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Nonprofiteer
← MISSISSIPPI PARK CONNECTION

Form 990 for tax year 2024

Filed by MISSISSIPPI PARK CONNECTION.

Totals

Total revenue
$1,781,239
Total expenses
$1,342,957
Contributions and grants received
$1,506,573
Grants paid
$9,000
Program service revenue
$82,744
Investment income
$190,321
Other revenue
$1,601
Total assets, end of year
$5,629,863
Total liabilities, end of year
$156,691
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$5,473,172
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$1,048,908
Management and general expenses
$167,803
Fundraising expenses
$126,246
Program service expenses (Part III)
$1,048,908

Program services were 78.1% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

  • 1c · Fundraising events

    $56,569

  • 1e · Government grants (contributions)

    $337,031

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $1,112,973

  • 1g · Noncash contributions included above

    $8,103

  • 2a · Program service revenue: Paddle Share

    total $47,526 · related or exempt $47,526

  • 2b · Program service revenue: Youth Education

    total $35,218 · related or exempt $35,218

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $89,303 · excluded $89,303

  • 7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory

    securities $101,018

  • 7b · Less cost or other basis and sales expenses

    securities $0

  • 7c · Gain or loss

    securities $101,018

  • 7d · Net gain or loss

    total $101,018 · excluded $101,018

  • 8a · Fundraising events: gross income

    $25,370

  • 8a · Fundraising events: contributions included on line 1c

    $56,569

  • 8b · Fundraising events: direct expenses

    $23,769

  • 8c · Net income from fundraising events

    total $1,601 · excluded $1,601

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 1 · Grants to domestic organizations and governments

    total $9,000 · program services $9,000

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $233,942 · program services $171,735 · management and general $28,336 · fundraising $33,871

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $416,190 · program services $306,140 · management and general $49,352 · fundraising $60,698

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $16,470 · program services $11,640 · management and general $2,766 · fundraising $2,064

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $35,645 · program services $25,193 · management and general $5,986 · fundraising $4,466

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $54,922 · program services $38,429 · management and general $8,777 · fundraising $7,716

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $4,455 · management and general $4,455

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $29,750 · management and general $29,750

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $350,454 · program services $344,297 · management and general $4,955 · fundraising $1,202

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $2,988 · program services $2,988

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $23,231 · program services $15,777 · management and general $6,278 · fundraising $1,176

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $22,171 · program services $11,253 · management and general $9,418 · fundraising $1,500

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $10,900 · program services $5,201 · management and general $4,875 · fundraising $824

  • 17 · Travel

    total $18,717 · program services $11,665 · management and general $7,011 · fundraising $41

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $2,047 · program services $1,450 · management and general $502 · fundraising $95

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $1,729 · management and general $1,729

  • 24a · Other expenses: Supplies

    total $84,217 · program services $76,114 · management and general $0 · fundraising $8,103

  • 24b · Other expenses: Subscriptions and membe

    total $14,182 · program services $6,333 · management and general $3,359 · fundraising $4,490

  • 24c · Other expenses: Equipment and maintenan

    total $5,106 · program services $5,106 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0

  • 24d · Other expenses: Permits and licenses

    total $3,630 · program services $3,630 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0

  • 24e · All other expenses

    total $3,211 · program services $2,957 · management and general $254

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $174,983 · end of year $406,241

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $86,025 · end of year $185,814

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $285,488 · end of year $366,901

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $527 · end of year $744

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $5,996 · end of year $12,489

  • 10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis

    $318,191

  • 10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation

    $318,191

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $0

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $4,305,330 · end of year $4,657,674

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $73,935 · end of year $156,691

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $3,920,399 · end of year $4,430,134

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $864,015 · end of year $1,043,038

Mission and programs · 2024

Mission

The mission of the Mississippi Park Connection (MPC) is to strengthen the enduring connection between people and the Mississippi River by enriching the life of the river and the lives of all who experience the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (The National Park). MPC is a 501(c)(3) organization. Mississippi River Paddle Share, LLC, is wholly owned by MPC. MPC engages private citizens, public and private foundations, and industry sources to support the activities of the National Park Service and its partners to enhance the National Park and Mississippi River by: Raising funds to support the National Park's programs. Increasing awareness of the National Park and the Mississippi River. Providing community connection, expertise, and inspiration for the National Park.

Activities or mission (Part I)

Mississippi Park Connection strengthens the enduring connection between people and the Mississippi River by enriching the life of the river and the lives of all who experience our National Park, the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area.

  • Community Programs and Engagement:MPC's community programs and engagement nurture deep relationships with communities and co-created programs to develop affinities between people and the Mississippi River. MPC collaborates with the National Park Service to coordinate and promote community engagement events year-round, providing accessible and positive experiences at the park for the public. In FY2025, Mississippi Park Connection expanded its community programming and engagement to connect with broader and more diverse audiences in meaningful river-based experiences. The organization advanced several new and existing initiatives, including planning for Float Fest 2025, a large-scale, river-centered celebration designed to reshape public perception of the Mississippi River and encourage recreational use. Additional programs such as Winter Day of Play and the Wild and Scenic Film Festival fostered seasonal engagement and community connection. MPC also prioritized community-based programming, including a Juneteenth paddle and partnerships, ensuring programming reflected and served historically underrepresented communities.

    Expenses $324,750

  • Environmental Stewardship:MPC's environmental stewardship programs connect people to the river through conscientious, hands-on stewardship activities that protect and restore the Mississippi River's cherished natural and cultural resources. MPC expands the National Park's capacity to conduct environmental restoration and field work that benefit the river and seeks out best stewardship practices of the ecological resources within the park.MPC's environmental stewardship efforts in FY2025 focused on habitat restoration, climate resilience, and volunteer engagement across the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. The Mississippi River Conservation Corps, including a youth cohort, contributed significantly to land management and restoration activities in partnership with the National Park Service and other stakeholders. The organization planted over 1,000 climate-adapted and culturally significant trees and continued advancing the Adaptive Silviculture for Climate Change project, including completing a multi-year summary report and sharing findings with a national audience. Additional progress included onboarding an AmeriCorps member to support forestry and restoration work and expanding volunteer-led stewardship events.

    Expenses $321,868 · Revenue $35,218

  • Paddle Share:Paddle Share is a self-serve kayak sharing system in the Twin Cities metro area that provides opportunities for users to rent a kayak and paddle to a destination downriver. Through operating partnerships with agencies and organizations throughout the National Park Service corridor, Paddle Share connects people directly to the river through outdoor recreation. In FY2025, Paddle Share remained a cornerstone program for increasing equitable access to the Mississippi River. MPC focused on system improvements, partner engagement, and operational enhancements, including convening partners for an end-of-season evaluation and preparing infrastructure for future growth. The program continued to evolve through new partnerships to develop culturally responsive, skill-based paddling instruction that integrates water safety. These efforts aim to reduce barriers to participation and expand access among underrepresented communities. MPC also continued to invest in operational capacity and strategic planning to strengthen Paddle Share's long-term sustainability and impact.

    Expenses $175,375 · Revenue $47,526

  • Youth Education:MPC supports the National Park's outdoor education and recreation programs for students throughout the community. MPC's outdoor and online youth education programs provide a fresh, hands-on approach to the ways learning can be integrated with the outdoors, empowering students to become avid learners, and enabling them to begin building a lifelong relationship with the river. Youth education remained a core component of MPC's mission in FY2025, with continued investment in programs that connect students to the Mississippi River through experiential learning. Programs such as Big River Journey saw strong participation, with over 1,300 students engaged in hands-on environmental education experiences. MPC also supported access to these programs through transportation scholarships and stipends for River Educators, helping reduce barriers for schools and communities. Staff participation in national learning networks and exposure to best practices such as visiting new education facilities and engaging in professional development further strengthened program quality and innovation. These efforts ensured that youth education programming remained impactful, accessible, and aligned with both environmental and community outcomes.

    Expenses $110,603 · Grants $9,000

  • River Learning Center:Serving as the future National Park Service programming headquarters, the Mississippi River Learning Center (RLC) will be a one-of-a-kind space for environmental and cultural learning and a recreational gateway to the Mississippi River, welcoming Saint Paul residents as well as visitors from across the region, nation, and the world to experience the land, water, and culture of the Mississippi River. MPC is assisting with fundraising, awareness, and public programming at the future site of the Mississippi River Learning Center. In FY2025, MPC completed a comprehensive feasibility study assessing campaign readiness, donor potential, and organizational capacity, while also progressing design development in collaboration with project partners. MPC hosted and participated in community engagement opportunities to gather public input and build awareness of the project, while also organizing community events at the site.

    Expenses $108,591

  • National Park Service:In fiscal year 2025, the Organization continued to strengthen its role as the official philanthropic partner of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area by directly supporting critical National Park Service programmatic and operational needs through Friends Funds. These flexible funds are designated by the board of directors to help address funding gaps and constraints during a period of federal uncertainty, enabling continued progress on key park initiatives. The Organization established and managed these funds to support program delivery, natural resource management, interpretation, volunteer engagement, and special park projects. Friends Funds helped offset park operational limitations related to purchasing and staffing restrictions, ensuring continuity of public programming and restoration efforts throughout the park corridor. Friends Funds also allow the park to meet local programmatic needs not currently funded at the federal level, expanding the park's capacity to connect more people to the Mississippi River.

    Expenses $7,721

As filed on the 2024 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

  • Ramesh Sairam

    Chair

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Cathy Jordan

    Vice Chair

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Courtney Anderson

    Treasurer

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Peter Ebnet

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Andy Rodriguez

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Mangala Acharya

    Former Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Barry Clegg

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Rebecca Haddad

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Sam Holsen

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Lisa Keitel

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Isadora Blanche

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Anna Sullivan

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Amanda Wigen

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Ellen Reed

    Executive Director

    Total calculated
    $138,385
    From this org
    $130,000
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $8,385
    Hours/week
    40

  • Anna Waugh

    Assistant Director

    Total calculated
    $111,722
    From this org
    $106,459
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $5,263
    Hours/week
    40

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Taxable family on this return

Schedule R Parts I, III and IV, as filed. These record ownership and control, not shared board members or money moved.

Disregarded entities

Part I: entities that legally are the filer and file no return of their own.

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2024
Filed
12 August 2026
IRS schema version
2024v5.5
Source object
202632269349302153

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