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Before Racism

EIN 85-1813260 · St Paul, MN

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood71 out of 100GovernanceFair59 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

HELPING CHILDREN THRIVE IN A RACIALLY DIVERSE WORLD.

Income
$212,586
Spending
$219,515
Spent on programs
70%
Reserves
7.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 100%
Employees
0
Volunteers
12
Highest pay
$69,000, coo

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

Good: 71 out of 100. Higher than 47% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 7.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 12% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 3% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 25% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    70% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 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: 59 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, under $250k).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    4 of 6 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.

  • 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 (3)
  1. $121,322 spent. PROVIDE HIGH-QUALITY FACILITATOR/COACHES (TRAINERS) TO DELIVER THE YOUNG HEARTS OPEN MINDS PROGRAM AT EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTERS AND DEMONSTRATE IMPACT ON THE SITES' STAFF AND TEACHING PRACTICES IN THE AREAS OF: (A) STAFF UNDERSTANDING OF HOW BIAS AND RACE BIAS DEVELOP IN VERY YOUNG CHILDREN, (B) STAFF UNDERSTANDING OF HOW TO HELP PREVENT THE DEVELOPMENT OF BIAS AND RACE BIAS IN VERY YOUNG CHILDREN, AND (C) STAFF UNDERSTANDING THEIR OWN BIASES.ACCOMPLISHMENT: SECURED 15 NEW SITES DURING 2024 - A COMBINATION OF DAYCARE CENTERS AND PRESCHOOLS.ALL OF THE SITE DIRECTORS WERE INTERVIEWED AFTER THE PROGRAM WAS IMPLEMENTED AT THEIR SITE AS TO THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROGRAM ON HELPING THEIR STAFF UNDERSTAND HOW BIAS AND RACE BIAS DEVELOP IN VERY YOUNG CHILDREN, WHAT STAFF CAN DO TO PREVENT THE DEVELOPMENT OF BIAS AND RACE BIAS AND HELPING THE STAFF UNDERSTAND THEIR OWN BIASES. THEY RATED THE EFFECTIVENESS ON A SCALE OF 1-10 (1 = NOT EFFECTIVE AND 10 = VERY EFFECTIVE). ACROSS ALL THE NEW SITES THE RATINGS WERE VERY POSITIVE WITH A RATING OF 7 OR HIGHER.THE SITE DIRECTORS WERE ALSO ASKED (IN THE SAME INTERVIEW PROCESS AS DESCRIBED ABOVE) TO RATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE FACILITATOR/COACHES IN DELIVERING THE YOUNG HEARTS OPEN MINDS PROGRAM TO TEACHERS AT THEIR PILOT SITE (ON THE SAME 1 - 10 SCALE). RATING SCORES WERE 8 OR HIGHER FOR ALL FACILITATOR/COACHES.
  2. $17,639 spent. IMPLEMENT A COMPLETE RANGE OF HIGH-QUALITY PROGRAM EVALUATION ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE YOUNG HEARTS OPEN MINDS PROGRAM.ACCOMPLISHMENT: INTERVIEWS WITH SITE DIRECTORS INCLUDED OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS FOCUSED ON THE PROGRAM'S CONTENT AND DELIVERY, WITH A FOCUS ON WHAT WORKED IN THE PROGRAM, WHAT DIDN'T WORK IN THE PROGRAM, AND HOW THE PROGRAM COULD BE IMPROVED. QUESTIONS ALSO FOCUSED ON THE IMPACT OF THE YOUNG HEARTS OPEN MINDS PROGRAM ON THE TEACHERS IN THESE SETTINGS, THEIR TEACHING PRACTICES, THE OVERALL CULTURE OF THE SITE, AND THE IMPACT ON THE CHILDREN IN THE TEACHERS' CLASSROOMS. THESE FINDINGS HAVE BEEN REVIEWED, ANALYZED AND DOCUMENTED BY JOLOSKY MARKET REASONING.ALL FACILITATOR/COACHES RECORDED THEIR OWN EXPERIENCES AND NOTES REGARDING THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH THE PILOT SITES. THESE NOTES ARE STORED AND AVAILABLE ELECTRONICALLY AND WILL BE USED IN THE REFINEMENT AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE PROGRAM MOVING FORWARD.
  3. $14,948 spent. ENSURE THE PROGRAM REPRESENTS BEST PRACTICES IN THE FIELD OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT.ACCOMPLISHMENT: THE YOUNG HEARTS OPEN MINDS PROGRAM WAS DEVELOPED BY SIX RED MARBLES, A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN FIRM THAT PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING SERVICES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROGRAM: (1) CONTENT DEVELOPMENT, (2) LEARNING EXPERIENCE DESIGN, (3) CREATIVE INPUT, (4) PRODUCTION, (5) PROJECT MANAGEMENT, AND (6) TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION INPUT. FURTHER, ALL THE WORK PRODUCED BY SIX RED MARBLES WAS REVIEWED AND REVISED BY A RANGE OF SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS HIRED BY YOUNG HEARTS OPEN MINDS - INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCED IN THE FIELD OF EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT, EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, EARLY CHILDHOOD ASSESSMENT, AND MEDIA PRODUCTION FOCUSED ON YOUNG CHILDREN. IN ADDITION, DOZENS OF RESEARCH STUDIES AND PROFESSIONAL PUBLICATIONS WERE REVIEWED AS PART OF THEPROGRAM'S DEVELOPMENT.

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? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    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 November 2020.

    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.