Bear Paws Cultural Art

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
931755170
IRS 990-EZ coverage
2025–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-EZ 2025, Form 990-N 2023
Location
Hinckley, MN, USA
Phone
7632863855
Rating
41
Verdict
MIXED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Cultural, Ethnic Awareness

Reported finances

Revenue
$61,102
Expenses
$137,603
Assets
$92,290
Liabilities
$0

Source: IRS Form 990-EZ. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

5 people listed

People named in this filing

  • Wanetta Thompson (Chairman)
  • Laikora Thompson (Secretary)
  • Robin Roatch (Board Member)

Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.

Source: IRS Form 990-EZ. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

At Bear Paws Cultural Art, we aim to revitalize Ojibwe cultural heritage, foster mutual understanding and respect with our neighbors, and facilitate community healing through art.

What it reported doing in 2025

Bear Paws Cultural Art is a heartfelt initiative focused on bringing Ojibwe cultural heritage back to life. Our mission extends beyond just preserving the past; we aim to build bridges with our neighbors and support healing in our community through traditional arts. We host free workshops, which are more than just classes-they're experiences that help participants reconnect with their roots and strengthen bonds across generations. Founded to address the lingering effects of historical and intergenerational trauma, Bear Paws emphasizes cultural practices that are defined by the community itself. Traditional arts serve as more than creative outlets; they are essential channels for sharing language, stories, values, and a sense of belonging. We intentionally create warm, welcoming spaces where elders, adults, and youth can learn together, side by side. Since we started our journey, over 1,200 individuals have participated in our signature program, Maadaoonidiwag, which translates to "sharing knowledge." Here, participants learn directly from Native Artists and Culture Bearers, enriching their understanding and appreciation of our history and traditions. By investing in Native Artists and Culture Bearers as our instructors, we honor the tradition of passing on knowledge, ensuring that it remains alive and vibrant for future generations.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 93% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
No current program activity. The filing reports no program spending for the current year.

The verdict

MIXED - The filed numbers largely add up. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and a relatively small share of total spending goes to programs.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 0
  • Transparency & Controls: 100
  • Sustainability: 28
  • Growth: 0

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 0%; rating input score 0
  • Program expense ratio: 0%; rating input score 0

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 51st percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -125.2%; rating input score 6; 6th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.67; rating input score 38; 38th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 66; 66th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: Limited
  • Revenue growth: -110% per year; rating input score 0; 2nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: -58% per year; rating input score 0; 3rd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 0% of revenue deployed · 0% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: Filed governance answers
  • Accomplishments: 1 filed program accomplishment
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 5 people listed
  • Consistency: 9 of 9 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 3 filed schedules
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 2 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 0/100.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Program expense ratio scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 6/100.
  • High — Growth: Asset growth scored 0/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 38/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 56/100.