In past legislative sessions, the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits has worked with elected officials to streamline items affecting nonprofits in state statute.
The work is part of MCN’s Red Tape Reduction Project, and now MCN is looking for your ideas about additional red tape that needs slashing.
MCN want ideas about streamlining processes and reporting requirements related to contracting, licensing or other regulatory arenas. It is particularly interested in ideas that reduce duplication, increase efficiency and conformity, and enhance accountability and transparency. Send your ideas to Jeannie Fox.
To get you thinking, here are a few of MCN’s red-tape cutting successes:
- Charitable Reporting Conformity: Brought IRS and state Attorney General financial reporting requirements in line with each other, which reduced duplication and increased financial clarity and transparency. (2011)
- More Choices for Unemployment Tax Systems: Eliminated the annual deadline for nonprofits to opt out of the state unemployment insurance fund, helping nonprofits take advantage of cost-saving opportunities to self insure or join an unemployment trust. (2010)
- Raised Threshold for Nonprofit Audits: Raised the audit threshold for nonprofits from $350,000 to $750,000, saving small organizations the expense of holding an independent audit, while still ensuring that 99 percent of donations are audited. (2009)
Grantmakers are also concerned about systems efficiency. To learn more, check out Project Streamline, a collaborative that aims to increase the impact of grants by eliminating unnecessary procedures and paperwork for grantseekers and grantmakers alike.
Photo cc: Department for Communities and Local Government
- Susan Stehling, MCF communications associate
