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Better in Our Back Yard FY2023 filing

Not tax-deductible

Duluth, MN501(c)(4)Community Development EIN 82-4173274Revenue $236K in FY2023Latest return filed Oct 13, 2025

On file with the IRSbetterinourbackyard.com306 W Superior St Ste 902, 55802-5020 · Duluth, MNTax-exempt since Jun 2019

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Better in Our Back Yard is a coalition of dedicated young professionals and emerging leaders in the region who understand that responsible industry creates a thriving economy in northern minnesota while protecting the regions's pristine environment. Lives and livelihoods in northern minnesota depend on mining, manufacturing and pipeline industries to be successful. Better in Our Back Yard understands that when these industries are thriving, so are the union building trades, the tourism and small businesses across northern minnesota.

501(c)(4) social-welfare organization; gifts are not tax-deductible as charitable contributions.
91¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX

Before you give

FY2023 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(4)
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
No
Donations are not tax-deductible
Worth a look: the IRS does not list 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
1 of 2
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $2K a year · under 1% of revenue · last 2 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 1 of the last 2 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 2 filings
Spent on programs
91%
of spending
Looks good: 91% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Cash reserves
6 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 6.2 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $8K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$79K
71% of total assets
Worth a look: liabilities are 71% of assets; over 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
$236K
+37% vs prior year
Spent
$207K
To programs
91%
Net assets
$32K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$236K
FY2023▲ +37%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$86K
FY2021$103K
FY2022$172K
FY2023$236K
FY2024$231K
Expenses
$207K
FY2023
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020Not on file
FY2021Not on file
FY2022Not on file
FY2023$207K
FY2024$265K
Net assets
$32K
FY2023▲ ×11
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020−$18K
FY2021−$12K
FY2022$3K
FY2023$32K
FY2024−$2K

From the FY2023 Form 990 · see the original

Give Claim
You’re viewing the FY2023 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Jun 2019.

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

Where the money goes

91 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 91% · $188K Management & general 1% · $3K Fundraising 8% · $16K

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

Something off? Claim to add context

Who runs it and what they're paid

8 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Mark Bakk
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Marci Knight
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Todd Lyden
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Dan Manick
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Lisa Rudstrom
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Hans Wronka
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
See Better in Our Back Yard executive salaries →

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

Advocates for responsible industry to create a thriving economy while protecting Northern Minnesota's environment.

Questions for Better in Our Back Yard

Tap to ask. Better in Our Back Yard sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. Better in Our Back Yard answers here, for everyone.

1 program · $188K · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

Responsible industry creates a thriving economy in northern minnesots while protecting the regions's pristine environment.

$188Kprogram 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 · FY2025
Lake Country PowerFY2025$8K
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$8K

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

Download 990
from philanthropy.org
1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$236K
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$204K
Other incomeLn 4–11$27K
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$5K
Money outPt IX
$207K
Ln 25
Programscol B$188K
Managementcol C$3K
Fundraisingcol D$16K
Owns and owesPt X
$32K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$107K
Total assetsLn 16$111K
LiabilitiesLn 26$79K
PeoplePt VI, VII
8
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a8
IndependentVI 1b8
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$5K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$204K
Investment incomeLn 3$5
Other incomeLn 4–11$27K
Total revenueLn 12$236K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$107K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$107K
Total assetsLn 16$111K
LiabilitiesLn 26$79K
Net assetsLn 32$32K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aNo
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$65K$107K
Total assetsLn 16$70K$111K
LiabilitiesLn 26$67K$79K
Net assetsLn 32$3K$32K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Accounting feesLn 11c$600$540$60
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$113K$102K$11K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$56K$53K$3K
Office expensesLn 13$1K$1K
OccupancyLn 16$1K$1K$137
TravelLn 17$29K$28K$1K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$2K$1K$76
InsuranceLn 23$875$831$44
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$3K$539$2K$231
Total functional expensesLn 25$207K$188K$3K$16K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 LatestFiled with the IRS Oct 13, 2025 $231K$265K−$34K−$2K 990 PDF
FY2023 ViewingFiled with the IRS Sep 16, 2024 $236K$207K$29K$32K 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS Sep 25, 2023 $172K$3K 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS Jun 8, 2022 $103K−$12K 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS May 10, 2021 $86K−$18K 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2023 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $235,830 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $115$5,105
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $149,517$203,950
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $3$5
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $22,516$26,770
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $172,151$235,830
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefits$0
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $157,023$206,720
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $157,023$206,720
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $15,128$29,110
Part VI · Governance 8 of 8 board members independent, 4 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body8
VI-1b Independent voting members8
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyNo
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $235,830 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$5,105
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$5,105
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $203,950$203,950
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $5$5
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$26,770
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $203,950 · Excluded from tax $5$235,830
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $206,720 across 9 lines filed
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $540 · Fundraising $60$600
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $101,723 · Fundraising $11,303$113,026
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $53,492 · Fundraising $2,815$56,307
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $1,160$1,160
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $1,233 · Fundraising $137$1,370
IX-17 TravelPrograms $27,810 · Fundraising $1,464$29,274
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $1,447 · Fundraising $76$1,523
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $831 · Fundraising $44$875
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $539 · Management $1,815 · Fundraising $231$2,585
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $187,615 · Management $2,975 · Fundraising $16,130$206,720
Part X · Balance sheet $111,284 assets, 9 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $64,740$106,685
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $5,187$4,599
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $69,927$111,284
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $5,131$5,087
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $61,960$74,251
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $67,091$79,338
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $2,836$31,946
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $2,836$31,946
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $69,927$111,284
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $31,946 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$235,830
XI-2 Total expenses$206,720
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$29,110
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$2,836
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$31,946

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2023 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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