Mississippi Park Connection
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The mission of the Mississippi Park Connection (MPC) is to strengthen the enduring connection between people and the Mississippi River by enriching the life of the river and the lives of all who experience the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (The National Park). MPC is a 501(c)(3) organization. Mississippi River Paddle Share, LLC, is wholly owned by MPC. MPC engages private citizens, public and private foundations, and industry sources to support the activities of the National Park Service and its partners to enhance the National Park and Mississippi River by: Raising funds to support the National Park's programs. Increasing awareness of the National Park and the Mississippi River. Providing community connection, expertise, and inspiration for the National Park.
- Income
- $1.8 million
- Spending
- $1.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 78%
- Reserves
- 39.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 66%
- Employees
- 18
- Volunteers
- 1,293
- Highest pay
- $138,385, executive director
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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 86% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 39.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 3% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 25% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 15% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1578% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 60% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2512 of 12 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.
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 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 (6)
- $324,750 spent. Community Programs and Engagement:MPC's community programs and engagement nurture deep relationships with communities and co-created programs to develop affinities between people and the Mississippi River. MPC collaborates with the National Park Service to coordinate and promote community engagement events year-round, providing accessible and positive experiences at the park for the public. In FY2025, Mississippi Park Connection expanded its community programming and engagement to connect with broader and more diverse audiences in meaningful river-based experiences. The organization advanced several new and existing initiatives, including planning for Float Fest 2025, a large-scale, river-centered celebration designed to reshape public perception of the Mississippi River and encourage recreational use. Additional programs such as Winter Day of Play and the Wild and Scenic Film Festival fostered seasonal engagement and community connection. MPC also prioritized community-based programming, including a Juneteenth paddle and partnerships, ensuring programming reflected and served historically underrepresented communities.
- $321,868 spent. Environmental Stewardship:MPC's environmental stewardship programs connect people to the river through conscientious, hands-on stewardship activities that protect and restore the Mississippi River's cherished natural and cultural resources. MPC expands the National Park's capacity to conduct environmental restoration and field work that benefit the river and seeks out best stewardship practices of the ecological resources within the park.MPC's environmental stewardship efforts in FY2025 focused on habitat restoration, climate resilience, and volunteer engagement across the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. The Mississippi River Conservation Corps, including a youth cohort, contributed significantly to land management and restoration activities in partnership with the National Park Service and other stakeholders. The organization planted over 1,000 climate-adapted and culturally significant trees and continued advancing the Adaptive Silviculture for Climate Change project, including completing a multi-year summary report and sharing findings with a national audience. Additional progress included onboarding an AmeriCorps member to support forestry and restoration work and expanding volunteer-led stewardship events.
- $175,375 spent. Paddle Share:Paddle Share is a self-serve kayak sharing system in the Twin Cities metro area that provides opportunities for users to rent a kayak and paddle to a destination downriver. Through operating partnerships with agencies and organizations throughout the National Park Service corridor, Paddle Share connects people directly to the river through outdoor recreation. In FY2025, Paddle Share remained a cornerstone program for increasing equitable access to the Mississippi River. MPC focused on system improvements, partner engagement, and operational enhancements, including convening partners for an end-of-season evaluation and preparing infrastructure for future growth. The program continued to evolve through new partnerships to develop culturally responsive, skill-based paddling instruction that integrates water safety. These efforts aim to reduce barriers to participation and expand access among underrepresented communities. MPC also continued to invest in operational capacity and strategic planning to strengthen Paddle Share's long-term sustainability and impact.
- $110,603 spent. Youth Education:MPC supports the National Park's outdoor education and recreation programs for students throughout the community. MPC's outdoor and online youth education programs provide a fresh, hands-on approach to the ways learning can be integrated with the outdoors, empowering students to become avid learners, and enabling them to begin building a lifelong relationship with the river. Youth education remained a core component of MPC's mission in FY2025, with continued investment in programs that connect students to the Mississippi River through experiential learning. Programs such as Big River Journey saw strong participation, with over 1,300 students engaged in hands-on environmental education experiences. MPC also supported access to these programs through transportation scholarships and stipends for River Educators, helping reduce barriers for schools and communities. Staff participation in national learning networks and exposure to best practices such as visiting new education facilities and engaging in professional development further strengthened program quality and innovation. These efforts ensured that youth education programming remained impactful, accessible, and aligned with both environmental and community outcomes.
- $108,591 spent. River Learning Center:Serving as the future National Park Service programming headquarters, the Mississippi River Learning Center (RLC) will be a one-of-a-kind space for environmental and cultural learning and a recreational gateway to the Mississippi River, welcoming Saint Paul residents as well as visitors from across the region, nation, and the world to experience the land, water, and culture of the Mississippi River. MPC is assisting with fundraising, awareness, and public programming at the future site of the Mississippi River Learning Center. In FY2025, MPC completed a comprehensive feasibility study assessing campaign readiness, donor potential, and organizational capacity, while also progressing design development in collaboration with project partners. MPC hosted and participated in community engagement opportunities to gather public input and build awareness of the project, while also organizing community events at the site.
- $7,721 spent. National Park Service:In fiscal year 2025, the Organization continued to strengthen its role as the official philanthropic partner of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area by directly supporting critical National Park Service programmatic and operational needs through Friends Funds. These flexible funds are designated by the board of directors to help address funding gaps and constraints during a period of federal uncertainty, enabling continued progress on key park initiatives. The Organization established and managed these funds to support program delivery, natural resource management, interpretation, volunteer engagement, and special park projects. Friends Funds helped offset park operational limitations related to purchasing and staffing restrictions, ensuring continuity of public programming and restoration efforts throughout the park corridor. Friends Funds also allow the park to meet local programmatic needs not currently funded at the federal level, expanding the park's capacity to connect more people to the Mississippi River.
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 November 6, 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 January 2007.
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 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.