To offer resources, education and support to minnesota deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing adults seeking full access to options for learning, safety, justice, employment skills, and community.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
100¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$74K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2020 · 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 $34K a year · 3% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
100%
of spending
Looks good: 100% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$74K
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
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 1.9 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $54K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$93K
65% of total assets
Fine: liabilities are 65% of assets; 50% to 65%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
8
of 8 voting members
Looks good: 8 of 8 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$920K
Spent
$847K
To programs
100%
Net assets
$51K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$920K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$920K
FY2021$964K
FY2022$896K
FY2023$1.1M
FY2024$1.1M
FY2025$1.2M
Expenses
$847K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$847K
FY2021$979K
FY2022$890K
FY2023$1.0M
FY2024$1.2M
FY2025$1.1M
Net assets
$51K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$51K
FY2021$43K
FY2022$37K
FY2023$90K
FY2024$67K
FY2025$105K

From the FY2020 Form 990 (year ending June 2020) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2020 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in May 2017.

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

Where the money goes

100 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 100% · $847K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

9 people listed on the 990; $74K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2019); the FY2020 filing did not itemize Part VII
Exec. Director
$73,567Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
President
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Aaron Gutzke’s $96K as Executive Di is at the 29th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3395 $1–10M education nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Aaron Gutzke$96,450$89,022$86,056$91,428$91,428$73,567

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.

See Thinkself INC executive salaries →

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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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Educates and advocates for important causes.

Questions for Thinkself INC

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Provided by the organization

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2 programs · $847K · in their own filed words · FY2019
01

Governments Grants

$847Kprogram expense
02

Donations

Pt IX · col B

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$54K
Grants paid · 4 grants · $95K · 2020–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$57,951
Unitemized GrantFY2023$23,694
Unitemized GrantFY2021$6,182
Unitemized GrantFY2020$7,227

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$920K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$920K
Investment incomeLn 3$401
Money outPt IX
$847K
Ln 25
Programscol B$847K
Owns and owesPt X
$51K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$136K
Total assetsLn 16$143K
LiabilitiesLn 26$93K
PeoplePt VI, VII
9
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a8
IndependentVI 1b8
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$920K
Government grantsLn 1e$845K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$48K
Investment incomeLn 3$401
Total revenueLn 12$920K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$136K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$136K
Total assetsLn 16$143K
LiabilitiesLn 26$93K
Net assetsLn 32$51K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 511
VolunteersI 613
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
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 FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$60K$136K
Total assetsLn 16$68K$143K
LiabilitiesLn 26$90K$93K
Net assetsLn 32−$22K$51K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$536K$536K$0$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$91K$91K$0$0
Payroll taxesLn 10$51K$51K$0$0
Management feesLn 11a$4K$4K$0$0
Legal feesLn 11b$14K$14K$0$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$3K$3K$0$0
Advertising and promotionLn 12$12K$12K$0$0
Office expensesLn 13$7K$7K$0$0
Information technologyLn 14$25K$25K$0$0
OccupancyLn 16$66K$66K$0$0
TravelLn 17$27K$27K$0$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$2K$2K$0$0
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$9K$9K$0$0
Total functional expensesLn 25$847K$847K$0$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $1.2M$1.1M$73K$105K 990 PDF
FY2024 $1.1M$1.2M−$9K$67K 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.1M$1.0M$73K$90K 990 PDF
FY2022 $896K$890K$6K$37K 990 PDF
FY2021 $964K$979K−$15K$43K 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $920K$847K$73K$51K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $920,019 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $845,395$919,618
I-9 Program service revenue$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $289$401
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $845,684$920,019
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $654,175$677,942
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $164,768$168,779
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $818,943$846,721
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $26,741$73,298
Part VI · Governance 8 of 8 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body8
VI-1b Independent voting members8
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
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
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $920,019 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$48,135
VIII-1e Government grants$844,675
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$26,808
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$919,618
VIII-3 Investment incomeUnrelated business $401 · Excluded from tax $0$401
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $401 · Excluded from tax $0$920,019
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $846,721 across 13 lines filed
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $535,727 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$535,727
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $90,918 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$90,918
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $51,297 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$51,297
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $4,193 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$4,193
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $13,593 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$13,593
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $2,568 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$2,568
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $12,260 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$12,260
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $6,836 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$6,836
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $24,555 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$24,555
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $66,150 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$66,150
IX-17 TravelPrograms $27,062 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$27,062
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $2,324 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$2,324
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $9,238 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$9,238
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $846,721 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$846,721
Part X · Balance sheet $143,456 assets, 7 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $60,447$136,410
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $7,346$7,046
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $67,793$143,456
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $90,245$92,610
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $90,245$92,610
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year −$22,452$50,846
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $67,793$143,456
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $50,846 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$920,019
XI-2 Total expenses$846,721
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$73,298
XI-4 Net assets at start of year−$22,452
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$50,846

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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