To help families in need by providing basic needs and gifts during the Christmas season.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
93¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 1,320 volunteers and 1 employee.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2024 · 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
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
3 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $60K a year · 6% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
93%
of spending
Looks good: 93% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$73K
to officers and key staff · 5% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 5% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 1.5 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
9
named funders · $113K
Looks good: 9 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$2K
0.4% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
15
of 15 voting members
Looks good: 15 of 15 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
+20% vs prior year
Spent
$1.4M
To programs
93%
Net assets
$440K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$1.3M
FY2024▲ +20%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$319K
FY2021$1.3M
FY2022$1.1M
FY2023$1.1M
FY2024$1.3M
Expenses
$1.4M
FY2024▲ +23%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$337K
FY2021$1.1M
FY2022$839K
FY2023$1.1M
FY2024$1.4M
Net assets
$440K
FY2024▼ -4%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$111K
FY2021$230K
FY2022$452K
FY2023$460K
FY2024$440K

From the FY2024 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Nov 2017.

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

Where the money goes

93 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 93% · $1.3M Management & general 4% · $53K Fundraising 3% · $39K

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

17 people listed on the 990; $73K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$72,996Pt VII · Sec A
President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Shannon Thornton’s $73K as Executive Director is at the 13th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3869 $1–10M human services 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 · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Shannon Thornton$72,996$58,330——
Jill Halvorson—$11,701$66,305$32,375

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 The Great North Pole 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 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Provides families in need with basic necessities and gifts during Christmas.

Questions for The Great North Pole

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $1.3M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

In 2024 The Great North Pole offered Helpful Holiday Boxes to 856 families living in Cass County, ND and Clay County, MN.The Great North Pole provides information on their program to local schools and other non-profits within their area.

$1.3Mprogram 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
See all 9 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.3M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.4M
Money outPt IX
$1.4M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.3M
Managementcol C$53K
Fundraisingcol D$39K
Owns and owesPt X
$440K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$175K
Total assetsLn 16$442K
LiabilitiesLn 26$2K
PeoplePt VI, VII
17
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a15
IndependentVI 1b15
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.4M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$977K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$351K
Total revenueLn 12$1.3M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
SavingsLn 2$175K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$175K
Other assetsLn 15$0
Total assetsLn 16$442K
LiabilitiesLn 26$2K
Net assetsLn 32$440K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 51
VolunteersI 61,320
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$195K$175K
Total assetsLn 16$470K$442K
LiabilitiesLn 26$10K$2K
Net assetsLn 32$460K$440K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$1.2M$1.2M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$73K$58K$4K$11K
Payroll taxesLn 10$7K$6K$359$1K
Accounting feesLn 11c$2K$2K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$15K$98$11K$4K
Office expensesLn 13$15K$5K$3K$7K
Information technologyLn 14$666$35$620$11
OccupancyLn 16$17K$17K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$2K$40$1K$468
InsuranceLn 23$11K$11K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$16K$5K$109$11K
All other expensesLn 24e$9K$2K$3K$4K
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.4M$1.3M$53K$39K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $1.3M$1.4M−$23K$440K 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.1M$1.1M$8K$460K 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.1M$839K$213K$452K 990 PDF
FY2021 $1.3M$1.1M$119K$230K 990 PDF
FY2020 $319K$337K−$18K$111K 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 FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,330,577 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,138,987$1,388,731
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year −$32,000−$58,154
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,106,987$1,330,577
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $937,553$1,184,697
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $83,117$80,169
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $78,227$88,987
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,098,897$1,353,853
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $8,090−$23,276
Part VI · Governance 15 of 15 board members independent, 3 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body15
VI-1b Independent voting members15
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $1,330,577 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$350,966
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,037,765
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$976,919
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,388,731
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$58,154−$58,154
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax −$58,154$1,330,577
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,353,853 across 12 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $1,184,697$1,184,697
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $58,397 · Management $3,650 · Fundraising $10,949$72,996
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $5,738 · Management $359 · Fundraising $1,076$7,173
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $2,181$2,181
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $98 · Management $10,742 · Fundraising $4,412$15,252
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $5,146 · Management $2,885 · Fundraising $7,345$15,376
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $35 · Management $620 · Fundraising $11$666
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $17,163$17,163
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $40 · Management $1,390 · Fundraising $468$1,898
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $11,162$11,162
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $5,095 · Management $109 · Fundraising $10,625$15,829
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $2,315 · Management $2,918 · Fundraising $4,227$9,460
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,261,561 · Management $53,179 · Fundraising $39,113$1,353,853
Part X · Balance sheet $442,203 assets, 9 lines filed
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $195,019$174,619
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $2,500$9,500
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $270,484$258,084
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $2,000$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $470,003$442,203
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $9,841$1,951
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $9,841$1,951
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $460,162$440,252
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $470,003$442,203
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $440,252 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,330,577
XI-2 Total expenses$1,353,853
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$23,276
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$460,162
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$3,366
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$440,252

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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