Which public records Mississippi keeps about a charity that asks you for money, in the state's own words. The agency the research names is the Mississippi Secretary of State, Charities Division. 8 official sources back this page. Last checked 2026-08-07.
Free to read. No account needed. Nothing on this page is a rating or an endorsement of any organization.
What this state records about charities that ask you for money
Registration is a filing requirement, not a rating. States exempt whole categories of organization from it, so an organization that does not appear in a state record is not necessarily doing anything wrong, and one that does appear has not been endorsed.
Register before soliciting in Mississippi and pay the $50 initial charity-registration fee unless an exemption applies
SOURCE VERIFIED
File the electronic registration before any solicitation. Registration becomes effective when the Charities Division issues the certificate. The current nonrefundable fee is $50.
Renew charity registration by the 15th day of the fifth month after fiscal year-end and pay $50
SOURCE VERIFIED
Renew annually. The statutory/rule deadline is the 15th day of the fifth month following the close of the organization’s fiscal year; the current nonrefundable renewal fee is $50.
Applies to: A registered Mississippi charitable organization that will continue soliciting.
Exceptions
Do not replace this formula with May 15 for every charity; May 15 is the corporate annual-report deadline and happens to coincide only for a December 31 fiscal year.
What financial detail the state requires at what size
This is what the organization has to produce for the state, which tells you what already exists to ask for. It is not a statement that any particular organization is above or below these thresholds.
Obtain a CPA review at monetary donations of at least $250,000 and not more than $750,000 when all fundraising is performed solely by unpaid persons
SOURCE VERIFIED
Submit a financial statement reviewed by an independent certified public accountant when monetary donations are at least $250,000 and not more than $750,000 and the fundraising functions are carried on solely by unpaid persons.
Whether the organization is still current with the state
Every nonprofit corporation owes its state this filing to stay in good standing, and the state keeps the result as a public record. It is separate from any charity registration above, and being current says nothing about how an organization spends what you give it.
File the Mississippi nonprofit corporate annual report by May 15 at no filing fee
SOURCE VERIFIED
File the nonprofit corporate annual report electronically each calendar year. Filing opens January 1, is due May 15, and the current Secretary of State guidance states there is no cost.
Nonprofit Annual Report; Mississippi Business Services Portal
Applies to: Every domestic and foreign nonprofit corporation registered with the Mississippi Secretary of State.
Exceptions
This corporate report is separate from charitable-solicitation renewal and federal Form 990-series filing.
Source: Annual Reports — Mississippi Secretary of State and 3 more official sources below.
Last verified
Who keeps these records in Mississippi
These are the offices the Mississippi research itself names for the filings above. An office that keeps a record is also the place to take a question or a concern about one.
This page carries Mississippi's rules, not any organization's filing history. The offices above hold the records for the organization you are asking about.
Which state's rules apply to your gift
Your state of residence, the organization's home state, and the state it solicits in can all differ. This page is about Mississippi.
What this organization promised you
Restrictions on your gift, refund terms, recurring-payment terms and the acknowledgment you receive come from the organization itself. Ask it, and keep what it sends.
BEFORE YOU GIVE
Make the checklist for your gift.
The federal side of a donation does not change by state: what to confirm before paying, and which record to keep afterward. Build a list around the gift you are actually making.
The rules above are three of the requirements Mississippi puts on a nonprofit. The full guide covers formation, governance, reporting, tax and employment, from the same official sources.
Linking to this donor page from your own donation page or donor FAQ is welcome. It does not replace your organization's required notices, policies or donation acknowledgments.
Official sources
8 official sources back the entries on this page. Every one is a government statute, regulation, agency instruction, form or portal.