Market Entry Fund
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MARKET ENTRY (TMEF) AIMS TO ADVANCE INCLUSION IN LOCAL FOOD SUPPLY CHAINS. OUR MISSION IS TO ENABLE TRADITIONALLY MARGINALIZED AND UNDERREPRESENTED ENTREPRENEURS WHO ARE IN FOOD PRODUCTION AND MANUFACTURING, TO PARTICIPATE EQUITABLY IN THIS INDUSTRY. SPECIFICALLY, TMEF PROVIDES TECHNICAL SUPPORTS AND SERVICES, ALONG WITH MICRO-GRANTS, AND PUBLIC EDUCATION/AWARENESS TO HELP SMALL-SCALE FOOD AND BEVERAGE MANUFACTURERS WORK THROUGH RACIAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC BARRIERS TO THEIR PARTICIPATION AND POTENTIAL IN THIS INDUSTRY.
- Income
- $85,669
- Spending
- $214,907
- Spent on programs
- 94%
- Reserves
- 14.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 92%
- Employees
- 1
- Volunteers
- 8
- Highest pay
- $30,000, president & ceo
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: 70 out of 100.
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 14.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 151% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 82% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1594% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 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
Good: 82 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 255 of 5 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a 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
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
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 (3)
- $202,835 spent. 1. MICRO GRANTS PROGRAM, PROVIDED MODEST FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO SMALL FOOD MANUFACTURING BUSINESSES STARTED BY OR OWNED BY UNDER-REPRESENTED AND/OR UNDER-RESOURCED POPULATIONS, SUCH WOMEN, RURAL, AND/OR PEOPLE OF COLOR - OWNED MICRO-ENTERPRISES. ACTIVITIES AND IMPACT INCLUDED: APPX. EIGHT (8) DECISION MEETINGS HELD TOTALING OVER 30 HOURS AND COUNTLESS MEETINGS AND HOURS FOR PLANNING; 65+ SMALL BUSINESSES SERVED, AND 19 MONETARY GRANTS AWARDED, TOTALING $95,000 (OR $5,000/EACH), AND REACHING AT LEAST 10-13 CITIES ACROSS MN, INCLUDING RURAL AND URBAN LOCATIONS AND VARIOUS COMMUNITIES.
- 3. COMMUNITY RETAIL SUPPORT AND 100K ACCELERATOR- FOCUSED ON TRAINING AND LEARNING HOW TO ENTER MARKETS WITH FOOD PRODUCTS FOR THE SAME TARGET POPULATION. SERVED 12 BUSINESSES AND THEIR PACKAGED FOOD PRODUCTS ENTER THE MARKET FOR THE FIRST TIME THROUGH A COMMUNITY RETAIL MODEL - WHICH PROVIDES A SUPPORTIVE RETAIL TRAINING (INCUBATOR) ENVIRONMENT FOR SMALL FOOD MAKERS TO LEARN AND GROW. ALSO SUPPORTED AN ADDITIONAL 40 LOCAL MAKERS THROUGH COMMUNITY RETAIL VIA CONNECTIONS TO OTHER NONPROFITS AND FOOD MARKET TRADESHOWS.
- 3. COMMUNITY RETAIL SUPPORT AND 100K ACCELERATOR- FOCUSED ON TRAINING AND LEARNING HOW TO ENTER MARKETS WITH FOOD PRODUCTS - GOING BEYOND THE FARMER'S MARKETS. SERVED 12 BUSINESSES AND THEIR PACKAGED FOOD PRODUCTS ENTERED THE MARKET THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY RETAIL MODEL - WHICH PROVIDES A SUPPORTIVE RETAIL TRAINING (INCUBATOR) ENVIRONMENT FOR SMALL FOOD MAKERS TO LEARN AND GROW. SUPPORTED AN ADDITIONAL 50 LOCAL MAKERS THROUGH COMMUNITY RETAIL - IN WHICH RETAIL SUPPORT RESULTED IN HIGHER PRICES FOR THE MAKER; AND ENTRY INTO MORE GROCERY STORE SHELVES AND DISTRIBUTION TO OTHER MULTIPLE STATES.
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 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 2025.
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 April 2023.
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.