PLATINUM2024

The Goose Garden Corporation

U Gotta C it!

aka The Minnesota Goose Garden   |   Sandstone, MN   |  http://www.minnesotagoosegarden.com

Mission

Educating the non-Native public, through sculptures of flora and statuary, on the amazing culture of the Ojibwe people. The Goose Garden addresses the disconnect between modern life and the natural world, and the loss of children's interaction with nature.

Notes from the nonprofit

Our ongoing program will be adding 13 new flora additions and at least two new sculptures to the MN Goose Garden in 2022. In 2023, 2 more human sculptures were added

Ruling year info

2015

President

SUSAN FOSS

Main address

3104 355th ave

Sandstone, MN 55072 USA

Show more contact info

EIN

27-4587270

NTEE code info

Botanical Gardens, Arboreta and Botanical Organizations (C41)

Arts Education/Schools (A25)

Single Organization Support (S11)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990-N.

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Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

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

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

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.

Population(s) Served
Indigenous peoples
Adolescents

Guided tours of the Goose Garden for Master Gardener groups.

Population(s) Served
Adults

Tours given for various community garden clubs

Population(s) Served
Adults

Professor Richard Gresczyk advises proper use of Ojibwe language and culture. He involves his staff and students in these activities.

Population(s) Served
Adults
Indigenous peoples

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.

Population(s) Served
Ethnic and racial groups

Where we work

Our results

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

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

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

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.

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.

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.

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

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We shared information about our current feedback practices.
  • 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

  • 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

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

    We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback

Financials

The Goose Garden Corporation

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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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Connect with nonprofit leaders

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Build 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 directors
as of 01/27/2024
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

SUSAN FOSS

Minnesota Goose Garden

Term: 2021 - 2029

Rodney D Foss

Minnesota Goose Garden

Jenni L Charrier

Foxhill Studios

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 1/27/2024

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Female, Not transgender
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or Straight
Disability status
Person without a disability

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

Transgender Identity

Sexual orientation

Disability

We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.