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Laker Prep Early Childhood

EIN 85-4249341 · Detroit Lakes, MN

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak33 out of 100GovernanceFair65 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

DEDICATED TO THE CARE AND DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN 8 WEEKS TO 6 YEARS OLD. NURTURE AND INDIVIDUALIZE EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND LEARNING TO ACCOMODATE BOTH CHILD AND FAMILY NEEDS.

Income
$1.3 million
Spending
$1.3 million
Spent on programs
87%
Reserves
-0.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 86%
Employees
41
Highest pay
$56,034, asst dir/bd

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: 33 out of 100. Higher than 4% of charities in its peer group (human services, $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 112% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 4% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 5% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    87% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 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: 65 out of 100. Higher than 16% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    6 of 7 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a 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

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • 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. LAKER PREP IS BECKER COUNTY'S LARGEST NON-PROFIT BASED CHILDCARE ORGANIZATION ADVOCATING FOR AND SERVING FAMILIES WITH HIGH QUALITY PROGRAMMING FOR CHILDREN AGES BIRTH TO FIVE. DEVELOPED TO FILL A GAP IN YEAR-ROUND, ALL-DAY CARE, LAKER PREP STARTED IN 2011 SERVING 10 FAMILIES AND QUICKLY EXPANDED TO ITS CURRENT LEVEL OF 90 FAMILIES. FOCUSED ON SERVING THE HEART OF ITS COMMUNITY, LAKER PREP EMBRACES DIVERSE ACCESS TO ITS WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES. CURRENTLY, 27% OF CHILDREN AT LAKER PREP RECEIVE SUBSIDIES, AND 25% OF ENROLLED CHILDREN IDENTIFY AS NON-WHITE. FAMILIES CURRENTLY SERVED ARE IN MANUFACTURING, EDUCATION, TRADES, RETAIL, TOURISM, GOVERNMENT, MEDICAL AND HUMAN SERVICES FIELDS. STANDING FIRM IN THE BELIEF THAT "BIG SUCCESS STARTS SMALL," LAKER PREP STAFF AND LEADERSHIP ARE DEVOTED TO PROVIDING MULTIPLE AVENUES TO THE QUALITY PROGRAMMING THAT REARS THE NEXT GENERATION OF KIND, SUCCESSFUL, AND THOUGHTFUL COMMUNITY LEADERS. PARTNERSHIPS WITH EXTERNAL SERVICE PROVIDERS ENSURE THAT CHILDREN WITH ALL LEVELS OF NEED WORK TOWARDS DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES AND MOVE INTO KINDERGARTEN WITH THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO BE SUCCESSFUL. TAKING A COMPREHENSIVE VIEW OF GROWING AND STABILIZING THE CHILDCARE INDUSTRY, LAKER PREP FOCUSES ON CHILDCARE ADVOCACY AND REFORM, ENGAGING IN REGIONAL AND STATEWIDE FORUMS, TASK FORCES, AND INITIATIVES. LAKER PREP DIRECTORS ARE ALSO COMMITTED TO MENTORING AND DEVELOPING THE NEXT COHORT OF CHILDCARE PRACTITIONERS. THEY PARTNER WITH THE LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL IN CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO EARN A CHILD DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE AND CURRENT LAKER PREP STAFF ARE SUPPORTED AND INCENTIVISED TO SEEK ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS. INTEGRATING ITSELF IN THE NETWORK OF FAMILY FOCUSED COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, LAKER PREP SUPPORTS AND PROVIDES COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES, EVENTS, AND RESOURCES TO THE AREA AS A WHOLE. AS SUPPORT FOR THE ORGANIZATION INCREASES, SO TOO WILL THE OFFERINGS FOR FAMILIES AROUND THE REGION. BIG SUCCESS FOR LAKER PREP MEANS BIG SUCCESS FOR THE COMMUNITY, AND IT ALL STARTS SMALL, WITH SUPPORT FROM FUNDERS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND ALL THOSE WILLING TO INVEST IN THE FUTURE. LAKER PREP IS BECKER COUNTY'S LARGEST NON-PROFIT BASED CHILDCARE ORGANIZATION ADVOCATING FOR AND SERVING FAMILIES WITH HIGH QUALITY PROGRAMMING FOR CHILDREN AGES BIRTH TO FIVE. DEVELOPED TO FILL A GAP IN YEAR-ROUND, ALL-DAY CARE, LAKER PREP STARTED IN 2011 SERVING 10 FAMILIES AND QUICKLY EXPANDED TO ITS CURRENT LEVEL OF 90 FAMILIES. FOCUSED ON SERVING THE HEART OF ITS COMMUNITY, LAKER PREP EMBRACES DIVERSE ACCESS TO ITS WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES. CURRENTLY, 27% OF CHILDREN AT LAKER PREP RECEIVE SUBSIDIES, AND 25% OF ENROLLED CHILDREN IDENTIFY AS NON-WHITE. FAMILIES CURRENTLY SERVED ARE IN MANUFACTURING, EDUCATION, TRADES, RETAIL, TOURISM, GOVERNMENT, MEDICAL AND HUMAN SERVICES FIELDS. STANDING FIRM IN THE BELIEF THAT "BIG SUCCESS STARTS SMALL," LAKER PREP STAFF AND LEADERSHIP ARE DEVOTED TO PROVIDING MULTIPLE AVENUES TO THE QUALITY PROGRAMMING THAT REARS THE NEXT GENERATION OF KIND, SUCCESSFUL, AND THOUGHTFUL COMMUNITY LEADERS. PARTNERSHIPS WITH EXTERNAL SERVICE PROVIDERS ENSURE THAT CHILDREN WITH ALL LEVELS OF NEED WORK TOWARDS DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES AND MOVE INTO KINDERGARTEN WITH THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO BE SUCCESSFUL. TAKING A COMPREHENSIVE VIEW OF GROWING AND STABILIZING THE CHILDCARE INDUSTRY, LAKER PREP FOCUSES ON CHILDCARE ADVOCACY AND REFORM, ENGAGING IN REGIONAL AND STATEWIDE FORUMS, TASK FORCES, AND INITIATIVES. LAKER PREP DIRECTORS ARE ALSO COMMITTED TO MENTORING AND DEVELOPING THE NEXT COHORT OF CHILDCARE PRACTITIONERS. THEY PARTNER WITH THE LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL IN CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO EARN A CHILD DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE AND CURRENT LAKER PREP STAFF ARE SUPPORTED AND INCENTIVISED TO SEEK ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS. INTEGRATING ITSELF IN THE NETWORK OF FAMILY FOCUSED COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, LAKER PREP SUPPORTS AND PROVIDES COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES, EVENTS, AND RESOURCES TO THE AREA AS A WHOLE. AS SUPPORT FOR THE ORGANIZATION INCREASES, SO TOO WILL THE OFFERINGS FOR FAMILIES AROUND THE REGION. BIG SUCCESS FOR LAKER PREP MEANS BIG SUCCESS FOR THE COMMUNITY, AND IT ALL STARTS SMALL, WITH SUPPORT FROM FUNDERS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND ALL THOSE WILLING TO INVEST IN THE FUTURE.

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 April 2022.

    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.