Mn Zej Zog
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
EMPOWERING THE HMONG COMMUNITY BY NURTURING THE HMONG LANGUAGE, HEALING THROUGH THE ARTS AND WELLNESS, AND BECOMING MORE POWERFUL THROUGH EDUCATION ACROSS THE GENERATIONS.
- Income
- $808,236
- Spending
- $1.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- 0.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 81%
- Employees
- 48
- Volunteers
- 6
- Highest pay
- $123,491, 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: 40 out of 100.
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.6 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 26% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 37% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 19% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 14 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: 80 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 256 of 6 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
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
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 (4)
- $343,016 spent. COMMUNITY: THE HMONG RPA STANDARDIZATION AND UNIFICATION PROJECT STARTED IN 2024 AND IS GEARING UP FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN 2025. A LOT OF BACKUP WORK WAS ACCOMPLISHED IN 2024 WITH ESTABLISHING A COMMUNITY ADVISORY COUNCIL TO GUIDE THE WORK. THE HMONG RPA PROJECT AIMS TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND BRING IN THE VOICES AND EXPERIENCES OF DIVERSE HMONG MINNESOTANS, INCLUDING MULTIPLE DIALECTS, TO IMPROVE, DEVELOP, AND ADOPT A UNIFIED AND STANDARDIZED LATIN ALPHABET FORM OF THE HMONG RPA WRITING SYSTEM.
- $288,158 spent. YOUTH: PROJECT RISE IS FUNDED BY A GRANT FROM THE OFFICE OF JUSTICE PREVENTION. PROJECT RISE REFLECTS MZZ'S WORK WHICH IS GROUNDED IN COMMUNITY-CONNECTEDNESS, PERSONAL AND INTERGENERATIONAL HEALING, AND NURTURING SPACES OF BELONGING AND BEING KNOWN FOR HMONG YOUTH WITHIN SPACES INTENT ON HMONG LANGUAGE AND CULTURE RECLAMATION AND SUSTAINABILITY, COMBINED WITH POSITIVE IDENTITY FORMATION FOR MEANINGFUL FUTURES. CLIMB PROGRAM - WE CURRENTLY HAVE THREE CLIMB PROGRAMS FULLY IMPLEMENTED AND IN MOTION, AND ARE FINALIZING TWO ADDITIONAL SITES TO BRING THE TOTAL TO FIVE SITES. ALTHOUGH WE RAN INTO A FEW MINOR HICCUPS ALONG THE WAY SUCH AS DISCUSSIONS WITH POTENTIAL SCHOOL PARTNERS WHICH DID NOT WORK OUT THE WAY WE THOUGHT IT WOULD, THE RELATIONSHIPS WE HAVE WITH EDUCATORS IN THE TWIN CITIES AREA, AND THE REPUTATION THAT CLIMB HAS (AS SEVERAL EDUCATORS HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED THE TRAINING AS WELL) MADE IT AN EASY PIVOT FROM ONE SCHOOL TO ANOTHER. CURRENTLY, WE ARE ON TRACK WITH PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION, NUMBER OF SITES (5) AND NUMBER OF STUDENTS SERVED. WE ARE EAGER FOR HMONG COLLEGE PREP AND PARK CENTER HIGH SCHOOL TO JOIN AS POTENTIAL PARTNERS AS BOTH OF THESE SCHOOLS HAVE A HIGH SOUTHEAST ASIAN POPULATION AND WE HAVE GREAT EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS. FURTHERMORE, WE WILL CONTINUE TO ASSESS OUR STUDENTS' PROGRESS IN THIS PROGRAM ALONG THE WAY, CHECKING FOR EFFECTIVENESS AND MAKING SHIFTS AS NEEDED TO CREATE THE BEST POSSIBLE OUTCOME FOR PARTICIPANTS.
- $189,536 spent. EDUCATION: MENTORSHIP SEEKS TO BRING OUT THE BEST OUT OF EACH TEACHER SO THEY CAN SHOW UP AUTHENTICALLY. ACTIVITY 1: CONNECT TO RECONNECT THE LOVE, INTENTION, AND DEEP PURPOSE FOR BEING AN EDUCATOR. TEACHERS WILL BE EMPOWERED TO BE OPEN-MINDED ABOUT APPLYING STUDENT CENTERED LEARNING TOOLS, KNOWLEDGE, STRATEGIES, AND SKILLS IN THEIR EDUCATIONAL PRACTICE SO STUDENTS CAN HAVE A MEANINGFUL EDUCATION. FROM MAY 2024-DECEMBER 2024 WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH ACTIVITY 1 AT 100% SUCCESS. THE MENTORSHIP KICK-OFF WAS AMAZING AND MANY FELT APPRECIATED BEING ABLE TO CONNECT AND FIND SUPPORTIVE VALUE IN EACH OTHER FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR FROM THE PROGRAM. WE HAD ABOUT A 97% ATTENDANCE RATE FOR THE KICK-OFF BECAUSE SOME INDIVIDUALS HAD PRIOR COMMITMENTS, OR THEIR APPLICATION WAS STILL IN PROCESS FOR APPROVAL. AT THE KICK-OFF WE HAD A TOTAL OF FIVE ETHNIC GROUPS THAT ARE A PART OF THIS PROGRAM, AND THEY WERE VERY EXCITED TO WORK CROSS-CULTURALLY AND LEARN FROM EACH OTHER. MUCH OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED WAS POSITIVE AND MANY TEACHERS FELT SEEN, HEARD, RESPECTED, AND SUPPORTED. ACTIVITY 2: ACTION FOCUSED OPPORTUNITIES EXAMINING EQUITY IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. TEACHERS WILL HAVE INSIGHT INTO AREAS THAT ARE NOT FAMILIAR AND EXAMINE NEW FOUND BELIEFS ABOUT THEIR POTENTIALS, SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, AND POSSIBILITIES TEACHERS WILL BUILD THEIR AUTONOMY TO QUESTION, SEEK CHANGE, AND USE THEIR VOICE IN UNFAIR SITUATIONS SO THEY CAN CULTIVATE HEALTHY WAYS OF LIVING IN THE WORKSPACE AND IN THEIR LIVES. FROM MAY 2024-DECEMBER 2024 THE TRAINING WAS OFFERED IN MULTIPLE WAYS TO ENSURE INFORMATION, COMMUNICATION, AND SUPPORT WAS EVIDENT. THE MENTORSHIP TRAINING WAS OFFERED IN PERSON, VIRTUAL, AND RECORDED IN CASE INDIVIDUALS NEEDED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT TO ACCESS THE CONTENT PRESENTED. THESE WERE SMALL GROUPS AND VERY PRODUCTIVE. THE FEEDBACK WAS VERY POSITIVE AND PEOPLE APPRECIATED THE SUPPORT IN AUTONOMY TO GAIN VALUABLE INFORMATION IN MULTIPLE WAYS. EVERY PERSON HAS THEIR OWN LEARNING STYLE AND PREFERENCES. WE CANNOT MEET THEM ALL BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY DO OUR BEST TO ENSURE 100% SUCCESS WITH THE PROCESS.
- $78,318 spent. CULTURE:TO KEEP THE LEGACY OF THE HMONG CULTURE THRIVING, MN ZEJ ZOG HAS PARTNERED WITH MULTIPLE GRANTORS TO FOSTER GREAT INNOVATIVE PROJECTS USING ARTS TO HEAL HMONG YOUTHS SUCH AS IN THE LEGACY CULTURAL HERITAGE GRANT. FURTHERMORE, MZZ ALSO PARTNERED WITH THE ASIAN CLUB AT PATRICK HENRY HIGH SCHOOL TO TAKE THEIR HMONG PLAY INTO THE MAINSTREAM STAGE TO STORYTELL AND SHARE THE BEAUTY AND STRUGGLE OF THE LANGUAGE AND CULTURE.
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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since October 2020.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 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.