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Great Plains Action Society

EIN 88-3978480 · Des Moines, IA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceWeak40 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • Only 45% of its spending went to programs.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

WE ADDRESS THE TRAUMA THAT INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND THE EARTH FACE AND WORK TO PREVENT FURTHER COLONIAL CAPITALIST VIOLENCE BY FIGHTING FOR AND BUILDING POWER IN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES THROUGH REMATRIATION, HEALING JUSTICE AND BRINGING IN A REGENERATIVE ECONOMY.

Income
$1.2 million
Spending
$584,619
Spent on programs
45%
Reserves
24.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 90%
Employees
15
Highest pay
$56,398, executive di

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: 85 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 24.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 53% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 169% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    45% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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

Weak: 40 out of 100. Higher than 3% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    5 of 5 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

    0 of 10

    Did not give 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.

  • Independent check of accounts

    0 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • 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 (1)
  1. $265,046 spent. PROTECT THE SACRED INITIATIVE GREAT PLAINS ACTION SOCIETY'S PROTECT THE SACRED INITIATIVE IS FOCUSED ON STOPPING VIOLENCE TO INDIGENOUS PEOPLES BY EDUCATING AND ORGANIZING AROUND THE MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS RELATIVES CRISIS AND SUPPORTING INDIGENOUS FAMILIES WITH MISSING OR MURDERED RELATIVES THROUGHOUT IOWA, NEBRASKA, AND THE GREAT PLAINS. LAND DEFENSE INITIATIVE THE MISSION OF OUR FRONTLINE LAND DEFENSE PROGRAM IS TO SAFEGUARD THE LAND, AIR, AND WATER IN ORDER TO PROTECT SACRED INDIGENOUS SPACES AND PRACTICES THAT RELY ON INTACT ENVIRONMENTS AND A HEALTHY CLIMATE. OUR GOAL IS TO USHER IN AN INDIGENOUS-LED REGENERATIVE ECONOMY THAT USES TRADITIONAL ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE TO BUILD STRONG FOOD SYSTEMS, CLEAN LANDSCAPES, AND HEALTHY COMMUNITIES. REPRESENTATION INITIATIVE THE MISSION OF OUR REPRESENTATION INITIATIVE IS TO END ERASURE, WHITEWASHING, AND STEREOTYPES OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES BY INCREASING DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION, CHANGING LEGISLATION, EVOLVING NARROW-MINDED HOLIDAYS, AND ABOLISHING RACIST MASCOTS/DEPICTIONS, AS WELL AS MONUMENTS TO WHITE SUPREMACY. CIVIC ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVE GREAT PLAINS ACTION SOCIETY'S CIVIC ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVE IS CENTERED ON GETTING FOLKS OUT TO VOTE ON THE ISSUES THAT AFFECT THEIR FREEDOM, HEALTH AND SAFETY. THROUGH THIS WORK, WE ARE BUILDING POWER IN OPPRESSED COMMUNITIES BY EMPOWERING THEM TO SHOW UP, SPEAK OUT, AND CREATE CHANGE. PROTECT THE SACRED INITIATIVE GREAT PLAINS ACTION SOCIETY'S PROTECT THE SACRED INITIATIVE IS FOCUSED ON STOPPING VIOLENCE TO INDIGENOUS PEOPLES BY EDUCATING AND ORGANIZING AROUND THE MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS RELATIVES CRISIS AND SUPPORTING INDIGENOUS FAMILIES WITH MISSING OR MURDERED RELATIVES THROUGHOUT IOWA, NEBRASKA, AND THE GREAT PLAINS. LAND DEFENSE INITIATIVE THE MISSION OF OUR FRONTLINE LAND DEFENSE PROGRAM IS TO SAFEGUARD THE LAND, AIR, AND WATER IN ORDER TO PROTECT SACRED INDIGENOUS SPACES AND PRACTICES THAT RELY ON INTACT ENVIRONMENTS AND A HEALTHY CLIMATE. OUR GOAL IS TO USHER IN AN INDIGENOUS-LED REGENERATIVE ECONOMY THAT USES TRADITIONAL ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE TO BUILD STRONG FOOD SYSTEMS, CLEAN LANDSCAPES, AND HEALTHY COMMUNITIES. REPRESENTATION INITIATIVE THE MISSION OF OUR REPRESENTATION INITIATIVE IS TO END ERASURE, WHITEWASHING, AND STEREOTYPES OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES BY INCREASING DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION, CHANGING LEGISLATION, EVOLVING NARROW-MINDED HOLIDAYS, AND ABOLISHING RACIST MASCOTS/DEPICTIONS, AS WELL AS MONUMENTS TO WHITE SUPREMACY. CIVIC ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVE GREAT PLAINS ACTION SOCIETY'S CIVIC ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVE IS CENTERED ON GETTING FOLKS OUT TO VOTE ON THE ISSUES THAT AFFECT THEIR FREEDOM, HEALTH AND SAFETY. THROUGH THIS WORK, WE ARE BUILDING POWER IN OPPRESSED COMMUNITIES BY EMPOWERING THEM TO SHOW UP, SPEAK OUT, AND CREATE CHANGE.

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 December 2022.

    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.