Maji Ya Chai Land Sanctuary
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
We provide a land-based place for people of all ages, especially those from black, indigenous & communities of color, to gather, rest, heal & build community for collective thriving.
- Income
- $238,863
- Spending
- $321,101
- Spent on programs
- 56%
- Reserves
- 4.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 1
- Volunteers
- 65
- Highest pay
- $93,250, executive dir.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 48 out of 100. Higher than 29% of charities in its peer group (mental health, under $250k).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 34% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 46% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1556% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 13 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 80 out of 100. Higher than 68% of charities in its peer group (mental health, under $250k).
Independent board
18 of 253 of 3 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
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
0 of 10Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 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 (1)
- $179,187 spent. This was our third full fiscal year with the physical site, a 40-acre farmstead located ten minutes west of Two Harbors, MN & Gichigaming (Lake Superior). During this year we continued learning about the land, how to steward the land & what that entails. Much of our spending went into costs related to the operations & upkeep of the land & buildings currently on it. We raised our first community space, a 26-foot Mongolian yurt, on the land this year & began hosing gatherings there. Activities from this year included a volunteer day in May when 30 students from North High in Minneapolis visited the land & helped with indoor & outdoor tasks; significant tree work done with volunteers in June to remove dead trees & brush from the north side of the farmhouse; a community yurt blessing in July 2025; A BioBlitz was held on the land in August, the first event of the new HEALL HUB partnership: The HEALL Hub brings together eight partner organizations to create transformative nature-based learning experiences for Black, Indigenous & communities of color on Minnesota's North Shore. Hosted at Maji ya Chai Land Sanctuarythe region's only BIPOC-centered nature retreatthis innovative collaboration addresses a critical gap: the lack of safe, accessible & culturally affirming outdoor educational spaces for BIPOC communities in Northern Minnesota. Through partnerships with Urban Bird Collective, BIPOC Outdoors Twin Ports, BIPOC Outdoors Twin Cities, Bell Museum, University of Minnesota Extension, Starry Skies North, AIM Tanzania & renowned nature photographer & educator Dudley Edmondson, the HEALL Hub delivers year-round programming in birding, astronomy, natural sciences & environmental leadershipcentering BIPOC voices, honoring ancestral knowledge & building pathways to conservation careers. We hosted ongoing planned & impromptu volunteer work days in the fall.Land improvement/upgrades & development work included: A major flood in May lead to the installation of new furnace, water heater & sump pump in the basement, as well as a full basement cleaning & disinfecting; Upgraded & expanded electricity to the farmhouse & in the meadow; Installation of new doors to the farmhouse & garage; construction of a six foot cedar privacy fence along the road began in late September (& was completed in early November). Our Executive Director & her Spouse moved to the land as full time caretakers in August 2025. This was a necessary & welcome move as it was clear to us that full time caretakers are essential for the proper upkeep, maintenance & stewardship of the land.We continued our highly popular partnership with watershed spa in Minneapolis - offered monthly BIPOC-only bathing sessions.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 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 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 September 2025.
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 December 2022.
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.