local producers marketing reach and provide rural communities more access to fresh, local foods. The work on this grant in 2024 consisted of creating and conducting surveys of local foods producers, local grocery stores, and other entities that might utilize local foods to determine interest and needs around local foods aggregation and redistribution, analyzing survey results, forming subcommittees to work the various aspects of the goal. ND REC Foundation was also awarded a grant from ND Department of Commerce to support a lineworker and electrical summer camp for high school students from around the state to help increase interest and awareness around these trades. The work on this grant in 2024 consisted of creating the itinerary, coordinating housing, transportation and meals for the students, and providing the administration of the grant.
- $45,000 spent. Collecting contributions to be used to build a new lineworker training facility that will be used jointly by NDAREC and BSC. Primarily the building will be leased by BSC to provide education to students interested in becoming lineworkers. Education and training courses will also be held by NDAREC in the facility for current lineworkers to teach new skills, providing safety training, and other relevant education and training needs.
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
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 December 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 November 2019.
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.