ServeMinnesota

What it reported doing in 2024

Recovery corps - Minnesota recovery corps launched in 2017 to address the substance use disorder crisis. Sustained recovery depends on more than treatment; it requires connection, purpose, and a community of support. Recovery corps harnesses the power of americorps to provide all that and more.recovery corps members are trained peer mentors who understand the recovery journey from personal experience. They provide one-on-one support and help participants access a full range of resources, including family support, housing, and employment. Members are not sponsors or counselors; they are guides who know the terrain.americorps service is itself part of the recovery model. By helping others, members reinforce their own recovery and build the professional skills they need for full-time jobs in this growing field. Members receive training and test preparation toward certification as peer recovery specialists, completing their terms with hands-on experience and a nationally recognized credential.in fiscal year 2025, recovery corps members supported 1,138 people on their path to sustained recovery.heading home corps - heading home corps is an americorps program that connects people experiencing housing instability to the resources they need to find and keep stable housing.trained americorps members serve as resource navigators in shelters and community organizations, working alongside individuals and families to identify needs, set goals, and access support, including housing assistance, employment, health care, mental health services, and more. About 65% of members have personal lived experience with housing instability.research confirms that personalized case management is among the most effective tools for helping people experiencing homelessness. In fiscal year 2025, heading home corps served more than 1,500 people.early learning corps - early learning corps is an americorps program that builds literacy and math skills in preschool classrooms. The program combines evidence-based reading and math support to accelerate academic readiness for Minnesota's youngest learners.a trained americorps member is placed in each classroom to support the teacher and provide one-on-one and small-group tutoring to children who need an extra boost. Instruction is grounded in the science of literacy and numeracy, using strategies validated through randomized controlled trials by norc at the university of chicago. The studies, replicated in other states with similar results, confirm that the program works in rural, suburban, and urban settings.in fiscal year 2025, early learning corps helped 3,151 children ages 3 to 5 build the skills they need to thrive in kindergarten: 90% of prek students met the spring target for early literacy and language skills, and 87% met the target for early numeracy. Since launching in four head start centers in 2003, the program has expanded to 111 sites across Minnesota.bridge2read - bridge2read is a foundational literacy curriculum based on research that will help students learn to read. This comprehensive literacy support program is designed to help teachers and school leaders implement evidence-based reading instruction in entire classrooms. It was created to build on the proven success of reading corps and help bring effective literacy instruction to even more students across Minnesota. Through ongoing coaching, partnership, and continuous improvement informed directly by educators, bridge2read is helping transform literacy instruction across Minnesota. In 2024-2025, more than 1,000 teachers used the program to serve more than 17,000 students, demonstrating the power of collaboration between schools, researchers, funders, and community partners to improve outcomes for students. Bridge2read is recognized as highly aligned with the read act, legislation passed in 2023 that requires schools to provide evidence-based reading instruction focused on foundational reading skills. National replication - serveminnesota provides

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 96.8%; rating input score 97
• Program expense ratio: 97.1%; rating input score 97
• Fundraising efficiency: $84.24 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 82; 82nd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 77th 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; 77th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 0.3%; rating input score 33; 33rd percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.18; rating input score 5; 5th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.37; rating input score 48; 48th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 1.4%; rating input score 68; 68th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 9.4% per year; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 8.8% per year; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 6.8% per year; rating input score 100; 50th percentile among comparable filings