Minnesota Trout Unlimited

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
521766036
IRS 990 coverage
2016–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-EZ 2015, Form 990-N 2014
Location
Chanhassen, MN, USA
Phone
6126701629
Rating
92
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate

Reported finances

Revenue
$2,396,006
Expenses
$2,475,355
Assets
$2,350,852
Liabilities
$1,450,389

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

20 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • John Lenczewski (Executive Director)

Highest reported compensation

  • John Lenczewski (Executive Director): $112,889 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Minnesota Trout Unlimited's (MNTU's) primary exempt purpose is to advocate and work to protect, conserve, and restore Minnesota's coldwater rivers and lakes and the trout and salmon that live in them.

What it reported doing in 2024

MNTU undertakes numerous habitat projects which directly restore, enhance, and reconnect habitat for trout and other species in and along coldwater rivers, streams, and lakes in Minnesota. MNTU contracts for this work. Habitat was restored or enhanced on 6 miles of trout stream around the state during the fiscal year. MNTU also removed 4 fish passage barriers In the Baptism River and Keene Creek watershed, reconnecting several miles of habitat for native brook trout.MNTU runs an education program in participating Minnesota schools to engage students in classroom and outdoor learning focused on water quality, groundwater, aquatic life, and watershed stewardship. MNTU contracts for this educational work, including program management. More than 3,000 students were involved in watershed education. Each March MNTU presents the Great Waters Fly Fishing Expo at Hamline university. Over 2,000 people and 50 vendors attend the Expo to learn about the latest issues in conservation, how and where to enjoy trout fishing and how they can get involved in protecting those resources. MNTU contracts for professional services related to organizational development and grant writing. MNTU publishes a printed newsletter aimed at communicating organizational accomplishments, increasing membership engagement, and educating members and non-members on priority topics in coldwater conservation.

Operating model

Revenue model
Grant-funded. 89% of the money available for current operations came from government grants.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Expenses are high relative to revenue and total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 95
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 33
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 98.2%; rating input score 98
  • Program expense ratio: 95%; rating input score 95
  • Fundraising efficiency: $69.13 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 82; 82nd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -3.3%; rating input score 23; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.95; rating input score 35; 35th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.62; rating input score 16; 16th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0.7%; rating input score 81; 81st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 3.8% per year; rating input score 100; 32nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 8.8% per year; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 28.7% per year; rating input score 100; 92nd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 98.2% of revenue deployed · 95% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 18 of 18 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $2.4M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $113K · 20 people listed
  • Highest-paid contractors: 4 contractors listed · $1.6M reported
  • Consistency: 28 of 28 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 8 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 8 filing years from 2016 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: Resolved incoming and outgoing counterparties from filed money flows.
  • Related organizations: 1 filed related-organization link
  • 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 — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 23/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 35/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 16/100.