Nexus Community Partners

What it reported doing in 2025

Ownership: The Ownership work stream includes: The Shared Ownership Center @ Nexus (SOC@N), a cooperative development program focusing on communities traditionally excluded from ownership, and North Star Black Cooperative Fellowship (North Star), a 7-month cooperative leadership cohort. SOC@N supports locally anchored businesses and more equitable workplaces that help grow the region's economy. Through the St. Paul LOCAL Fund, SOC@N engaged more than 1,000 people in training, outreach, and technical assistance, awarded $420,000 in grants, and supported 4 business conversions to worker ownership. We also helped launch a coalition of community-owned real estate investment cooperatives advancing new models of collective ownership.Leadership: The Leadership work stream includes: Reclaiming Our Own Time (ROOT), a rest and sabbatical program, and the Boards and Commissions Leadership Institute (BCLI), a training program for publicly appointed boards. In 2025, ROOT provided 15 sabbaticals for BIPOC movement leaders - providing monthly rest periods over 8 months and reached 200 people through community events, including a 3-day "Heal the Healers" conference. BCLI trained 11 people in this 7-month leadership cohort for community members historically excluded from civic power. With 168 alumni, BCLI is changing the face of leadership in Minnesota. Beyond their commission service, our alumni often go on to roles ranging from government and non-profit leadership to elected office, including U.S. Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, St. Paul City Council Vice President HwaJeong Kim, and Minnesota State Representative Samantha Sencer-Mura.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
• Program expense ratio: 80.4%; rating input score 80
• Fundraising efficiency: $2.92 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 7; 7th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 93.3%; rating input score 93; 18th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 4 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 67
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 98.3%; rating input score 98; 41st percentile among comparable filings
• 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: -215%; rating input score 0; 0th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 3.6; rating input score 75; 75th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 78; 78th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 8.4%; rating input score 39; 39th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 19.4% per year; rating input score 100; 83rd percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 3.2% per year; rating input score 100; 24th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 22.5% per year; rating input score 100; 87th percentile among comparable filings