MN Updates Charity Registration Process

Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson recently announced two updates improving the charity registration process.

Registration and reporting document can be submitted as PDF files by email and the related fees paid online.

All charity registration documents we used to submit by US mail can now be sent as PDF files to http://charity.registration@ag.state.mn.us. The fee for Minnesota annual filing is $25 if filed on time.  Add another $50 if your organization fails to secure an extension (it is easy to do online:) and misses the filing deadline of the 15th day of the 7th month after fiscal year end.  Minnesota fees can be paid online at http://www.ag.state.mn.us/Charity/CharFees.aspx.  There is a nonrefundable 2.49% charge for paying electronically, or about 62 cents if the payment is $25.  Sure beats the cost of certified postage!

All registration and reporting forms have been updated.

One big improvement is that the initial registration and annual report forms are now two separate forms; it used to be a bit confusing understanding what sections were required for initial and what sections were required for annual reporting.  One change that will add to the “unique” information required for filing both the initial and renewals are that the state of Minnesota asks for the total amount of contributions the organization anticipates receiving from Minnesota donors in the initial registration and total amount of contributions the organization received from Minnesota donors in the annual report.

If you prefer to submit the documents and payment by snail mail, that is still OK.  For more information visit http://http;//www.ag.state.mn.us/Charity/Default.asp.

Fun Minnesota facts – did you know?

Paul, Babe the Blue Ox, and Little Friend

Minnesota has 90,000 miles of shoreline, more than California, Florida, and Hawaii combined and…..

Bemidji Minnesota is home to Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox!  These statues have been hailed by the Kodak Company as the “second most photographed statues in the US”, behind only Mount Rushmore.