Charity Nonprofit Organizations in Minnesota: Who Oversees Them

Minnesota has a dense nonprofit sector, and the listings on this page reflect it. They run from Minneapolis and St. Paul to Duluth, Rochester and small towns such as Aitkin and Alexandria. They include health associations, community foundations, social service agencies and professional groups that operate as charities or tax-exempt nonprofits. This page explains how they are organised, so you can pick the right one and know what to expect when you call or visit.

Two state bodies matter most. The Minnesota Secretary of State records the creation of nonprofit corporations under the Minnesota Nonprofit Corporation Act, Minnesota Statutes Chapter 317A. The Office of the Minnesota Attorney General, through its Charities Division, supervises charitable organizations. It enforces the Charitable Solicitation Act in Chapter 309 and can investigate misuse of charitable assets. Federal tax-exempt status is a separate matter. It comes from the IRS, which is why most organizations also file a Form 990 each year.

That gives you three quick checks before you donate or ask for help. First, confirm the group exists as a nonprofit corporation. Second, see whether it is registered with the Attorney General if it asks the public for money. Third, look up its IRS status and its latest Form 990. Charities that raise more than $25,000 a year in contributions generally must register with the Attorney General. Thresholds and exemptions change, and some groups such as churches have exemptions, so confirm the current rules on the Attorney General's website.

None of these organizations is a government office. Each is run by a volunteer board of directors and paid for by donations, grants, member dues, fees and, for many social service agencies, contracts with counties and state departments. That affects how you deal with them. Hours are set by the organization, eligibility rules come from its funders, and the person who answers the phone may be a program coordinator rather than a counter clerk.

Metro and Greater Minnesota: Where the State's Charities Are Concentrated

The Twin Cities metro holds most of the listings. Hennepin County, which includes Minneapolis, and Ramsey County, which includes St. Paul, together account for well over half of the entries in our database. Many of these are not storefront service centers. They are statewide or national associations that keep a headquarters or regional office in a suburban office park, and their work is advocacy, education, research funding or member services.

The Hennepin County examples show the range:

In Ramsey County, the American Lung Association is listed at 1619 Dayton Avenue in St. Paul. The Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association is listed at 1813 Lexington Avenue North in Roseville.

South and North Metro Suburbs

South of the river, Dakota County has several national and regional groups. The Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation is at 1284 Corporate Center Drive in Eagan. The American Cancer Society office is at 2520 Pilot Knob Road in Mendota Heights. The White Dove Foundation is listed on Wood Way in Burnsville. North of Minneapolis, the Anoka County Community Action Program at 1201 89th Avenue Northeast in Blaine is a local service provider. Our database also places a Huntingtons Disease Society listing in Anoka County, at 7362 University Avenue Northeast.

Duluth, Rochester, St. Cloud and the Rest of Greater Minnesota

Outside the metro, the pattern changes. Service agencies cover wider areas, and one office may serve several counties. In St. Louis County, Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota has an office at 102 West 1st Street in Duluth. In Rochester, home of the Mayo Clinic, the International Medica Foundation is listed at 421 1st Avenue Southwest. St. Cloud has a Catholic Charities office at 306 15th Avenue North.

Smaller communities rely on community action agencies and local foundations. Kootasca Community Action is in Grand Rapids, Prairie Community Service is in Alexandria, and Abba Pregnancy Resource Center is in Elk River. The Winona Community Foundation, the New Ulm Area Foundation and the Riverwood Foundation in Aitkin direct local giving to local needs. In Mankato, the Minnesota Pork Producers Association shows how agricultural trade groups sit alongside the charities.

Kinds of Nonprofits You Will Find in the Minnesota Listings

The phrase "charity nonprofit" covers very different organizations, and knowing which type you are dealing with saves time. Most listings fall into five groups.

If you need direct help, start with the social service and community action agencies. If you want to give, any of the groups can qualify, but check the registration and Form 990 first. If you are looking for a grant, the community foundations are usually the right first call, and many publish deadlines and guidelines on their websites.

Steps to Take Before You Contact a Minnesota Nonprofit

A little preparation makes a first contact much more productive. These steps apply across the state.

Winter changes the picture in Minnesota. Heating assistance, emergency shelter and food programs get busier from late fall onward, and applying early helps. Dialing 211 connects you to a statewide information and referral line that can point you to the agency covering your address. For donors, the annual Give to the Max Day in November, run by GiveMN, is a common time to support local groups. The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits and the Charities Review Council also publish guidance for both donors and organizations.

Nonprofit organizations operating in Minnesota must register with the state attorney general's charitable trust section and comply with state solicitation licensing requirements in addition to meeting federal IRS requirements for tax-exempt status. Minnesota's charity registration process helps protect residents from fraudulent fundraising operations.

Charity Nonprofit locations are available in 78 cities across Minnesota. They are spread across 38 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Minneapolis, St. Paul, Duluth, which typically host large concentrations of nonprofits serving regional populations across health, human services, education, and arts sectors.

Donors in Minnesota can verify that a charity is properly registered with the state by contacting the Minnesota Attorney General's office or searching the state's online charity registration database before making a contribution.

Charity Nonprofit by Counties

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Nonprofits seeking grant funding in Minnesota should explore state-level grant programs administered through the Minnesota Department of Health, Department of Education, or community services block grant programs. Many Minnesota foundations also fund local nonprofits through competitive grant cycles that typically open annually.

Browse Charity Nonprofit by county across Minnesota to find the nearest location.

Finding the Right Nonprofit Office Close to Your Minnesota Address

Minnesota has 87 counties, and the way a nonprofit serves you depends heavily on where you live. In the metro, you can usually reach several organizations within a short drive, and the choice is mainly about fit. Outside the metro, one agency may cover a wide area, so it pays to confirm the service territory first. Anoka County residents, for example, can contact the Anoka County Community Action Program in Blaine. In southeastern Minnesota, Olmsted County listings are centered on Rochester, including the International Medica Foundation.

Use the phone numbers in each listing to confirm hours, since small nonprofits often change schedules with staffing and funding. If you reach a voicemail, leave your name, number and a short description of your request. Many agencies return calls within a business day or two, though busy seasons can be slower. When you need something urgent, such as shelter or a utility shutoff notice, say so at the start of the call.

Donors should ask the same practical questions of any group: what share of spending goes to programs, who sits on the board, and whether the organization has filed its most recent reports. Legitimate charities answer these questions readily. The answers below cover the questions we hear most often about nonprofits in Minnesota.

Start with the Minnesota Attorney General's Charities Division, which keeps registration records for charities that solicit the public under Chapter 309. Then use the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search to confirm federal status and read the latest Form 990. The Minnesota Secretary of State business filings search shows whether the nonprofit corporation is active. The Charities Review Council also publishes independent reviews of many groups. If an organization cannot give you its legal name and EIN, treat that as a warning sign and contact the Attorney General's office.

It depends on the office and the program. Our listings show Catholic Charities at 306 15th Avenue North in St. Cloud, phone 320-252-8350, and Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota at 102 West 1st Street in Duluth, phone 218-723-8052. Both run multiple programs, and each may have its own intake process, hours and eligibility rules. Calling first is the safest approach. Ask which program fits your situation, what documents to bring and whether intake is by appointment, phone or walk-in. Services are generally open to people of any faith, but confirm that with the specific program.

Community action agencies are often the first stop. Our listings include Kootasca Community Action in Grand Rapids at 218-327-2941, Prairie Community Service in Alexandria at 320-763-6528, and the Anoka County Community Action Program in Blaine at 763-783-4747. Energy assistance is usually applied for through a local service provider assigned to your county, and that provider is often a community action agency. Call the agency nearest you to confirm it covers your address, or dial 211 to be routed to the right provider. Apply early in the heating season, because processing can take time.

A community foundation collects donations, bequests and endowment gifts, then makes grants to local nonprofits and sometimes scholarships. It does not usually provide direct help to individuals. The Winona Community Foundation at 51 East 4th Street (507-454-6511), the New Ulm Area Foundation at 616 South State Street (507-354-3337) and the Riverwood Foundation in Aitkin (218-927-5158) are examples in our listings. If you represent a local group seeking funding, ask about grant cycles, eligibility and application format. If you want to give, ask about donor-advised funds and how local priorities are set.

The usual sequence has five steps. File articles of incorporation with the Minnesota Secretary of State under Chapter 317A, naming a board and a registered office. Obtain an EIN from the IRS. Apply to the IRS for 501(c)(3) recognition if you want federal tax exemption. Register with the Attorney General's Charities Division if you will solicit donations above the state threshold. Finally, ask the Minnesota Department of Revenue about sales tax exemption, since federal status does not automatically cover state taxes. The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits offers training for new boards.

Often yes, but lawful gambling is regulated. The Minnesota Gambling Control Board licenses nonprofit organizations that conduct raffles, bingo, pull-tabs and paddlewheels, and it sets rules on eligibility, record keeping and how proceeds may be spent. Small raffles may be allowed under simpler rules, but the limits depend on the size of the prize pool and how often you hold them. Before advertising any drawing, contact the Gambling Control Board to confirm what your organization needs. Running a game without the right license can put the organization's standing at risk.