Minnesota State Bar Foundation

What it reported doing in 2024

Program service activities consist solely of grants to board-approved organizations.the Minnesota state bar foundation recognizes that its existence and its ability to carry out its assigned mission are due to the cooperation and support that it receives from the Minnesota state bar association and its individual members, who are the primary source of all funds available to the foundation. The foundation therefore feels deeply obligated to pursue policies and make grants to such programs and causes as it believes would attract the special interest and support of the lawyers of the state of Minnesota.in awarding grants in response to written applications, the foundation believes that it can carry out this broad objective by generally adhering to the guidelines stated as follows:1. The foundation has been interested in the past and continues to be interested in programs of law-related education for students and adults, including where appropriate, publications, workshops, and related programs.2. The foundation seeks to encourage and promote legal assistance to the poor and disadvantaged groups.3. The foundation seeks to support and to promote progrants and projects having as their purpose the improvement of the administration of justice. Providing information to the public so that it might better understand the courts and legal processes is included within this purpose.4. The foundation will give consideration to projects and programs supporting or promoting public interest legal work. 5. The foundation will, in allocating its funds, attempt to maintain a proper balance between: (a) those new and innovative programs which may be of an experimental nature and that need assistance in the form of "seed money; and(b) those projects of special concern to lawyers that are of a continuining nature and need periodic contributions to their operating budgets.6. The foundation does not preclude itself from awarding grants for scholarships and fellowships, but it will strive to make such grants primarily under such circumstances that will promote the general public welfare rather than the personal benefit of individual donees.7. Since continuing legal education programs for lawyers are, in general, well supported by tuition charges, the foundation feels obligated to consider support only for such continuing legal education programs that may be of an experimental nature or of general interest to the entire membership of the bar and are not self-supporting.8. The foundation does not provide funds to be used for propaganda or lobbying activities.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
• Program expense ratio: 77.4%; rating input score 77
• Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 92.9%; rating input score 93; 25th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 42.6%; rating input score 43; 41st percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 7 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -45%; rating input score 6; 6th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 6.79; rating input score 84; 84th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.05; rating input score 33; 33rd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 9.7% per year; rating input score 100; 69th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 7.1% per year; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 2% per year; rating input score 100; 33rd percentile among comparable filings