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Nonprofiteer
← GREAT NORTH INNOCENCE PROJECT

Form 990 for tax year 2022

Filed by GREAT NORTH INNOCENCE PROJECT.

Totals

Total revenue
$828,237
Total expenses
$1,254,561
Contributions and grants received
$877,220
Grants paid
$0
Program service revenue
$0
Investment income
$129
Other revenue
-$49,112
Total assets, end of year
$1,332,920
Total liabilities, end of year
$64,106
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$1,268,814
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$1,058,676
Management and general expenses
$90,859
Fundraising expenses
$105,026
Program service expenses (Part III)
$1,058,676

Program services were 84.4% 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

    $274,543

  • 1e · Government grants (contributions)

    $145,642

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $457,035

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $129 · excluded $129

  • 8a · Fundraising events: gross income

    $29,200

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

    $274,543

  • 8b · Fundraising events: direct expenses

    $78,312

  • 8c · Net income from fundraising events

    total -$49,112 · excluded -$49,112

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $122,027 · program services $95,832 · management and general $10,217 · fundraising $15,978

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $361,957 · program services $284,257 · management and general $30,306 · fundraising $47,394

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $18,759 · program services $14,680 · management and general $1,609 · fundraising $2,470

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $86,007 · program services $47,832 · management and general $26,084 · fundraising $12,091

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $35,343 · program services $27,775 · management and general $2,950 · fundraising $4,618

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $51,798 · program services $40,679 · management and general $4,337 · fundraising $6,782

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $23,412 · program services $18,387 · management and general $1,960 · fundraising $3,065

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $19,936 · program services $7,363 · management and general $3,807 · fundraising $8,766

  • 17 · Travel

    total $38,744 · program services $38,044 · management and general $605 · fundraising $95

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $6,433 · program services $353 · management and general $6,080

  • 24a · Other expenses: CONVICTION REVIEW UNIT

    total $393,600 · program services $393,600

  • 24b · Other expenses: PROGRAM EXPENSES

    total $78,300 · program services $78,300

  • 24c · Other expenses: BANK CHARGES AND CC PRO

    total $7,652 · program services $5,062 · management and general $2,405 · fundraising $185

  • 24d · Other expenses: MEMBERSHIP DUES

    total $4,681 · program services $3,251 · management and general $474 · fundraising $956

  • 24e · All other expenses

    total $5,912 · program services $3,261 · management and general $25 · fundraising $2,626

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $1,556,127 · end of year $1,080,564

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $255,700 · end of year $1,000

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $13,313 · end of year $13,976

  • 12 · Investments: other securities

    end of year $237,380

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $117,381 · end of year $64,106

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $1,401,092 · end of year $1,172,473

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $306,667 · end of year $96,341

Mission and programs · 2022

Mission

THE GREAT NORTH INNOCENCE PROJECT WORKS TO FREE THE WRONGFULLY CONVICTED AND PREVENT FUTURE WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS FROM OCCURING IN MINNESOTA, NORTH DAKOTA, AND SOUTH DAKOTA.

Activities or mission (Part I)

WE WORK TO FREE THE WRONGFULLY CONVICTED AND PREVENT FUTURE WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS FROM OCCURRING. WE ALSO EDUCATE ATTORNEYS AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS TO PREVENT WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS AND OTHER UNJUST RESULTS IN CRIMINAL CASES.

  • EACH YEAR OUR TEAM WORKS DILIGENTLY TO SCREEN HUNDREDS OF REQUESTS FOR HELP, TO GIVE FREEDOM BACK TO PEOPLE IN PRISON FOR CRIMES THEY DID NOT COMMIT. GREAT NORTH INNOCENCE PROJECT STAFF, LAW STUDENTS, INVESTIGATORS, AND VOLUNTEER ATTORNEYS SPEND THOUSANDS OF HOURS CAREFULLY ANALYZING THESE CASES TO DETERMINE WHETHER THERE IS NEW EVIDENCE THAT COULD SHOW ACTUAL INNOCENCE. WE LITIGATE CASES WHERE NEWLY DISCOVERED EVIDENCE IS IDENTIFIABLE AND CAN PROVIDE CLEAR AND CONVINCING PROOF OF ACTUAL INNOCENCE. THE GREAT NORTH INNOCENCE PROJECT ALSO WORKS TO IMPROVE THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM TO PREVENT WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS AND EDUCATES LAW STUDENTS, THE COURTS, LAWYERS, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ON THE CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS AND HOW TO PREVENT THEM.LAST YEAR, WE RESPONDED TO HUNDREDS OF PHONE CALLS, EMAILS, AND LETTERS REQUESTING INFORMATION ON OUR SERVICES. WE RECEIVED 161 LETTERS REQUESTING OUR ASSISTANCE AND SENT 86 APPLICANT QUESTIONNAIRES IN RESPONSE TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS FOLLOWING OUR INITIAL SCREENING OF THE LETTERS RECEIVED. WE RECEIVED 57 COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRES BACK FROM APPLICANTS. WE SCREENED AND INVESTIGATED THOSE REQUESTS. LAST YEAR, AS IS TYPICAL FOR THE GREAT NORTH INNOCENCE PROJECT, WE HAD MORE THAN 75 CASES OPENED IN SCREENING AND INVESTIGATION, AND APPROXIMATELY 6 CASES OPEN IN SOME FORM OF LITIGATION, COURT-ORDERED DNA TESTING, OR FORMAL REVIEW BY THE MINNESOTA CONVICTION REVIEW UNIT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.ONE OF THOSE CLIENTS, ROBERT KAISER, WAS FREED IN MAY 2022 AFTER GN-IP PREVAILED IN ITS EFFORT TO HAVE HIS MURDER CONVICTION VACATED.THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MINNESOTA ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE, WE CREATED, IMPLEMENTED, AND IN 2022 PROVIDED ONGOING SUPPORT FOR, A STATEWIDE CONVICTION REVIEW UNIT TO PROVIDE A POTENTIAL ADDITIONAL AVENUE FOR RELIEF FOR PEOPLE CLAIMING THEY ARE WRONGFULLY CONVICTED. WE REACHED APPROXIMATELY SEVENTY-FIVE (75) STUDENTS THROUGH CLASSES AND CLINICS TAUGHT AT LAW SCHOOLS, PROVIDED COMMUNITY AND CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION TO MORE THAN 500 PEOPLE, AND GOT A LAW PASSED IN NORTH DAKOTA TO STUDY LAW ENFORCEMENT PRACTICES REGARDING THE RECORDING OF CUSTODIAL INTERROGATIONS.. WE ALSO ACTIVELY ADVOCATED FOR OTHER IMPROVEMENTS TO THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEMS IN SOUTH DAKOTA AND MINNESOTA.

    Expenses $1,058,676

As filed on the 2022 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

  • Jon M Hopeman

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1.5
  • John Kingrey

    DIRECTOR/CO-CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    6.5
  • John Hart

    DIRECTOR/TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    4
  • Christopher Madel

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1.5
  • Eileen Rice

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1.5
  • James Volling

    SECRETARY

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1.5
  • Timothy Walsh

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1.5
  • Laurie Eibensteiner

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1.5
  • Lea Harpster

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1.5
  • Kenneth Udoibok

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1.5
  • Kevin Riach

    CO-CHAIR/DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    6.5
  • Beth Forsythe

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1.5
  • Kaarin Nelson Schaffer

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1.5
  • Jackie Cherryhomes-Tyler

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1.5
  • Manny Atwal

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1.5
  • Jr Laplante

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1.5
  • Adam Martin

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1.5
  • Rachel Bond

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1.5
  • Tara Duginske

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1.5
  • Lindsey Thomas MD

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1.5
  • Sara Jones

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $151,569
    From this org
    $122,027
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $29,542
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $122,027
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $5,336
    Nontaxable benefits
    $24,206
    Filer's total
    $151,569

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. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Answered yes

  • 3 · Approval by the board or compensation committee

Answered no

  • 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
  • 4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan
  • 4c · Equity-based compensation arrangement
  • 5a · Pay contingent on this organization's revenues
  • 5b · Pay contingent on a related organization's revenues
  • 6a · Pay contingent on this organization's net earnings
  • 6b · Pay contingent on a related organization's net earnings
  • 7 · Other non-fixed payments
  • 8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2022
Filed
11 October 2023
IRS schema version
2022v5.0
Source object
202332969349300758

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