Minnesota Center for Employee Ownership
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
MINNESOTA CENTER FOR EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP, INC. (MNCEO) IS AN EDUCATIONAL NONPROFIT CORPORATION THAT IS DEDICATED TO PROTECTING JOBS, INCREASING COMMUNITY WEALTH, AND CREATING A MORE VIBRANT, INCLUSIVE ECONOMY. WE HELP BUSINESS OWNERS TRANSITION TO EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP THROUGH EDUCATION, RESOURCES, AND EXPERT GUIDANCE. THESE TRANSITIONS NOT ONLY PRESERVE JOBS BUT ALSO STRENGTHEN COMMUNITIES AND CREATE LASTING FINANCIAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMPLOYEES. WHICH BUILDS A MORE INCLUSIVE AND RESILIENT ECONOMY FOR ALL MINNESOTANS.
- Income
- $386,210
- Spending
- $263,179
- Spent on programs
- 63%
- Reserves
- 9.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 1
- Volunteers
- 6
- Highest pay
- $69,046, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 86 out of 100. Higher than 70% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 9.2 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 12% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 32% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 392% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1563% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 257 of 7 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
12 of 15Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $165,934 spent. MNCEO ORGANIZES WORKSHOPS AND PRESENTATIONS AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT MINNESOTA THROUGH OUR AMBASSADOR PROGRAM. WE EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENT MODELS FOR EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP AND ADVISE ABOUT HOW BEST TO TRANSITION INTO ONE OF THOSE OPTIONS. EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP EDUCATION IS A CRITICAL TOOL TO ACHIEVE OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GOALS. BY EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ON EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP, WE HOPE TO PROMOTE EQUITY AND INCLUSION BY EXPANDING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, PARTICULARLY FOR THE BENEFIT OF TRADITIONALLY DISADVANTAGED GROUPS. ADDITIONALLY, WE HELP CONNECT INTERESTED BUSINESSES TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT CAN ASSIST THEM IN TRANSITIONING TO A WORKER OWNER MODEL. WE PARTICIPATED IN 19 CONFERENCES, WITH 14 DISPLAYS AND 38 PRESENTATIONS WITH 1016 ATTENDEES. THE MINNESOTA CENTER FOR EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP (MNCEO) PARTNERED WITH THE NORTH CAROLINA EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP CENTER (NCEOC) TO CONVENE TWO AMBASSADOR PROGRAM COHORTS- THE EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP AMBASSADOR PROGRAM HAS BEEN DESIGNED AS A 4-WEEK PROGRAM WITH VIRTUAL MEETINGS AND INDEPENDENT LEARNING MODULES. A DEEP DIVE INTO: EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLANS, EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP TRUSTS AND WORKER OWNED COOPERATIVES, TRAINING 48 ADVISORS, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LEADERS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS. WE ALSO CREATED AN EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP TRUSTS AND WORKER OWNED COOPERATIVES, TRAINING 48 ADVISORS, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LEADERS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS. MNCEO CONTINUED TO CONVENE AND LEAD THE MN BROAD EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP WORKING GROUP WITH ADVISORS FROM: WORKER OWNED COOPERATIVES (WOCS), EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP TRUSTS (EOTS) AND EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLANS (ESOPS) TO CREATE A ROBUST BROAD EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP MARKETPLACE TO EVERY REGION IN MINNESOTA. WE REACHED OUT TO 139 NEW PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS WITH 56 NEW PARTNER LEADS AND 23 PARTNER COLLABORATIONS. AS A RESULT WE HAD 25 BUSINESSES CONTACT MNCEO TO EXPLORE EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP MODELS WITH OVER 45 REFERRALS TO SERVICES PROVIDERS. WE CREATED OUR MN TOP 50 ESOPS REPORT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OHIO CENTER FOR EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP AT KENT STATE.MNCEO PARTNERED WITH THE EAST CENTRAL REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LEADERS, REGIONAL HRA-EDAS, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND REGIONAL COMMISSIONS TO STAND UP A REGIONAL BROAD EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP MARKETPLACE. THIS WAS A FOCUSED WORK OUTSIDE OF THE TWIN CITIES METRO. WE HAD 12 EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP 101 PRESENTATIONS, COUNTYWIDE- 5 FULL DAYS OF (BARNSTORMING)-INTRODUCING BROAD EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP TO: CITY ADMINISTRATORS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSIONS, BANKS, AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS. MNCEO CREATED THE WORKER CO. MN EDITION PODCAST TO TELL THE STORIES OF HOW EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP TRANSFORMED THEIR MINNESOTA COMPANIES. OUR FIRST FIVE EPISODE INCLUDED: WINDINGS, INC A MATURE EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN, WESCOM, INC. A YEAR OLD EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN, ROOM AND BOARD, A BRAND NEW EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN, THE IMPROVE GROUP, A WORKER OWNED COOPERATIVE AND CODEWEAVERS, MINNESOTA'S FIRST EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP TRUST. IN 2025 WE ARE CREATING A WORKER CO. TOOLKIT FOR OTHER STATE CENTERS TO USE. CREATING THE PODCASTS GIVES US ANOTHER AVENUE FOR SPREADING THE WORD ABOUT DIFFERENT MODELS OF EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP. WE ARE ABLE TO REACH MANY OF THE PUBLIC AS WELL AS SHARE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES OF BUSINESSES THAT DID THE WORK OF SWITCHING AND ARE THRIVING BECAUSE OF IT.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since May 2020.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
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