Waskawiwin
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Waskawiwin provides training and education to support the building and maintaining of high-speed communications networks for Indigenous communities and acts as a governing body and fiscal organization providing fundraising and administrative support.
- Income
- $527,455
- Spending
- $59,557
- Spent on programs
- 70%
- Reserves
- 94.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 99%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 12
- Highest pay
- $2,250, director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 85% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 94.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 89% of income.
Spending floor
15 of 1570% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 76 out of 100. Higher than 61% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 255 of 6 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
0 of 10Did not give 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
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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, 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 (3)
- $31,781 spent. Waskawiwin convened four Tribal Broadband Bootcamps in 2025 gathering approximately 230 participants from Tribal Nations across the West Southwest and Midwest. Each TBB brings together Tribal broadband practitioners ISP operators technical specialists and host community members for hands-on learning grounded in the host Tribes own deployment context. The March 18 and November 3 gatherings at RantanenTown Ranch CA focused on California Tribes working with the California Middle Mile Broadband Network. The April 7 gathering at Pueblo of Jemez - the first TBB in New Mexico - featured the work of JNet the Pueblos Tribal ISP. The August 18 Sault Ste. Marie MI bootcamp convened Tribes from the upper Midwest. TBBs are structured around peer learning rather than top-down instruction so that broadband capacity-building remains rooted in tribal sovereignty.
- $6,026 spent. In 2025 Waskawiwin assumed facilitation of the Indigenous Digital Inclusion Working Group inherited from the National Digital Inclusion Alliance. The Working Group provides a peer learning community for Tribal and Indigenous digital inclusion practitioners - those working to ensure broadband infrastructure translates into meaningful adoption and use within their communities. Convening outreach and member engagement are led by contractor Davida Delmar.
- $3,777 spent. Throughout 2025 Waskawiwin engaged with federal agencies Tribal governments philanthropic funders and broadband industry partners to advance the policy and resourcing conditions under which Tribal Nations can build own and govern their own broadband infrastructure. Board members and contractors participated in external speaking engagements and policy convenings contributing to a broader ecosystem of partners aligned with broadband sovereignty.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 December 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 November 2024.
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.