2026-04-09T16:12:43-04:00 2026-01-31 990 2025-02-01 822097995 Living Earth Center LIVI 5073894272 1603 N Riverfront Dr Mankato MN 56001 Melissa Martensen Finance Manager 5079958962 2026-04-10 2025 2025-03-06 01:10:19Z Laura Peterson 1603 N Riverfront Dr Mankato MN 56001 344397 false X https: www.livingearthcentermn.org X 2017 MN Living Earth Center connects people to the land and to each other through the growing of food and community classes and events. We operate four community growing spaces offer educational programming for youth and adults and host multiple community gatherings throughout the year. 13 13 6 150 0 0 197505 307086 15122 16368 18958 20943 -190 0 231395 344397 0 0 0 0 94791 210085 0 11135 13052 69352 114288 164143 335508 67252 8889 243164 252053 0 0 243164 252053 Living Earth Center brings people of all traditions together to cultivate common ground and seek justice through education encounter and community agriculture. false false 14906 0 7323 Garden Consulting - Living Earth Center LEC works with community partners to design implement and manage community gardens on site at partners location. 69309 0 4783 Events and Programming - This includes our annual Earth Conference a variety of educational classes offered throughout the year including our Seed to Sauce Youth Gardening Program Summer and Winter Solstice Celebrations Seed and Food Swaps and more. 26671 1120 3822 Living Earth Center Community Garden - LECs 2 acre community garden is home to over 100 gardeners and their families who rent plots to grow their own produce. We have a Gardening Scholarship Program so that no one is turned away for inability to pay. We also offer plots to other community partners interested in having a group plot in the garden free of charge through our Garden Partnership Program. 60846 0 440 Other program services include: Produce Donation Program and Emerging Growers Program. The $440 listed as income is from Emerging Grower fee payments 60846 0 440 171732 true true false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false true false false false false false false false true false false false true 13 0 true 6 true false false false false false false false 0 false false false false false false false false false false 13 13 false false false false false false true true true false false true true true true true false true true false MN WA X Melissa Martensen 5079958962 19037 37th Ave NE Lake Forest Park WA 98155 Amanda Quam Board Chair 3.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Briana Parr-Baker Board Vice Chair 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Sabri Fair Board Secretary 2.00 40.00 X 0 68714 0 Krista Eichhorst Board Treasurer 3.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Ben Elston Board Member 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Brenda Flannery Board Member 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Patrice Halbach Board Member 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Monse Perez-Barrios Board Member 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Paul Prew Board Member 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Josh Reinitz Board Member 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Kristin Scott Board Member 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Kathleen Storms Board Member 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Madison Vandersee Board Member 4.00 0.00 X 780 0 0 Laura Marsala Peterson Executive Director 40.00 0.00 X 85776 0 0 Cora Uyigue Program Manager 25.00 0.00 X 22982 0 0 Melissa Martensen Finance Manager 25.00 0.00 X 22500 0 0 132038 68714 0 0 false false false 0 0 0 164127 13898 129061 0 307086 Garden Consulting 561730 7323 7323 0 0 Events and Programming 611699 4783 4783 0 0 Community Gardens 111998 3822 3822 0 0 Emerging Growers 111998 440 440 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 16368 20943 0 0 20943 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 344397 16368 0 20943 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 17726 0 17726 0 0 0 0 0 174596 112556 62040 0 3600 0 3600 0 0 0 0 0 14163 9069 5094 0 36955 0 36955 0 0 0 0 0 1283 0 1283 0 0 0 0 0 11135 11135 1400 0 1400 0 23773 22713 1060 0 0 0 0 0 4580 188 4392 0 9715 3955 5760 0 323 0 323 0 17680 12376 5304 0 642 532 110 0 0 0 0 0 1133 198 935 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5012 2993 2019 0 Program Supplies (farm, garden, classes, events) 7090 7090 0 0 Bulk Mailings (no postage) 4026 0 2109 1917 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 676 62 614 0 335508 171732 150724 13052 0 0 0 0 14051 11728 74885 92413 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 144228 137912 10000 10000 0 0 0 0 0 0 243164 252053 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X 204603 241977 38561 10076 243164 252053 243164 252053 8889 0 0 0 0 0 X false false false X 64667 76491 88652 197505 307086 734401 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 64667 76491 88652 197505 307086 734401 83135 651266 1181 0 1315 20782 20943 44221 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 778622 0 0.8364 0.8997 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED Sabri Fair Board Member 28992 Grant funding awarded to LEC from Region 9 Development Commission false Part V | PartandLinenumber:,Explanation:| Part IV Line 1,Sabri Fair is a Living Earth Center LEC Board Member who works for Region 9 Development Commission as an Environmental Sustainability Planner. He was the lead applicant on Region 9s Local Food Purchase Assistance Grant of which LEC is a sub-awardee and received $21,267 in grant payments in 2025. Through his role at Region 9 Sabri played a role in budget breakdown and budget amendments for this grant. Region 9 also partnered with South Central Minnesota Initiative Foundation on a Grow-a-Farmer Grant Program. LEC was awarded $7,725 through this program paid through Region 9. Through his role at Region 9 Sabri was lead decision maker on awarding grant funding.| Part VI, Section B, Line 1 As of the end of the 25 26 fiscal year Living Earth Center LEC had $137,912 invested in Mankato Area Foundation MAF Agency Funds. These funds are invested in MAFs portfolio with oversight from the MAF Investment Committee and Board of Directors. Part VI, Line 7b Since LEC is a sponsored ministry of School Sisters of Notre Dame SSND our bylaws require a two-tiered board with the SSND Provincial Council having the following powers: a approves LECs articles of Incorporation and Bylaws and any amendment restatement or revisions. b Approves the choice of the Executive Director. c Approves the choice of members of the Board of Directors. d Approves the annual budget. e Approves the sale or aquisition of real estate property. f Approves long-term financing. Part VI, Line 11a 990 is prepared by Finance Manager then goes to Board Treasurer and Finance Committee for review and approval. Once approval is given 990 goes to full Board for review and vote to approve then 990 is submitted. Part VI, Line 12c LEC Board Members and Staff fill out a conflict of interest form when term or employment begins. The form is reviewed and updated if necessary on an annual basis. If a conflict of interest arises during the year that person is responsible for bringing the issue to the attention of the Executive Director. Part VI, Line 15 LECs Executive Directors salary is periodically compared by our Governance Committee to other Minnesota nonprofits to ensure fair compensation. The last salary review was in 2023 and at that time the LEC Board approved a salary increase to be inline with other Executive Director salaries in the region. The Executive Director receives an average annual cost of living increase of 4%. Our Executive Director sets hourly employees pay rate with approval from the Board. All hourly employees of LEC are paid at the same rate and receive an average 4% cost of living increase annually. Part VI, Line 19 LECs 990 returns are available on our website all other documents are available upon request. Part IV Line 11 | Explanation:| 990 is prepared by LEC Finance Manager then goes to Board Treasurer and Finance Committee for review and approval. Once the Finance Committee has approved it goes before the full Board of Directors for a vote of approval before submission. Part VII General | Explanation:| line 3: Sabri Fair is employed by Region 9 Development Commission from whom LEC has received grant funding. For more details please see Schedule L Part IV and V. Part VII General | Explanation:| line 13: Board Member Madison Vandersee works as an independent contractor taking photos at LEC events and helping with social media. She is compensated at $20 hour and annual payments will not exceed the $3,000 threshold as outlined in LEC bylaws. School Sisters of Notre Dame Central Pacific Province 320 E Ripa Ave St Louis MO 63125 451296033 Religious order MO 501(C)(3) Charity Status 1 N/A false false false true false false false false false false false false false false true false false false false false School Sisters of Notre Dame Central Pacific Province C 129849 total sum of donations received Part II Line 1 LEC is a Sponsored Ministry of School Sisters of Notre Dame Central Pacific Province SSND CP our bylaws require a two-tiered Board with the SSND CP Provincial Council having the following powers: a Approves LECs Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws and any amendment restatement or revisions. bApproves the choice of Executive Director. cApproves the members of the Board of Directors. d Approves the annual budget. e Approves the sale of acquisition of real estate property. e Approves long-term financing.