Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Gale Force Education

EIN 84-3850123 · Saint Paul, MN

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak30 out of 100GovernanceFair55 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.
  • 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 FOSTER OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS, EDUCATORS AND THE PUBLIC TO EXPLORE A FUTURE POWERED BY RENEWABLE ENERGY THROUGH MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT, TRAINING AND STUDENT-CENTERED EVENTS.

Income
$1.3 million
Spending
$1.5 million
Spent on programs
84%
Reserves
-0.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 60%
Employees
11
Volunteers
185
Highest pay
$85,623, 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: 30 out of 100. Higher than 5% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    0 of 20

    It owes 149% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 18% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 17% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    84% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 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: 55 out of 100. Higher than 13% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    9 of 9 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no 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

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    0 of 10

    Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, 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. $1.2 million spent. GALE FORCE EDUCATION MISSION IS TO FOSTER OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS, EDUCATORS AND THE PUBLIC TO EXPLORE A FUTURE POWERED BY RENEWABLE ENERGY THROUGH MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT, TRAINING AND STUDENT-CENTERED EVENTS.2024 IS THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF KIDWIND PROGRAMMING, AS SUCH WE PLANNED A FEW EVENTS TO MARK THIS OCCASION.JAN - MARCH 2024 STARTED PLANNING THE 2024 RECHARGE ACADEMY - THE RECHARGE ACADEMY IS A ONCE-A-YEAR TEACHER TRAINING EVENT WHERE UP TO 50 TEACHERS LEARN ABOUT RENEWABLE ENERGY AND THE OPPORTUNITIES IT PROVIDES. RECHARGE WAS LOCATED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FAIRBANKS THIS YEAR IN PARTNERSHIP WITH RENEWABLE ENERGY ALASKA PROJECT. CONTINUED PLANNING THE 2024 KIDWIND WORLDS IN MINNEAPOLIS, MN. KIDWIND WORLDS IS AN INTERNATIONAL CLEAN ENERGY COMPETITION WHERE OVER 600 STUDENTS PARTICIPATE FROM ALL ACROSS THE US, MEXICO AND TAIWAN. ADDED DAVID ANDRADE AS A NEW BOARD MEMBER. EXECUTED OVER 40 REGIONAL KIDWIND CHALLENGES AROUND THE US. EXECUTED 17 EDUCATOR WORKSHOPS ACROSS THE US IN ADDITION TO TWO VIRTUAL TRAINING SESSIONS CONTINUED WORK ON THE OFFSHORE WIND CURRICULA FUNDED BY NJEDA. BEGAN PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTING AN ENTIRELY NEW WEBSITE. CONTRACTED WITH CENTRAL CREATIVITY TO STAND UP A KITTING AND SHIPPING OPERATION IN LAUREL, MS. LAUNCHED THE FIRST WIND ENERGY ART CHALLENGE FUNDED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY. LAUNCHED THE 2024 SIMULATION CHALLENGE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WHITE BOX LEARNING. AWARDED A 2 YEAR 250K BATTERY GRANT FROM DOE TO WORK ON TRAINING AND MATERIALS AROUND BATTERIES AND STORAGE. EXPLORED MERGING WITH ANOTHER NON-PROFIT IN THE CLEAN ENERGY SPACE - REPOWERING SCHOOLS APRIL - JUNE 2024 SUPPORTED OUR PARTNERS IN MANY STATES AS THEY EXECUTED IN PERSON OR REGIONAL KIDWIND CHALLENGE EVENTS. PLANNED AND EXECUTED THE 2024 KIDWIND WORLDS IN MINNESOTA AT THE ACP ANNUAL CONFERENCE HTTPS://VIMEO.COM/1035343333?FL=PL&FE=SH. OVER 90 TEAMS AND 500 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED. HELD A 20TH ANNIVERSARY PARTY FOR KIDWIND AT LEONARDO'S BASEMENT WITH MANY SPONSORS, VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF ATTENDING. PLANNED AND EXECUTED THE 2024 RECHARGE ACADEMY IN FAIRBANKS, AK. OVER 150 EDUCATORS APPLIED AND 40 WERE SELECTED TO ATTEND. FEATURED ON THIS AMERICAN LAND PBS SHOW - HTTPS://WETA.ORG/WATCH/SHOWS/AMERICAN-LAND/ROBERT-BULLARD-ENVIRONMENTAL-JUSTICE-KIDWIND-LIGHTHAWK-CAFE-ROMAIN-ZZXBIX HAD A LARGE PRESENCE AT NSTA ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN DENVER HELD A LARGE KIDWIND CHALLENGE AT THE OFFSHORE WIND CONVENTION AT IPF IN NEW ORLEANS. JULY -SEPT 2024 STARTED PLANNING FOR THE 2025 KIDWIND CHALLENGE SEASON. PLANNED FOR A SECOND YEAR OF THE WIND ENERGY ART CHALLENGE. CONTINUED WORK ON THE NJEDA OFFSHORE WIND ENERGY CURRICULA. FULLY REVAMPED WIND AND SOLAR RULE BOOKS AND THE SOLAR CHALLENGE PLANS AND DYNAMICS. LAUNCHED A KIDWIND FELLOWS PROGRAM FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS TO SUPPORT SCHOOLS ALL OVER THE US. LAUNCHED A SPARK SESSIONS MONTHLY WEBINAR SERIES LAUNCHED TINKER TIMES MONTHLY WEBINAR SERIES HIRED A NEW OPERATIONS DIRECTOR ATTENDED & PRESENTED AT THE AISES CONFERENCE IN SAN ANTONIO LAUNCHED NEW WEBSITE WITH FULL NEW BACK END 50K INVESTMENT LAUNCHED NEW SHOP AND KITTING OPERATIONS 100K INVESTMENTOCT - DECEMBER 2024 STARTED WORK ON THE DOE BATTERY GRANT BUILDING A COHORT OF TEACHERS TO WRITE LESSONS CONTINUED WORK ON THE 2025 KIDWIND SIMULATION CHALLENGE. CONTINUED PLANNING ON 2025 ONLINE AND VIRTUAL KIDWIND CHALLENGES. HELD 3 KIDWIND SPARK SESSIONS ATTENDED & PRESENTED AT THE FFA ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN INDIANAPOLIS, IN HELD A KIDWIND CHALLENGE AT IEEE CONFERENCE IN NASHVILLE, TN FIRST EVER PARTNERSHIP WITH IEEE. MASSIVE KW CHALLENGE IN TAIWAN PLANNING ON LARGE PARTNERSHIP TO BRING KIDWIND CHALLENGES TO MANY ASIAN COUNTRIES THROUGH PARTNERS AT VERNIER INTERNATIONAL. LAUNCHED A NEW KIDWIND WIND ENERGY COHORT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH UNO IN NEW ORLEANS VOTED TO APPROVE A LETTER OF INTENT TO EXPLORE A FORMAL MERGER WITH REPOWERING SCHOOLS

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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since July 2020.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.