Which public records Minnesota keeps about a charity that asks you for money, in the state's own words. The agency the research names is the Minnesota Attorney General, Charities Division. 9 official sources back this page. Last checked 2026-07-23.
Free to read. No account needed. Nothing on this page is a rating or an endorsement of any organization.
What this state records about charities that ask you for money
Registration is a filing requirement, not a rating. States exempt whole categories of organization from it, so an organization that does not appear in a state record is not necessarily doing anything wrong, and one that does appear has not been endorsed.
Register before soliciting contributions in Minnesota unless exempt
SOURCE VERIFIED
File C1 before solicitation by any covered oral, written, electronic, or other method. Corporate formation, foreign authority, and federal recognition do not replace the filing.
File the C2 annual report by the 15th day of the seventh month after fiscal year-end
SOURCE VERIFIED
File C2 annually by the 15th day of the seventh month after the fiscal year ends. If that date is a Saturday, Sunday, or federal holiday, use the next business day. Calendar-year organizations are due July 15.
What financial detail the state requires at what size
This is what the organization has to produce for the state, which tells you what already exists to ask for. It is not a statement that any particular organization is above or below these thresholds.
Obtain a GAAP audit when total revenue exceeds $750,000
SOURCE VERIFIED
When total revenue exceeds $750,000, submit financial statements audited in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards by an independent CPA and prepared according to GAAP.
Whether the organization is still current with the state
Every nonprofit corporation owes its state this filing to stay in good standing, and the state keeps the result as a public record. It is separate from any charity registration above, and being current says nothing about how an organization spends what you give it.
File the first annual renewal in the calendar year after incorporation
SOURCE VERIFIED
Beginning in the calendar year following incorporation, file one corporate annual renewal each calendar year, due by December 31, at no fee while the corporation is active and in good standing.
These are the offices the Minnesota research itself names for the filings above. An office that keeps a record is also the place to take a question or a concern about one.
This page carries Minnesota's rules, not any organization's filing history. The offices above hold the records for the organization you are asking about.
Which state's rules apply to your gift
Your state of residence, the organization's home state, and the state it solicits in can all differ. This page is about Minnesota.
What this organization promised you
Restrictions on your gift, refund terms, recurring-payment terms and the acknowledgment you receive come from the organization itself. Ask it, and keep what it sends.
BEFORE YOU GIVE
Make the checklist for your gift.
The federal side of a donation does not change by state: what to confirm before paying, and which record to keep afterward. Build a list around the gift you are actually making.
The rules above are three of the requirements Minnesota puts on a nonprofit. The full guide covers formation, governance, reporting, tax and employment, from the same official sources.
Linking to this donor page from your own donation page or donor FAQ is welcome. It does not replace your organization's required notices, policies or donation acknowledgments.
Official sources
9 official sources back the entries on this page. Every one is a government statute, regulation, agency instruction, form or portal.