2026-08-14T10:58:16-05:00 2025-09-30 411397419 Abdo LLP 5201 Eden Ave Ste 250 Edina MN 55436 990 2024-10-01 870786530 Mississippi Park Connection MISS 6512918164 111 Kellogg Blvd E Ste 105 St Paul MN 55101 Ellen Reed Executive Director 6512918164 2026-08-12 1 1 Steven D Anseth CPA P00552219 9528359090 2026-08-05 2024 2025-03-06 01:10:19Z Ellen Reed 111 Kellogg Blvd E Ste 105 St Paul MN 55101 1805008 0 X parkconnection.org X 2007 MN 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. 12 12 18 1293 0 0 1338130 1506573 95671 82744 137893 190321 -27289 1601 1544405 1781239 10000 9000 0 0 806827 757169 52544 0 126246 644113 576788 1513484 1342957 30921 438282 4858349 5629863 73935 156691 4784414 5473172 X 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. 0 0 324750 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. 321868 35218 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. 175375 47526 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. 110603 9000 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. 108591 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. 7721 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. 226915 9000 1048908 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 17 0 1 18 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 X 12 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 MN X X The Organization 6512918164 111 Kellogg Blvd E Ste 105 St Paul MN 55101 Ramesh Sairam Chair 2.00 X X 0 0 0 Cathy Jordan Vice Chair 2.00 X X 0 0 0 Courtney Anderson Treasurer 2.00 X X 0 0 0 Peter Ebnet Board Member 1.00 X 0 0 0 Andy Rodriguez Board Member 1.00 X 0 0 0 Mangala Acharya Former Board Member 1.00 X 0 0 0 Barry Clegg Board Member 1.00 X 0 0 0 Rebecca Haddad Board Member 1.00 X 0 0 0 Sam Holsen Board Member 1.00 X 0 0 0 Lisa Keitel Board Member 1.00 X 0 0 0 Isadora Blanche Board Member 1.00 X 0 0 0 Anna Sullivan Board Member 1.00 X 0 0 0 Amanda Wigen Board Member 1.00 X 0 0 0 Ellen Reed Executive Director 40.00 X 130000 0 8385 Anna Waugh Assistant Director 40.00 X 106459 0 5263 236459 0 13648 2 0 0 0 Conservation Corps 60 Plato Blvd St Paul MN 55107 Habitat Restoration 118419 Paddle Bridge LLC 3519 E 42nd St Minneapolis MN 55406 Watercraft Transport Services 108645 2 56569 337031 1112973 8103 1506573 Paddle Share 900099 47526 47526 Youth Education 900099 35218 35218 82744 89303 89303 101018 0 101018 101018 101018 25370 56569 23769 1601 1601 1781239 82744 0 191922 X 9000 9000 233942 171735 28336 33871 416190 306140 49352 60698 16470 11640 2766 2064 35645 25193 5986 4466 54922 38429 8777 7716 4455 4455 29750 29750 350454 344297 4955 1202 2988 2988 23231 15777 6278 1176 22171 11253 9418 1500 10900 5201 4875 824 18717 11665 7011 41 2047 1450 502 95 1729 1729 Supplies 84217 76114 0 8103 Subscriptions and membe 14182 6333 3359 4490 Equipment and maintenan 5106 5106 0 0 Permits and licenses 3630 3630 0 0 3211 2957 254 1342957 1048908 167803 126246 174983 406241 86025 185814 285488 366901 527 744 5996 12489 318191 318191 0 0 4305330 4657674 4858349 5629863 73935 156691 73935 156691 X 3920399 4430134 864015 1043038 4784414 5473172 4858349 5629863 438282 250476 0 X X 0 1 X 1 0 X 979619 1266633 1164030 1338130 1506573 6254985 6360 6360 6360 6360 6360 31800 985979 1272993 1170390 1344490 1512933 6286785 6286785 477246 54988 66933 83438 89303 771908 7058693 494171 0.89060 0.84830 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 4211889 2129 440139 100844 4553313 3537951 809998 136060 4211889 3220800 381459 64308 3537951 3575543 472527 -732409 94861 3220800 3220640 476727 121824 3575543 0.86440 0.13560 0 0 318191 318191 0 0 X Part V, Line 4: The Organization's endowment funds are to be used to support programs and projects that benefit the Mississippi River and the National Park Service. Intended uses of the endowment funds include, but are not limited to, general operations, education programs, junior rangers, scientific monitoring, water quality, general stewardship, species protection, and habitat restoration. Part X, Line 2: MPC is classified as a tax-exempt Organization under Minnesota Statute 290.05 and Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, is exempt from private foundation status under Section 509(A)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code, and is subject to income taxes only on net unrelated business income. Management believes MPC did not have any unrelated business income or uncertain tax positions. X X X X X X X 1 Creative Fundraising Advisors 1041 Grand Ave Suite 225 St Paul MN 55105 Analyzing current donors and creating fundraising packets 0 0 70044 -70044 70044 -70044 MN Picnic in the Park 76574 55934 20640 6461 10377 1500 2206 Bigger River Journey 4480 4480 2720 300 1 885 635 250 205 81939 56569 25370 6461 13097 1500 2711 23769 1601 Form 990, Part VI, Section B, line 11b MPC gives the audit firm the necessary information to prepare the 990. A draft of the 990 is reviewed by management, management reviews the 990 with the Board Exective Committee and then with the full Board of Directors. The Board of Directors has final approval of the 990. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, line 12c Board members are asked if there are any conflicts before voting on sensitive issues like a grant to an Organization. If a conflict is discovered, that board member is excluded from voting on the issue. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, line 15a The Executive Director's salary is routinely reviewed by the finance committee. The salary review includes a review of recent salary surveys and comparisons to positions in similarly sized organization in the geographic location. Recommendations of the finance committee are forwarded to the full board for approval. Form 990, Part VI, Section C, line 19 Governing documents are registered with the Minnesota Secretary of State's office, and are available to the public. Financial statements can be obtained through Federal and Minnesota State offices. Conflict of interest policy must be requested from the Organizations website. Form 990, Part IX, line 11g Contractors: Program service expenses 344,297. Management and general expenses 4,955. Fundraising expenses 1,202. Total expenses 350,454. Form 990, Part XII, Line 2c: This process has not changed from the prior year. Mississippi River Paddle Share LLC 111 Kellogg Blvd East Saint Paul MN 55101 870786530 Aquatic Activity Rental MN 127526 69108 Mississippi Park Connection