Minnesota Council of Nonprofits

06/17/2026

Here's a learning opportunity for community leaders, organizers, advocates, and anyone committed to defending civil rights and strengthening immigrant communities. The Asian American Unity Coalition () is hosting the 2026 Unity Summit, "From Crisis to Coalition," on June 27-28.

Hear from local leaders as they share firsthand experiences of how they mobilized and protected their communities during Operation Metro Surge. Find more details below:

06/17/2026

MCN staff traveled to Washington D.C. last week to attend the National Council of Nonprofit’s annual gathering, Confab. While in D.C., they also had the chance to speak with legislators, advocating for policies that strengthen the nonprofit sector. Here’s a peek into their time at the U.S. Capitol! National Council of Nonprofits

06/16/2026

The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) recently proposed sweeping changes to overhaul the set of rules, known as the Uniform Guidance, governing federal grants, cooperative agreements, and other monetary awards to nonprofits, state and local governments, and other grantees.

If implemented, the proposal would create significant financial risk and instability for federal grantees, including nonprofits, making it more difficult to provide vital services to communities. Read more about it here: https://minnesotanonprofits.org/action-alert-oppose-changes-to-federal-grantmaking

The National Council of Nonprofits encourages nonprofits to take action by July 13 by:

✒️ Signing a national letter: https://www.councilofnonprofits.org/form/national-letter-to-protect-and-s

📝 Using NCN’s comment guide to submit a public comment:https://www.councilofnonprofits.org/files/media/documents/2026/2026-proposed-omb-uniform-guidance-comment-guide.pdf

✉️ Emailing your members of Congress in opposition to the proposal: https://ujoin.co/campaigns/4287/actions/public?action_id=6970

06/16/2026

Happening today at 3 p.m. central: Join Nonprofits Together, Brennan Center for Justice, and the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights for a Know Your Rights webinar for nonprofit organizations and staff about responding to raids, door knocks and subpoenas from federal officials.

Modernize workflows with Zoom's trusted collaboration tools: including video meetings, Zoom Chat, VoIP phone, webinars, whiteboard, contact center, and events.

06/11/2026

There’s something special about in-person events—you can swap ideas, feel the energy in a room, and connect on a deeper level. While many of MCN’s offerings are virtual so we can serve as many people across the state as possible, we do have some upcoming in-person events for those in or around the Twin Cities. These events are hosted at MCN’s office in St. Paul. Take a look:

🎤June 18: Yes, And… for Change: Improvisation as a Tool for Nonprofit Leadership, Creativity, and Care
🖊June 24: Beginning Grantwriting
🤝June 25: Nourish and Network (co-hosted by AFP-MN and MCN)
💙July 8: Practical Leadership Essentials: Cultivating Thriving Supervisory Relationships

Find all MCN events here: https://minnesotanonprofits.org/events

06/10/2026

The 2026 Legislative Session has come and gone. With such a tight divide in the House and Senate, it was a session defined as much by constraint as by productivity. This session was a helpful reminder that sometimes ideas alone are not enough; whether legislation moves often depends as much on the political environment as on the policy itself.

Still, nonprofits saw progress when it comes to state grantmaking, and saw harmful proposals *not* pass, which is a victory in its own right! You can read about the specific results of the 2026 Legislative Session and how they apply to your nonprofit here: https://minnesotanonprofits.org/a-session-of-scrutiny-fraud-funding-and-the-future-of-nonprofit-policy-in-minnesota

06/09/2026

“We have seen how quickly resources can be mobilized when urgency demands it and how funding restrictions can be loosened to meet real needs. These moments remind us that scarcity mindset is often a choice, not the reality.”

Read MCN President & CEO Nonoko Sato’s full article in the latest edition of Nonprofit News. She shares reflections on mutual aid, solidarity, and using this moment to create the future we believe in. https://publuu.com/flip-book/884981/2476000/page/4

06/08/2026

The question is not whether change is coming. We may be witnessing a fundamental shift in who we are as a sector. We will rise to meet it, drawing on what we've learned and grounding our work in trust, shared responsibility, and dignity. These are not just values; they are strategies for the future.

06/04/2026

Today, June 4, is the last day for MCN members to save on 2026 Nonprofit Fundraising Conference registration! The Early Bird Rate ends tonight at 11:59 p.m.

Check out breakout sessions with topics for grant writers, event planners, leaders, and fundraisers. Invest in yourself and your career; join us for the biggest gathering of nonprofit fundraisers in the state!

Register here: https://minnesotanonprofits.org/events/conferences/fundraising-conference/registration

06/02/2026

We know that the important work of nonprofits would not happen without administrative support. Yet nonprofits are often rewarded by funders for having lower administrative costs for their programs, when in reality that is not a sustainable way to operate. That’s why MCN supported the 2025 Minnesota state law requiring state grantees to have administrative costs that are “necessary and reasonable,” rather than the previous requirement to “minimize administrative costs.”

But what does “necessary and reasonable” actually mean? That’s what the Office of Grants Management is now trying to determine, and they are seeking feedback on that topic now through July 23.

This guidance could have important implications for how state agencies assess nonprofit administrative costs in grant contracting processes. We encourage nonprofit staff who manage state grants, or are hoping to in the future, to submit their feedback. https://minnesotanonprofits.org/survey-state-seeks-feedback-on-administrative-cost-guidance-for-grant-contracts