Ucare Foundation

“Ucare foundation has an administrative service agreement with ucare minnesota to provide overall management and administration of ucare foundation's business. Ucare foundation's business includes, but is not limited to, accounting, investment management, and grant administration services. For the year ended december 31, 2024, ucare minnesota provided these services to ucare foundation as a donation of their time and talent. The value of these services aren't reflected as non-cash contributions on part viii, line 1 as the irs doesn't allow for the reporting of donated services in the form 990.”

“The sole member of this corporation is ucare minnesota, a minnesota nonprofit corporation.”

“The sole corporate member of ucare foundation is ucare minnesota, which elects the directors for the ucare foundation.”

“The following rights are reserved to the power of the member of the organization: (1) the number of board of members, (2) the terms of each board member, (3) any elected or appointed director may be removed from office with or without cause by the member, (4) vacancies in the board of directors shall be filled by the member, (5) appoint an executive committee, (6) appoint a finance and audit committee, (7) appoint individuals to serve as the ucare foundation council.”

“The form 990 was prepared by the controller and reviewed by an independent accounting firm. Ucare provided a copy and reviewed the detail of the completed 990 form with the board's finance and audit committee. Ucare also provided a copy of the completed 990 form to all members of the board of directors via on-line portal prior to the finance and audit committee's report to the board. Upon approval by the board of directors, the 990 form was filed with the internal revenue service.”

“Ucare foundation requires completion of an annual questionnaire by its board members, officers, and senior executives, which is designed to surface potential conflicts of interest. In addition, ucare's policy requires disclosure to the board chair and/or ceo of a potential conflict involving a director, officer, or management staff when a particular transaction arises. If the board or designated board committee determines that a potential conflict exists related to a transaction requiring action by the board, the policy calls for the board member with the potential conflict to abstain from voting. In addition, a majority of the disinterested directors must find that the transaction is fair and reasonable to the operation and that the organization could not reasonably find a more advantageous transaction from another entity without a potential conflict. The policy requires disclosure of potential conflicts to the board or designated committee even for transactions not requiring board action.”

“Ucare foundation's 990 form is available on third-party websites such as guidestar and propublica, in addition to being made available upon request.”

“Ucare foundation's governing documents, conflict of interest policy and financial statements are available upon request.”

“In 2024, the ucare foundation approved and disbursed $2,037,826 in community grant funding to 43 minnesota organizations working to improve health through innovative services, education, and community outreach and supporting dental access in greater minnesota, disabilities initiatives, and nutrition and food security programs. Almost $394,000 was distributed in foundation grants to several minnesota county and tribal governments or county-based collaborations and entities advancing local public health priorities for projects addressing: - dental access and oral health - rural specific needs for example, transportation, healthcare workforce development, and local public health priorities - food and nutrition assistance - indigenous health - mental health, mental wellbeing, and substance use disorder prevention and treatment an additional $106,000 was given in ad hoc opportunity grants supporting a mobile food market, transitional housing kits and disaster relief, while $150,000 of opportunity grant funds and $450,000 of business development grant funds were used for a $600,000 grant for apple tree dental's new brighton center project. Another $657,876 in business development grant funds were awarded to 18 rural and urban iowa non-profit organizations county governments and school districts addressing areas such as: food security, home and community-based nursing scholarships, transitional housing supports, preventive health, school-based mental health, and latino maternal and children's health. Ucare foundation has a formal board ucare foundation council that oversees and approves annual grant awards. The board meets annually to determine priority areas of focus for open solicitations. Grantees apply via an online grant system and all organizations must meet funding eligibility guidelines. Grant applications are reviewed by ucare minnesota-assigned individuals and often some members of the ucare foundation council. Once approved, grantees sign a conditions of grant agreement and are responsible to submit interim and final reports as well as participate in a site visit by ucare staff. The board of directors receives an annual report on the use of the funds. Ucare ensures the recipient is a qualified charity or government agency and receives periodic reports from the organizations. The ucare foundation has sponsored and supported the 501(c)(3) twin cities mobile market (tcmm) operated by the food group (and formerly by amherst h. Wilder foundation) for over 10 years. The program is available across the twin cities metro at more than 26 sites. Essentially a grocery stor on a bus, tcmm brings affordable, nutritious foods to neighborhoods lacking easily accessible food sources conducive to good health fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fresh dairy and eggs, whole grains, rice, beans dry goods and seasonsings many often supplied by local farmers. With funds awarded in 2024, tcmm was able to increase frequency of visits, number of sites, and pilot tech-based community engagement strategies to obtain feedback in real time. Tcmm also worked with a local school district to increase food access to students and families who are highly mobile or experiencing homelessness.”

“The authority and process for selecting the financial statement auditor and for overseeing the financial statement audit did not change during the year.”