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Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center

Tax-deductible

Spicer, MN501(c)(3)Since 1992EIN 41-1366265Revenue $1.3M in FY2025

On file with the IRSprairiewoodselc.org12718 10th St Ne, 56288-9425 · Spicer, MNTax-exempt since Apr 1980Publicly supported — 509(a)(2)

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To promote awareness of the importance of our natural environment through education and outdoor recreation.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
79¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 526 volunteers and 27 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
4 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $103K a year · 14% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
79%
of spending
Looks good: 79% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$82K
to officers and key staff · 9% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 9% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
6 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 5.5 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
3
named funders · $31K
Looks good: 3 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$400K
13% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 13% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
9
of 9 voting members
Looks good: 9 of 9 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.3M
+70% vs prior year
Spent
$869K
To programs
79%
Net assets
$2.7M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$1.3M
FY2025▲ +70%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$558K
FY2021$601K
FY2022$554K
FY2023$729K
FY2024$746K
FY2025$1.3M
Expenses
$869K
FY2025▲ +15%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$554K
FY2021$444K
FY2022$576K
FY2023$634K
FY2024$758K
FY2025$869K
Net assets
$2.7M
FY2025▲ +19%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$1.7M
FY2021$1.9M
FY2022$1.8M
FY2023$2.3M
FY2024$2.3M
FY2025$2.7M

From the FY2025 Form 990 · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Apr 1980.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

79 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 79% · $685K Management & general 21% · $179K Fundraising 1% · $5K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

10 people listed on the 990; $82K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Jennifer Swenson
Executive Director
$81,613Pt VII · Sec A
Steve Leitch
Vice Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Scott Glup
Chairperson
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Ron Noyes
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Kathy Gauger
Recorder
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Anna Haats
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 3 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Jennifer Swenson$81,613$81,026$76,206$61,782——
Mari Klebe—$40,099$37,969$28,772$34,197$28,966
Steve Friedlein—————$40,097

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Teaches environmental education and outdoor experiences for responsible resource use and preservation.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $685K · in their own filed words · FY2025
01

The challenge course (CC) and environmental education (ee) programs served over 7,740 and 6,066 participants, respectively, throughout the year. These programs primarily work with organized groups and are delivered through 1- to 6-HOUR sessions held either on-site at pwelc or at off-site locations.

$432Kprogram expense
02

In 2025, prairie woods expanded its environmental education mission by opening a licensed nature preschool serving up to 18 children aged three to five. The program builds on the organization's established school-aged programs by providing year-round nature based learning for young children through daily outdoor exploration and hands on…

$179Kprogram expense
03

The youth eco solutions (yes) program operates in middle and high schools as an extracurricular activity, challenging students to identify and solve environmental issues within their schools and communities.

$74Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
CommunitygivingFY2024$26K
Pierce Family FoundationFY2024$5K
Granite Partners Foundation of Minnesota INCFY2024$500
Total grants receivedfrom 3 funders$31K
See all 3 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

Download 990
from philanthropy.org
1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.3M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$836K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$228K
Other incomeLn 4–11$139K
Money outPt IX
$869K
Ln 25
Programscol B$685K
Managementcol C$179K
Fundraisingcol D$5K
Owns and owesPt X
$2.7M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$396K
Total assetsLn 16$3.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$400K
PeoplePt VI, VII
10
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a9
IndependentVI 1b9
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$836K
Government grantsLn 1e$410K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$191K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$228K
Investment incomeLn 3$63K
Other incomeLn 4–11$139K
Total revenueLn 12$1.3M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$286K
SavingsLn 2$109K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$396K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1.6M
Other assetsLn 15$1.0M
Total assetsLn 16$3.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$400K
Net assetsLn 32$2.7M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 527
VolunteersI 6526
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$326K$396K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1.2M$1.6M
Total assetsLn 16$2.5M$3.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$234K$400K
Net assetsLn 32$2.3M$2.7M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$101K$101K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$82K$72K$9K$817
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$326K$273K$49K$3K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$66K$58K$8K$542
Payroll taxesLn 10$38K$33K$4K$312
Accounting feesLn 11c$46K$46K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$3K$2K$775
OccupancyLn 16$25K$19K$6K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$50K$37K$12K
InsuranceLn 23$32K$24K$8K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$86K$58K$29K
All other expensesLn 24e$14K$7K$6K
Total functional expensesLn 25$869K$685K$179K$5K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $1.3M$869K$398K$2.7M 990 PDF
FY2024 $746K$758K−$12K$2.3M 990 PDF
FY2023 $729K$634K$95K$2.3M 990 PDF
FY2022 $554K$576K−$21K$1.8M 990 PDF
FY2021 $601K$444K$157K$1.9M 990 PDF
FY2020 $558K$554K$4K$1.7M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,266,953 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $543,824$836,401
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $85,673$228,378
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $41,394$62,924
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $74,813$139,250
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $745,704$1,266,953
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $173,506$101,453
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $378,267$511,574
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $206,130$256,020
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $757,903$869,047
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$12,199$397,906
Part VI · Governance 9 of 9 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body9
VI-1b Independent voting members9
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $1,266,953 across 9 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$409,911
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$426,490
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$190,700
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$836,401
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $228,378$228,378
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $62,924$62,924
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $61,218$61,218
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $52,819 · Excluded from tax $25,213$78,032
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $281,197 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $149,355$1,266,953
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $869,047 across 12 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $101,453$101,453
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $71,819 · Management $8,977 · Fundraising $817$81,613
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $272,923 · Management $49,297 · Fundraising $3,345$325,565
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $58,083 · Management $7,586 · Fundraising $542$66,211
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $33,498 · Management $4,375 · Fundraising $312$38,185
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $45,805$45,805
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $2,324 · Management $775$3,099
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $18,691 · Management $6,231$24,922
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $37,387 · Management $12,462$49,849
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $24,274 · Management $8,091$32,365
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $57,549 · Management $28,930$86,479
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $7,218 · Management $6,283$13,501
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $685,219 · Management $178,812 · Fundraising $5,016$869,047
Part X · Balance sheet $3,137,800 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $215,951$286,228
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $109,570$109,437
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $70,182$65,807
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $8,158$74,611
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $1,169,931$1,570,994
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $953,230$1,030,723
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $2,527,022$3,137,800
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $21,186$16,533
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $169,950$169,700
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $43,199$213,344
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $234,335$399,577
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,688,421$2,100,055
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $604,266$638,168
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $2,292,687$2,738,223
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $2,527,022$3,137,800
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $2,738,223 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,266,953
XI-2 Total expenses$869,047
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$397,906
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$2,292,687
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$47,630
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$2,738,223

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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