I hope this blog finds you, your family, and co-workers navigating the challenges and disruptions created by the COVID-19 virus as we all practice social distancing and, in many cases, shelter or work from home.

This week’s news has been full of our U.S. government’s responses to the economic chaos created by the virus.  I thought you might be interested in how state charity registration officials are responding to the crisis and will update this blog as more state officials make their positions public.

MINNESOTA ANNOUNCEMENT

Recap: an automatic 4 month extension for reports due between April 15 and July 15.

Due to potential disruptions to the AGO’s operations in light of the COVID-19 outbreak, the AGO has automatically extended for four months the deadline for soliciting charitable organizations to file FY19 annual reports that are currently due between April 15, 2020 and July 15, 2020, under Minn. Stat. § 309.53.

New due dates for affected organizations are listed below:

Accounting Year-End	Annual Report Due	Automatic Extended Due Date
September 30, 2019	April 15, 2020	August 17, 2020
October 31, 2019	May 15, 2020	September 15, 2020
November 30, 2019	June 15, 2020	October 15, 2020
December 31, 2019	July 15, 2020	November 16, 2020

You do NOT need to request an extension if your reporting deadline falls into this time period. It is automatically extended.

 MARYLAND ANNOUNCEMENT

Recap: an automatic 30 day extension for filings due during the state of emergency from the end of the state of emergency.

Annual charitable reporting and registration deadlines required …..shall be extended for charitable organizations, charitable representatives, and public safety solicitors who are in compliance with the Maryland Solicitations Act. This extension applies to those annual reports and registrations that are due to be submitted to the Office of the Secretary of State during the state of emergency and catastrophic health emergency.  The aforementioned deadlines shall be extended to 30 days after the state of emergency and catastrophic health emergency is terminated

NEW HAMPSHIRE ANNOUNCEMENT

Recap: Original signatures will not be required from the signing official or notary.

Reports to Charitable Trusts Unit Original Signatures: Some New Hampshire and out-of-state charitable organizations report difficulty obtaining or mailing original signatures from the president or treasurer on annual reports due to be filed with the Charitable Trusts Unit. The same difficulty may apply to paid solicitor and fundraising counsel documents. The Charitable Trusts Unit will take no action against a board of directors for filing an annual report or other required document with a photocopied or scanned signature. Similarly, the Charitable Trusts Unit will take no action against a board of directors for filing an annual report or other required document with the 2 photocopied or scanned signature of a notary public, even if the notary public remotely took the oath of the signatory.

Extensions: Charitable organizations already have the ability to receive a six-month extension to file annual reports by filing with the Charitable Trusts Unit both an extension form (available from the Charitable Trusts Unit website) and the annual report fee. The Charitable Trusts Unit will take no action against the board of directors if an organization is unable to deliver its report by mail, and instead delivers it electronically to charitabletrusts2@doj.nh.gov. Any fee due may be mailed separately, and the original document must be mailed subsequently as soon as possible.Closing with wishes for the health and safety of you and yours.  Will continue to update as new information is available.  Take care, Sarah

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