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Manoomin Arts Initiative

EIN 99-1615007 · Naytahwaush, MN

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong92 out of 100GovernanceFair50 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE MANOOMIN ARTS INITIATIVE (MAI) IS AN INDIGENOUS-LED ARTIST-LED CREATIVE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION THAT SUPPORTS ARTISTS AND CULTIVATES THE CREATIVE ECONOMY WITHIN THE WHITE EARTH NATION AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. WE WORK WITH LOCAL ARTISTS AND YOUTH TO CREATE PUBLIC ART PROJECTS, COLLABORATE WITH OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO BRING ARTIST RESIDENCIES, ORGANIZE ARTS FESTIVALS, AND SUPPORT ART WORKSHOPS IN OUR COMMUNITY. OUR CURRENT WORK IS TO ACTIVATE CREATIVE SPACES WHERE OUR ARTISTS CAN EXHIBIT, CREATE, TEACH, AND SELL THEIR WORK. MAI GREW FROM A MULTI-YEAR COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE WHITE EARTH NATION (WEN), THE CITY OF MAHNOMEN, MN, AND THE MAHNOMEN COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (MCEDA). IN 2017, THE WENS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIVISION'S GIZHIIGIN ARTS INCUBATOR, THE CITY OF MAHNOMEN, AND THE MCEDA COLLABORATED ON THE RAINBOW THEATER MURAL PUBLIC ART PROJECT. IN 2021, THE COLLABORATION CONTINUED WHEN MAHNOMEN RECEIVED AN ARTIST ON MAIN STREET GRANT. THE MANOO

Income
$195,248
Spending
$105,587
Spent on programs
100%
Reserves
10.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 87%
Employees
0

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: 92 out of 100. Higher than 80% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 10.2 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 46% of income.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    100% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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

Fair: 50 out of 100. Higher than 25% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).

  • 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.

  • 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, 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)
  1. THE MANOOMIN ARTS INITIATIVE (MAI) IS AN INDIGENOUS-LED ARTIST-LED CREATIVE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION THAT SUPPORTS ARTISTS AND CULTIVATES THE CREATIVE ECONOMY WITHIN THE WHITE EARTH NATION AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. WE WORK WITH LOCAL ARTISTS AND YOUTH TO CREATE PUBLIC ART PROJECTS, COLLABORATE WITH OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO BRING ARTIST RESIDENCIES, ORGANIZE ARTS FESTIVALS, AND SUPPORT ART WORKSHOPS IN OUR COMMUNITY. OUR CURRENT WORK IS TO ACTIVATE CREATIVE SPACES WHERE OUR ARTISTS CAN EXHIBIT, CREATE, TEACH, AND SELL THEIR WORK. MAI GREW FROM A MULTI-YEAR COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE WHITE EARTH NATION (WEN), THE CITY OF MAHNOMEN, MN, AND THE MAHNOMEN COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (MCEDA). IN 2017, THE WENS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIVISION'S GIZHIIGIN ARTS INCUBATOR, THE CITY OF MAHNOMEN, AND THE MCEDA COLLABORATED ON THE RAINBOW THEATER MURAL PUBLIC ART PROJECT. IN 2021, THE COLLABORATION CONTINUED WHEN MAHNOMEN RECEIVED AN ARTIST ON MAIN STREET GRANT. THE MANOOMIN ARTS INITIATIVE (MAI) WAS CREATED FROM THAT COLLABORATION, AND WE ESTABLISHED 501C3 STATUS IN THE FALL OF 2024. THE MANOOMIN ARTS INITIATIVE (MAI) IS AN INDIGENOUS-LED ARTIST-LED CREATIVE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION THAT SUPPORTS ARTISTS AND CULTIVATES THE CREATIVE ECONOMY WITHIN THE WHITE EARTH NATION AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. WE WORK WITH LOCAL ARTISTS AND YOUTH TO CREATE PUBLIC ART PROJECTS, COLLABORATE WITH OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO BRING ARTIST RESIDENCIES, ORGANIZE ARTS FESTIVALS, AND SUPPORT ART WORKSHOPS IN OUR COMMUNITY. OUR CURRENT WORK IS TO ACTIVATE CREATIVE SPACES WHERE OUR ARTISTS CAN EXHIBIT, CREATE, TEACH, AND SELL THEIR WORK. MAI GREW FROM A MULTI-YEAR COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE WHITE EARTH NATION (WEN), THE CITY OF MAHNOMEN, MN, AND THE MAHNOMEN COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (MCEDA). IN 2017, THE WENS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIVISION'S GIZHIIGIN ARTS INCUBATOR, THE CITY OF MAHNOMEN, AND THE MCEDA COLLABORATED ON THE RAINBOW THEATER MURAL PUBLIC ART PROJECT. IN 2021, THE COLLABORATION CONTINUED WHEN MAHNOMEN RECEIVED AN ARTIST ON MAIN STREET GRANT. THE MANOOMIN ARTS INITIATIVE (MAI) WAS CREATED FROM THAT COLLABORATION, AND WE ESTABLISHED 501C3 STATUS IN THE FALL OF 2024.
  2. $105,587 spent. THE MANOOMIN ARTS INITIATIVE (MAI) IS AN INDIGENOUS-LED ARTIST-LED CREATIVE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION THAT SUPPORTS ARTISTS AND CULTIVATES THE CREATIVE ECONOMY WITHIN THE WHITE EARTH NATION AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. WE WORK WITH LOCAL ARTISTS AND YOUTH TO CREATE PUBLIC ART PROJECTS, COLLABORATE WITH OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO BRING ARTIST RESIDENCIES, ORGANIZE ARTS FESTIVALS, AND SUPPORT ART WORKSHOPS IN OUR COMMUNITY. OUR CURRENT WORK IS TO ACTIVATE CREATIVE SPACES WHERE OUR ARTISTS CAN EXHIBIT, CREATE, TEACH, AND SELL THEIR WORK. MAI GREW FROM A MULTI-YEAR COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE WHITE EARTH NATION (WEN), THE CITY OF MAHNOMEN, MN, AND THE MAHNOMEN COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (MCEDA). IN 2017, THE WENS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIVISION'S GIZHIIGIN ARTS INCUBATOR, THE CITY OF MAHNOMEN, AND THE MCEDA COLLABORATED ON THE RAINBOW THEATER MURAL PUBLIC ART PROJECT. IN 2021, THE COLLABORATION CONTINUED WHEN MAHNOMEN RECEIVED AN ARTIST ON MAIN STREET GRANT. THE MANOOMIN ARTS INITIATIVE (MAI) WAS CREATED FROM THAT COLLABORATION, AND WE ESTABLISHED 501C3 STATUS IN THE FALL OF 2024.
  3. THE MANOOMIN ARTS INITIATIVE (MAI) IS AN INDIGENOUS-LED ARTIST-LED CREATIVE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION THAT SUPPORTS ARTISTS AND CULTIVATES THE CREATIVE ECONOMY WITHIN THE WHITE EARTH NATION AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. WE WORK WITH LOCAL ARTISTS AND YOUTH TO CREATE PUBLIC ART PROJECTS, COLLABORATE WITH OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO BRING ARTIST RESIDENCIES, ORGANIZE ARTS FESTIVALS, AND SUPPORT ART WORKSHOPS IN OUR COMMUNITY. OUR CURRENT WORK IS TO ACTIVATE CREATIVE SPACES WHERE OUR ARTISTS CAN EXHIBIT, CREATE, TEACH, AND SELL THEIR WORK. MAI GREW FROM A MULTI-YEAR COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE WHITE EARTH NATION (WEN), THE CITY OF MAHNOMEN, MN, AND THE MAHNOMEN COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (MCEDA). IN 2017, THE WENS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIVISION'S GIZHIIGIN ARTS INCUBATOR, THE CITY OF MAHNOMEN, AND THE MCEDA COLLABORATED ON THE RAINBOW THEATER MURAL PUBLIC ART PROJECT. IN 2021, THE COLLABORATION CONTINUED WHEN MAHNOMEN RECEIVED AN ARTIST ON MAIN STREET GRANT. THE MANOOMIN ARTS INITIATIVE (MAI) WAS CREATED FROM THAT COLLABORATION, AND WE ESTABLISHED 501C3 STATUS IN THE FALL OF 2024.

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

  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 2025.

    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 September 2024.

    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.