The Goose Garden Corporation
U Gotta C it!
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
The Minnesota Goose Garden aims to bridge a gap that exists between Native Americans and non-natives. Walking the paths of the garden brings viewers in direct contact with an amazing culture of governing, sense of belonging and purpose, and inherent respect for the natural world.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Cass Lake Women Rehabilitation for young women
Cass Lake mentors bring young women who need structure and re-connecting to their roots, to tour the garden and be informed of their value in their society.
Master Gardener Tours
Guided tours of the Goose Garden for Master Gardener groups.
Community Garden groups
Tours given for various community garden clubs
Fon du Lac College Assistance
Professor Richard Gresczyk advises proper use of Ojibwe language and culture. He involves his staff and students in these activities.
Hinckley/Finlayson Native Program Grachowski-Angela
Native students and educators were bussed to the MGG site in early October 2022 from Hinckley/Finlayson High School, ISD2165. They took part in a cultural tour of the garden and filled out a map of where they found 21 Totem statues. They also listed some of the names and Native uses of the plants.
Where we work
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Total number of guided tours given
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Community Garden groups
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Covid 19 repressed
Area of land, in hectares, indirectly controlled by the organization and under sustainable cultivation or sustainable stewardship
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Ethnic and racial groups, Age groups
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Number of species introduced to the area(s) managed
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Total number of species of native plants in the area(s)
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Total number of audience members
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Children and youth
Related Program
Community Garden groups
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Individual visitors
Number of grants and research funding awarded to the institution
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Minnesota State Arts Board Grant East central Arts Council
Number of favorable critic reviews/awards of art produced given by media or peers
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Merit award from East Central Regional Arts Council Creative Support for Individuals Grant MSAB grants Excellence Award from East Central Regional Arts Council Positive visitor comments
Number of children who have a sense of their own feelings and an ability to express empathy for others
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
The Minnesota Goose Garden strives to be recognized as a destination for tourists, and educate them about the ingenious ways the Ojibwe tribes used nature for food, medicine and utility. It stresses the importance of preserving flora that may seem insignificant to modern man. The Garden wishes to give children time away from electronics and increase their nature time. The MGG wishes to increase understanding and respect between our Indigenous people and the non- Native population.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
The Minnesota Goose Garden strives to encourage visitors through social media, web site, highway signage, brochures placed in businesses, museums, art centers, word of mouth, school tours, garden club tours, master gardening tours and history related centers.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
The Minnesota Goose Garden is capable of having visitors attend the garden from Memorial Weekend through October as weather permits. The garden is accessible during daylight hours 7 days a week during those months. Tours are also available by reservation. There is a Kiosk with brochures, sign-in book, check-off sheets for sculptures and a 6' donation rabbit. The garden is self-guided with many informational signs. It has nearly a mile of flat walking paths.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
The Minnesota Goose Garden began in 1989 as a design on paper. In 1991 work began on the 5 acre plot and planting over 300 flora. The design in maturity, will become 3 three dimensional figures of an 830' goose, a 150' gosling and a 70' nest with 3 eggs. Grand Opening was in 2013. Gradually the creator and artist, Susan Swerda Foss has added over 60 life size sculptures of Totem animals, humans, fungi and mosaics. Highway signs have been posted. Brochures are distributed, an MGG Web site was created as well as a Face Book page. Several grants have been awarded from the Minnesota State Arts Board, and East Central Regional Arts Center, and the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. New sculptures are planned. WCCO's "Finding Minnesota" did a wonderful piece on the MGG in June of 2022. Interest and attendance is increasing.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
The Goose Garden Corporation
Board of directorsas of 01/27/2024
SUSAN FOSS
Minnesota Goose Garden
Term: 2021 - 2029
Rodney D Foss
Minnesota Goose Garden
Jenni L Charrier
Foxhill Studios
Organizational demographics
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Leadership
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Disability
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