MN Nonprofits

What MN Nonprofits does

The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits (MCN), branded as MN Nonprofits, is a 501(c)(3) membership association founded in 1987 and headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota. It serves as the largest statewide nonprofit association in the United States, with 2,200+ nonprofit members and 240 business members across Minnesota's 37,000+ 501(c) organizations. MCN operates a portfolio of interconnected services rather than a unified software platform: tiered membership providing access to professional development and member savings partnerships, four major annual conferences (Annual, Fundraising, Finance, Leadership) plus workshops and webinars, a publications catalog (Minnesota Grants Directory, Salary & Benefits Survey, Legal Handbook, Principles & Practices for Nonprofit Excellence), the Minnesota Nonprofit Legal Services Initiative in partnership with LegalCORPS, a statewide job board with 1,000+ listings, and sector research including equity-focused reports.

Revenue is generated through multiple streams: recurring membership dues (nonprofit, associate, foundation, and individual tiers), transaction-based event registration fees, one-time and subscription publication sales, and managed-services economics from BenefitsMN—an Association Health Plan launched January 2020 that covers 180+ nonprofits and 2,250+ employees through exclusive partnerships with broker Gallagher and carrier Medica. Distribution is direct-to-member through the St. Paul headquarters, seven regional chapters across Greater Minnesota, five segmented e-newsletters reaching over 20,000 subscribers, and the online member portal. The technology stack is a standard web-based platform supporting membership management, event registration, the nonprofit directory, and digital resource distribution. The organization has 11–50 employees and reported revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

MN Nonprofits

Legal name

Minnesota Council of Nonprofits

Website

https://minnesotanonprofits.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits is a 501(c)(3) membership association founded in 1987 and headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota, serving as the largest statewide nonprofit association in the United States with 2,200+ nonprofit and 240 business members through membership, conferences, publications, BenefitsMN health plan, and legal services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Association Services

NAICS

Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)

Keywords

• Nonprofit membership association
• Nonprofit advocacy services
• Nonprofit professional development
• Association health plans
• Nonprofit sector research

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Paul

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: MCN generates revenue through tiered nonprofit, associate (business), foundation, and individual membership dues. Members pay annual fees to access resources, benefits, member savings partnerships, and professional development opportunities.
2. Publications and Research Sales: Sale of publications including the Minnesota Grants Directory ($45-$90), Minnesota Nonprofit Salary & Benefits Survey ($174-$499), Minnesota Nonprofit Legal Handbook ($50-$100), Principles & Practices for Nonprofit Excellence ($15-$30), and other handbooks. These resources generate revenue while advancing the sector's professional standards.
3. Event Registration Fees: Revenue from conference and workshop registrations including the Annual Conference, Fundraising Conference, Finance Conference, and Leadership Conference. Additional fees for virtual workshops and training sessions with member and non-member pricing tiers.
4. Association Health Plan Administration: BenefitsMN, an association health plan sponsored by MCN, provides health insurance options for member nonprofits. MCN sponsors the plan and partners with Gallagher as the exclusive broker and Medica as the insurance carrier, generating administrative value through increased membership retention and negotiating leverage.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Minnesota Council of Nonprofits (MCN) is a membership-based association that provides Minnesota nonprofit organizations with resources, professional development, advocacy, networking, and cost-savings benefits. Core offerings include tiered membership (nonprofit, associate, foundation, individual), annual conferences, sector publications (Grants Directory, Salary Survey, Legal Handbook), the BenefitsMN Association Health Plan, a free Legal Services Initiative with LegalCORPS, a nonprofit job board, sector research, and public policy advocacy representation.

Product overview

The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits (MCN) is a membership-based association serving as a comprehensive resource hub for Minnesota's nonprofit sector. Rather than a unified software platform, MCN offers a portfolio of interconnected membership services including: MCN Membership providing access to discount partnerships and professional development; Events and Conferences (Annual, Fundraising, Finance, Leadership conferences plus workshops); Publications (Grants Directory, Salary Survey, Legal Handbook, Principles & Practices); the Minnesota Nonprofit Legal Services Initiative (free legal help desk, resource library, compliance clinics); the Nonprofit Job Board (1,000+ positions); Sector Research (Economy Reports, Current Conditions, BIPOC-focused research); BenefitsMN (Association Health Plan for member nonprofits); Public Policy and Advocacy services; and tools like GrantAdvisor and the Business Finder. The organization also offers resources for starting, maintaining, and dissolving nonprofits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BenefitsMN: Association Health Plan providing healthcare coverage options for Minnesota nonprofits, offering medical, dental, vision, life, disability insurance through partnerships with Gallagher and Medica.
• Minnesota Nonprofit Legal Services Initiative

Products and services

• MCN Membership
• MCN Events and Conferences
• MCN Publications
• Minnesota Nonprofit Legal Services Initiative
• MCN Nonprofit Job Board
• Sector Research
• BenefitsMN
• MCN Public Policy and Advocacy
• Principles and Practices for Nonprofit Excellence
• GrantAdvisor
• MCN Business Finder
• MN BIPOC Nonprofits Index

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $1 million in combined annual savings for members through member discount partnerships
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GallaghercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2020Gallagher serves as the exclusive broker for BenefitsMN, managing plan options and enrollment for the Association Health Plan. Gallagher works with member organizations to optimize their health benefits investment and provides quotes and enrollment services.
• MedicacoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2020Medica is a Minnesota-based nonprofit medical carrier and one of the largest and longest-tenured nonprofit health plans in Minnesota. Medica provides the medical plan options and networks for BenefitsMN, including the Medica Choice Passport network.
• LegalCORPScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegalCORPS partnered with MCN to create the Minnesota Nonprofit Legal Services Initiative, providing free legal services for all Minnesota nonprofits. The initiative addresses the high-cost barrier of legal support and helps nonprofits navigate complex legal environments, federal policy changes, and compliance requirements. Funding is provided through the Minnesota Council on Foundations' Legal Pooled Fund.
• ODP Business SolutionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOffice Depot Business Solutions provides office supplies, print services, and technology with negotiated discounts of 10-50% for MCN nonprofit members.
• Bremer BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBremer Bank offers banking services with elevated benefits for MCN members including competitive interest rates and increased yields on deposit balances.
• UST Workforce SolutionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUnemployment Services Trust provides cost-effective alternative to state unemployment taxes. MCN has partnered with UST since 1990, helping members lower unemployment costs. Over 2,200 employers saved more than $59 million through this partnership.
• Berkley Select InsuranceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBerkley Select Insurance offers reduced-rate Director's and Officer's Liability Insurance program for MCN members. Deductibles as low as $0 and premiums start at $400.
• GrantStationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGrantStation provides grants research database access to MCN members for $139, saving 30% off the $199 regular price.
• LanguageLine SolutionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLanguageLine Solutions provides interpretation services in 240+ languages with special discounts of up to 37% for MCN nonprofit members.
• Sterling Background ChecksminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSterling provides background screening services with 20% discount for MCN members including criminal background checks, driving records, and drug testing.
• CBIZ PayrollminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCBIZ offers payroll and benefit services with 20% discount on processing fees for MCN members.
• BILLminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBILL provides free spend and expense platform and 15% discount on accounts payable/receivable services for nonprofit members.
• BetterHelpminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBetterHelp offers one free month of online therapy and 15% discount on services for board and staff at MCN nonprofit member organizations.
• TASCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTotal Administrative Services Corporation provides FSA administration with 25% discount on first-year setup and annual administrative fees for MCN members.
• Peace CoffeeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPeace Coffee provides 15% discount on coffee purchases with free shipping on orders over $40 for MCN members.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Washington Nonprofits: The statewide nonprofit association for Washington state — near-clone of MCN's structure and offerings, including membership dues, advocacy, capacity-building, and sector research for that state's nonprofits.
• Massachusetts Nonprofit Network: Statewide nonprofit association serving Massachusetts nonprofits through advocacy, networking, and education. Closely comparable to MCN's statewide association model and member services portfolio.
• CalNonprofits: The California Association of Nonprofits — a statewide association offering advocacy, capacity-building, and member services to California's large nonprofit sector. Comparable to MCN in mission and structure.
• Nonprofit New York: Statewide membership association serving New York's nonprofit sector through advocacy, training, and resources. Highly comparable to MCN in operating model and member-value proposition.

Broad incumbents

• National Council of Nonprofits: The national-level umbrella trade association for the nonprofit sector, providing advocacy, research, and resources. Most direct analog to MCN but at the federal/national level rather than state, with overlapping advocacy and capacity-building missions.
• Independent Sector: A national membership organization convening nonprofits, foundations, and corporations to advance the charitable sector. Comparable to MCN in nonprofit-sector representation and advocacy focus, but national rather than state-anchored.
• Candid (formerly Foundation Center + GuideStar): The primary national source of data on nonprofits and foundations, including the largest directory of nonprofits and grants. Adjacent to MCN's sector research, directory, and Minnesota Grants Directory products.

Emerging players

• BoardSource: National nonprofit focused on governance and board effectiveness for the nonprofit sector. Overlapping audience with MCN — particularly around Principles & Practices for Nonprofit Excellence content — but specialized on governance rather than full-service association.
• Nonprofit Risk Management Center: National nonprofit providing risk management, insurance, and capacity-building support to nonprofits. Adjacent/overlapping with MCN's BenefitsMN and member-savings partnership programs (e.g., D&O, unemployment services).
• NTEN: National nonprofit membership association supporting nonprofits through technology adoption and digital capacity. Comparable in serving nonprofit professionals, but narrowly focused on technology vs MCN's broad-based offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/showcase/benefitsmn
• Xx.com/SmartNonprofits

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MN Nonprofits