2026-09-21T12:21:50-07:00 2025-12-31 463893925 Walker Giroux & Hahne LLC 225 1st Street N Suite 2400 Virginia MN 55792 990 2025-01-01 410904805 KOOTASCA COMMUNITY ACTION INC KOOT 2189990800 822 NE 5th AVE GRAND RAPIDS MN 55744 MARTA CARRIGAN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 2026-09-21 true Thomas Kelly P01240546 2187494880 2025 822 NE 5th AVE GRAND RAPIDS MN 55744 8028926 false X www.kootasca.org X 1965 MN KOOTASCA Community Action helps individuals, families, and communities fight the multiple causes and challenges of poverty. Community Action changes people's lives, embodies the spirit of hope, improves communities, and makes America a better place to live. 15 15 120 300 0 7986791 7620895 199593 395482 11992 12549 0 8198376 8028926 514566 458581 0 5392647 5269879 0 0 2121377 2109874 8028590 7838334 169786 190592 6269524 6259994 1598651 1402091 4670873 4857903 The mission of KOOTASCA Community Action, Inc. is "Building Community to End Poverty." This is done by helping low income people build assets, providing high quality early childhood education, and engaging the community through collaborative partnerships with other community resources. false false 3866482 Education1) KOOTASCA Head Start is a comprehensive preschool program for low-income children (birth through five years old) in Itasca and Koochiching Counties. It provides children with a developmentally appropriate early childhood education. The program ensures that young children receive health checkups, medical treatment, oral health screenings, and nutritious meals every day. Parents also receive benefits when their children attend our Head Start program. The parents receive guidance from our family advocates and teachers to help support their children at home and to help eliminate barriers to self-sufficiency. Parents learn to create stimulating home environments and engage in educational activities with their children. Head Start services are provided through a variety of program options, including Early Head Start which may serve pregnant women and children up to age three. We have classroom-based programming that is 4-5 days per week for children 3- to 5-years old. Parents of Head Start children are encouraged to volunteer within the program in a variety of ways and can build leadership skills by participating in the Parent Policy Council. Policy Council members are parents of currently enrolled Head Start children. The members act as a link between KOOTASCA Head Start staff and the families that the program serves. The Policy Council must work in partnership with key Head Start management and the KOOTASCA Board of Directors to develop, review, and approve policies; create strategic program directions and decisions; develop criteria for the recruitment, selection, and enrollment of children; and approve funding applications along with personnel and other business-orientated activities that require Policy Council's approval. KOOTASCA Head Start serves 8 infant and toddlers and 187 preschool children with Federal Funding and another 19 children with State funding across Itasca and Koochiching Counties. 2) The Teenage Parent Program (TAPP) began in the Grand Rapids school district in 1971. School districts were mandated by the State of Minnesota to provide educational opportunities to pregnant and parenting teens. In 1993, KOOTASCA Community Action assumed the operation and management of the Teenage Parent Program as the funding allocations to the local school districts for the program declined. The population that TAPP serves is one of our communitys most vulnerable. Pregnant and parenting teens are the most likely to drop out of school, potentially leading to a life in poverty for the teenage parent and his or her child. KOOTASCAs TAPP program provides educational opportunities that count towards credit hours for high school graduation in a variety of settings that best fit the needs of the participant. TAPP provides additional education on topics geared to the pregnant and parenting teen, including: labor and delivery, prenatal nutrition, sudden unexpected infant death syndrome (SUIDS), shaken baby syndrome, birth control and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), cooking, nutrition, personal finances, and budgeting.3) KOOTASCA reviews and updates the community needs assessment annually to determine the greatest areas of local need and adjusts to meet those needs. The 2023 Community Assessment indicated that Koochiching County lacked childcare facilities for infants and toddlers, despite a growing number of infants and toddlers residing in the County. To best meet the needs of families with young children, KOOTASCA Head Start converted 13 Preschool Head Start slots into 8 Infant-Toddler Early Head Start slots. An Infant-Toddler classroom has been in operation since 2021 in International Falls. This has been a positive step in meeting the needs of families. 2330128 Asset Development and Housing: The goal is to build community and organizational capacity allowing all Low to Moderate Income (LMI) households the opportunity for safe affordable housing and increased development of assets. The accomplishments of this strategy for 2025 are as follows:1) The federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) provides primary heat funding to reduce energy burden for LMI households through direct payments to energy vendors. As an assistance program, the payments are made to help keep the households heat on and are targeted to those vendors essential to maintaining the households primary heat source. A crisis component of the program makes additional Crisis funding available to prevent utility disconnections or disruptions in service for delivered heating fuels. An Energy Related Repair (ERR) component of the program provides emergency repair or replacement of non-functioning primary heat sources in emergency (no heat) situations or where health and safety hazards exist. In Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2025/EAP PY25, 3069 households experienced reduced energy burden and safe continuous heat through primary heat funding, 1205 households avoided interruptions in service through crisis funding, and 220 households maintained safe heat through ERR emergency furnace services.2) The federal Department of Energy Weatherization Program (DOE WAP) provides funding to reduce energy burden for LMI households through building shell and mechanical system energy conservation upgrades. Insulation, air infiltration reduction, heating source(s), base loads, and indoor air quality are all addressed through a comprehensive energy audit process. The program also provides client education for low- or no-cost energy savings measures and occupant behaviors. LIHEAP Weatherization and utility-based funds are often braided with DOE WAP and occasionally used independently of DOE WAP allowing for additional unit completions. At the time of this report within the State Fiscal Year of 2025/Wx PY24, a reduced energy burden has been realized for: 14 households utilizing DOE with LIHEAP, and an additional 2 households utilizing LIHEAP only.3) The 2022 Weatherization Assistance Program Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides us additional funding (DOE BIL), which moved into the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) at the federal level in March 2025, through the Department of Energy to serve additional LMI households in reducing their energy burden through building shell and mechanical system energy conservation upgrades. Insulation, air infiltration reduction, heating source(s), base loads, and indoor air quality are all addressed through a comprehensive energy audit process. The program also provides client education for low- or no-cost energy savings measures and occupant behaviors. LIHEAP Weatherization funds are often braided with DOE IIJA funds. At the time of this report within the State Fiscal Year of 2025/Wx PY24, a reduced energy burden has been realized for: 14 households utilizing DOE IIJA with LIHEAP.The goal is to build community and organizational capacity allowing all Low to Moderate Income (LMI) households the opportunity for safe affordable housing and increased development of assets. The accomplishments of this strategy for 2025 are as follows:5) KOOTASCAs Crisis Housing services include the Transitional Housing program and Crisis Rent Assistance program. The Transitional Housing program serves homeless clients with time-limited housing, case management services, and assistance with building skills for self-sufficiency. This program consists of two separate duplex locations dedicated to families and one location dedicated to male housing. Transitional Housing program funds are provided by the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Homelessness, Housing, and Support Services Administration (HHSSA). The Crisis Rent Assistance program provides financial assistance for unhoused or at-risk families and individuals to obtain or maintain rental housing. Minnesota Housing and the Homelessness, Housing, and Support Services Administration provide funding for this program to assist Itasca and Koochiching County clients. Minnesota DHS and the Department of Housing and Urban Development provide funding for assisting unhoused households navigate a path to obtaining a safe and affordable rental unit.In fiscal year 2025, the Transitional Housing program served 6 single men and 5 families with children. 52 un-housed households were moved into permanent housing and homelessness was prevented for an additional 69 households. The total number of households served was 121. 6) Through the MNsure program, KOOTASCAs trained and certified Health Care Navigators assist clients in navigating health care insurance options. Funding for this program is made available through MNsure, Minnesotas health insurance marketplace. In 2025, KOOTASCAs MNsure program successfully navigated health insurance option for 61 clients and assisted an additional 354 individuals with health care eligibility questions.7) In 2025, KOOTASCA helped 10 households attain housing stability through S.O.A.R (SSI/SSDI Outreach Access and Recovery program). 8) During 2025, KOOTASCAs Community Living Infrastructure navigation program housing navigators assisted 16 households with applications, referrals, and support services funded through the Homelessness, Housing, and Support Services Administration through MN DHS. With KOOTASCAs HUD Unsheltered program housing navigators assisted 6 Itasca County household with housing supportive services funded through the Department of Housing and Urban Development.The continued goal is to build community and organizational capacity, allowing all Low- to Moderate-Income (LMI) households the opportunity for safe, affordable housing and increased development of assets. The accomplishments of this strategy for 2025 are as follows:Through Housing Development, KOOTASCA directly develops and supports communities in creating and preserving high-quality affordable housing for very low- and moderate-income individuals and families in rural northeastern Minnesota. This includes housing opportunities for individuals living with disabilities and those experiencing homelessness, ensuring compliance with applicable federal and state housing regulations, including LIHTC and other funding requirements.In 2025, Housing Developments primary focus has been on the asset management and long-term sustainability of the jointly owned and co-developed Alexander Baker Apartments. Activities emphasized maintaining regulatory compliance, ensuring financial viability, and preserving the physical condition and operational integrity of the property to support quality housing outcomes for residents.This effort reflects a strategic emphasis on maintaining high standards and expectation of property performance, compliance, and resident services. Housing Development has assumed an expanded role in asset management due to its proximity to the project and its established community relationships, allowing for greater responsiveness.Oversight activities in 2025 included monitoring of property management and maintenance performance with project staff turnover; analysis of vacancy rates and lease-up trends; evaluation of referral pipelines and tenant selection flow, referral communication systems, communication with property management; and ongoing engagement with community stakeholders and project partners. What we do-KOOTASCA (KCA) assists households achieve the dream of homeownership through affordable housing by providing pre purchase housing counseling, education, and downpayment assistance with an emphasis on serving those facing the greatest barriers to achieving it.Through an in-depth Community Needs Assessment, it clearly documented the need for funding and housing assistance to help LMI populations to secure homeownership. KCA will continue to provide quality Education. A 8-hour course of instruction that leads participants through the challenge of buying a home, all the ABCs in navigating the journey and open pathways. KCA provides one-on-one counseling services which include an evaluation of household income, debt-to-income and affordability. Participants develop a housing plan, set a budget, identify action steps to take to overcome their barriers, share access to resources and complete steps to improve financial capacity specific to their individual needs.KCA can also refer to downpayment program assistance and we offer HOME funds to eligible households. Downpayment and closing cost assistance is identified as one of the biggest barriers to LMI households. We work to qualify households, work with their lender & realtor in obtaining a loan and house that best fits their needs, affordability and goal of homeownership.The HOME assistance, this county-wide program is a model throughout the state and has a direct, positive impact on local famili 169294 Community Engagement: KOOTASCA Community Action engages community partners to advocate for and collaborate on community strategies to fulfill our mission to end poverty. The agency's community engagement strategy includes the following programs.1) KOOTASCAs Circles of Support program provides an opportunity for people in poverty to build social assets and skills and self-empowerment through weekly and monthly meetings for individuals experiencing poverty, as well as non-poor volunteers. In 2025, a total of 238 people participated in 64 meetings and events.2) Big View programming provides education and creates community awareness of poverty-related issues and systemic barriers that make leaving poverty more difficult. In 2025, 98 individuals attended Big View programming across 11 separate events. 6365904 true true false false false false false false false true true false false true false false true false false false false false false false false false false false true false false false false false false false false false false false false false false true false false false true 105 0 false 120 true false false false false false false false 0 false false false false false false false X 15 15 false false false false false false false true true false false true true true true true true true true false MARTA CARRIGAN 2189990800 822 NE 5th AVE GRAND RAPIDS MN 55744 MARTA CARRIGAN Executive Dir. 44.00 0.00 X 115224 0 6847 NOLAN TOME FORMER CFO 44.00 0.00 X 85007 0 11693 MAUREEN ROSATO FORMER ED 44.00 0.00 X 15606 0 806 DAVE HOLMBECK Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 OBED MATUS Secretary 3.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 ALISSIA KENDALL Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 AUSTIN ROHLING Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 CORY SMITH Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 DENNIS BARSNESS Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 RICK BLAKE Chairman 4.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 RICKY ROCHE Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 MOLLY FRENCH VICE CHAIR 3.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 ROMONA JOHNSON Treasurer 3.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 PETE KALAR Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 BOB WILSON Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 STEVE WINKELMAN Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 LYNNSEY ROTERT Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 ROXANNE SKOGSTAD-DITSCH Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 215837 19346 1 false false false ARROWHEAD ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AGENCY 702 3RD AVE S VIRGINIA MN 55792 WX CONTRACT 223718 MN DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 332 MINNESOTA ST E ST PAUL MN 551011351 UNEMPLOYMENT 176302 PAYMENT REMITTANCE CENTER PO BOX 6415 CAROL STREAM IL 601976415 WELLS FARGO MASTER CARD BENEFITS MN DHS MAILROOM 444 LAFAYETTE RD ST PAUL MN 55155 BENEFITS ADMIN 493152 WALKER GIROUX & HAHNE LLC PO BOX 960 VIRGINIA MN 55792 AUDITING 110535 4 6472563 1148332 7620895 PROGRAM, RENTAL, OTHER 624200 395482 395482 395482 12549 12549 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8028926 395482 12549 0 458581 458581 0 0 235184 235184 0 3842778 3276879 565899 153292 132300 20992 742495 613180 129315 296130 236847 59283 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 413682 372557 41125 33448 21971 11477 0 0 0 0 258160 250791 7369 0 CONTRACTUAL 710314 448470 261844 SUPPLIES 386575 373131 13444 MISCELLANEOUS 236597 110099 126498 IN-KIND EXPENSES 71098 71098 0 7838334 6365904 1472430 0 50 50 642276 632787 675202 884001 154230 84332 0 0 0 0 80685 34940 5144213 1007531 4265278 4136682 0 0 0 0 451803 487202 6269524 6259994 640930 541419 957721 859393 1279 1598651 1402091 X 4668617 4852912 2256 4991 4670873 4857903 6269524 6259994 X 190592 -33 -3529 X false true X true true true X 8350315 10923088 9442639 7986791 7620895 44323728 0 0 8350315 10923088 9442639 7986791 7620895 44323728 0 44323728 1464 776 1784 1787 2169 7980 0 95507 176277 319094 199593 395482 1185953 45517661 0.97380 0.98210 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 131764 15325 4945 1335 140809 127003 10542 5444 337 131764 119759 1000 12786 5315 1227 127003 142203 -16019 5180 1245 119759 130412 18104 4958 1355 142203 true false false 106100 106100 4499223 701606 3797617 523072 305925 217147 15818 15818 4136682 ALEXANDER BAKER GP LLC -15577 BENEFICIAL INTEREST (ENDOWMENT FUND) 142144 RESTRICTED CASH 360635 487202 8028893 -33 -33 8028926 8028926 7838334 7838334 7838334 false 0 0 MORTGAGE/RENT/SECURITY DEPOSITS 228 319961 CLOSING COSTS/DOWN PAYMENTS 12 96000 CLIENT TRANSPORTATION/VEHICLE REPAI 12 450 ESSENTIAL NEEDS ASSISTANCE 39 41149 UTILITY DEPOSITS 5 787 BACKGROUND CHECK/EXPUNGEMENT FEE 6 234 Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 11b The IRS Form 990 is presented in draft form to the Board of Directors at a regular meeting of the Board or the Board's Finance Committee. The Board members have the opportunity to review and suggest changes prior to the filing of the final copy of the Form 990 with the IRS. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 12c Management reviews the conflict of interest policy at every annual Board meeting and each Board member signs a conflict of interest statement at that time. Potential conflicts are reported to the Board of Directors. The Board shall determine whether the activity, relationship, or financial interest constitutes a conflict of interest and may impose limitations upon the affected Board members to ensure that a conflict does not arise. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 15a Salaries for all staff, including the Executive Director and any key employees, are reviewed by utilizing salary surveys done by the Human Resources department. Sources of information are from other Community Action Agencies, the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits salary and benefits survey, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics for KOOTASCA's service area. The survey was performed by reviewing compensation for similar positions within similar-sized organizations in the region KOOTASCA is located. Using these surveys, a range of reasonable compensation is determined and the results are presented to the Board for review and approval. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 15b Salaries for all staff, including the Executive Director and any key employees, are reviewed by utilizing salary surveys done by the Human Resources department. Sources of information are from other Community Action Agencies, the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits salary and benefits survey, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics for KOOTASCA's service area. The survey was performed by reviewing compensation for similar positions within similar-sized organizations in the region KOOTASCA is located. Using these surveys, a range of reasonable compensation is determined and the results are presented to the Board for review and approval. Form 990, Part VI, Section C, Line 19 The governing documents, conflicts of interest policy, and financial statements are made available upon request at our offices located at 822 NE 5th Ave, Grand Rapids, MN. Also, KOOTASCA's information is available on the following websites: Minnesota Attorney General and GuideStar. Form 990, Part XI, Line 9 LOSS ON DISPOSAL OF PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT = -$3529 ALEXANDER BAKER GP LLC 614 N 1ST STREET SUITE 100 MINNEAPOLIS MN 55401 881400774 HOUSING MN N/A -33 -15577 0.49000 false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false