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Tax status notice:
The Minnesota Constitutional Accountability Project (MCAP) is a Minnesota nonprofit corporation and will apply for recognition of tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Contributions are not currently tax-deductible unless and until such status is approved.
Funding Priorities & Use of Funds
The Minnesota Constitutional Accountability Project (MCAP) is an independent, nonprofit oversight organization. All funds received are used exclusively to advance MCAP’s public-interest mission: constitutional audits, evidence-based investigations, public transparency, and civic education.
To ensure operational integrity, independence, and accountability, MCAP allocates funding according to the following priorities.
1. Core Operations & Executive Director Compensation
MCAP’s work is directed and executed by its Executive Director, who serves as the organization’s chief investigator, administrator, and custodian of evidence. Funding for core operations ensures the organization can function lawfully, independently, and continuously without reliance on personal income or outside influence.
This category includes reasonable compensation for the Executive Director, as well as essential organizational startup and compliance costs, such as establishing and maintaining MCAP’s banking and financial accounts, filing fees and expenses associated with applying for federal tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3), and basic administrative requirements necessary to operate as a Minnesota nonprofit corporation.
In its early stages, MCAP prioritizes lean operations. Rather than employing a full-time staff attorney, funds may be used to retain legal counsel on a limited, contractual basis to provide guidance on compliance, governance, and referrals as needed. This approach preserves independence, controls costs, and ensures access to professional legal expertise without premature expansion.
All compensation and operational expenditures are governed by MCAP’s adopted Personnel & Compensation Policy and Conflict of Interest Policy and are documented in accordance with nonprofit best practices.
2. Field Audits, Travel, & On-Site Investigations
MCAP conducts constitutional audits and investigative work throughout Minnesota. This often requires on-site presence to observe government operations, collect records, conduct interviews, and document conditions relevant to constitutional compliance.
Funding in this category supports mission-related travel expenses, including mileage, lodging, meals within reasonable limits, and other necessary field costs. These expenditures allow MCAP to operate independently across jurisdictions rather than relying solely on remote or second-hand information.
Field work is conducted lawfully and documented carefully, with all associated expenses recorded and reviewed to ensure they directly support MCAP’s oversight mission.
3. Evidence Management & Professional Infrastructure
MCAP maintains strict standards for evidence handling, preservation, and documentation. This is foundational to the credibility of its findings and to public trust.
Funds allocated to this category support secure digital infrastructure, professional software subscriptions, document management systems, and archival tools necessary to preserve original evidence, maintain chain-of-custody records, and produce accurate investigative materials.
These systems are designed to ensure that evidence collected by MCAP is suitable for public review, journalistic scrutiny, and, where appropriate, judicial or agency referral.
4. Public Transparency, Reporting & Publications
Transparency is a core function of MCAP’s mission. Funding supports the development, maintenance, and hosting of MCAP’s public website and transparency archive, where constitutional audit reports, findings, and supporting documentation are published.
This category includes costs associated with preparing written reports, organizing public-facing records, maintaining online archives, and ensuring that information is presented accurately, responsibly, and in a manner accessible to the public.
MCAP does not release information selectively or for advocacy theatrics; publications are grounded in documented evidence and governed by internal ethics and evidence-handling policies.
5. Technology, Security & Data Protection
Investigative and oversight work requires dedicated, secure technology. Funding may be used to acquire computers, encrypted storage devices, and related hardware necessary to separate MCAP’s work from personal systems and to safeguard sensitive materials.
This includes security measures designed to protect evidence, investigative records, and internal communications from loss, tampering, or unauthorized access, consistent with MCAP’s Evidence Handling & Preservation Policy and Document Retention & Destruction Policy.
6. Office & Administrative Support (As Operationally Necessary)
As MCAP grows, funding may be used for modest office space, administrative support, or specialized contractors when operationally necessary. This may include bookkeeping, compliance assistance, or other limited services that support organizational stability and allow investigative work to proceed efficiently.
MCAP does not prioritize overhead expansion. Administrative expenditures are incurred only when they materially support the organization’s oversight mission and long-term sustainability.
Financial Accountability
MCAP operates under adopted governance, ethics, conflict-of-interest, and financial policies. No funds are distributed for private benefit. Compensation, reimbursements, and contractual expenditures are reviewed, approved, and documented in accordance with nonprofit standards and MCAP policy.
Organizational records, policies, and governance documents are maintained as part of MCAP’s commitment to transparency and accountability.
Please make checks payable to MCAP or Minnesota Constitutional Accountability Project
Donations can be mailed to
PO. Box 11
Mora MN. 55051