Clearway Minnesota (Sm)

“Articles of dissolution were filed with secretary of state office in december 2021”

“The irs form 990 and attachments are completed by the independent auditor with input from clearway executives and staff. Clearway minnesota ceased operations on december 31, 2021. Final review and approval was completed by j. Patrick plunkett of larkin hoffman as administrator. As administrator, mr. Plunkett has responsibility to submit final necessary filings such as the form 990 after the organization's closure.”

“Conflicts of interest, including policies relating to loans and gifts, were governed by clearway minnesota's conflict of interest policy. Enforcement of the policy was conducted by the clearway minnesota board of directors. Clearway minnesota regularly and consistently monitored and required compliance with its conflict of interest policy. The board required each board member and employee to be advised of this policy, which was provided to personnel immediately upon assuming their clearway minnesota duties or relationship. Board and staff members were periodically reminded of this policy and educated concerning its application. Every board member and employee was responsible for knowing and observing the policy. Each board member and employee was required to submit a certificate of compliance annually. The certificate of compliance required board members and employees to review a list of current clearway minnesota grantees and contractors and to disclose affiliations with any organizations that had grants or contracts with clearway minnesota. Clearway minnesota had a conflict of interest screening process to identify potential conflicts involving applicants for funding that had not had a grant or contract with clearway minnesota during the previous year. This process identified potential conflicts early in the application process in order to implement conflict of interest mitigation strategies that may be necessary during the application review process. Board directors and staff had the responsibility to disclose to the organization the relevant facts of any proposed action involving clearway minnesota in which they had possible or perceived conflicts as soon as they were discovered.”

“Clearway minnesota reviewed compensation (salary ranges and benefits) on an annual basis. At least every two years, an independent compensation consultant compared all jobs to applicable market surveys to determine compensation competitiveness to the market. Every year, the consultant, using the most recent market trends, provided clearway minnesota with guidelines to determine compensation increases. From these analyses, pay range modifications and the annual budgeted salary merit increase percentage were determined. This information was reviewed by the board of directors, which made the final decision on salary range levels and budget amounts. All staff salary changes, except that of the chief executive officer, were reviewed and approved by the chief executive officer. Job performance and salary changes for the chief executive officer were reviewed and approved by the board of directors.”

“Irs forms 1023 and 990 were available on clearway minnesota's website until december 31, 2021. They can now be accessed by contacting administrator j. Patrick plunkett courtesy of larkin hoffman, 8300 norman center drive, suite 1000, minneapolis, minnesota 55437.”

“Clearway minnesota's governing documents, including its conflict of interest policy and financial statements, were available at the clearway minnesota office for inspection. They can now be accessed by contacting administrator j. Patrick plunkett courtesy of larkin hoffman, 8300 norman center drive, suite 1000, minneapolis, minnesota 55437.”

“Clearway minnesota was an independent nonprofit organization working to improve the health of all minnesotans by eliminating the harm caused by tobacco. Clearway minnesota was created in 1998 to administer 3 percent ($202 million) of minnesota's tobacco settlement funds over a period of no more than 25 years. Clearway minnesota's mission was to enhance life for all minnesotans by reducing tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke through research, action and collaboration. The organization's work was grounded in established and emerging science and in public health best and promising practices. Through fiscal year 2020, it included a comprehensive body of tobacco cessation programs (marketed as quitplan services), extensive grant-making activities in areas of research, policy and community development, and media campaigns to raise awareness of tobacco's harms and to promote quitting. The bulk of activities in fiscal year 2021 and the first six months of fiscal year 2022 (the final months of the organization's existence) were related to closing down programs and preparing to cease operations.”

“Clearway minnesota's limited lifetime ended on december 31, 2021. All programs have been closed down and operations have ceased.”

“See schedule a part vi, narrative relating to reporting contracts as grants (with respect to schedule a, section a, line 6) and schedule c part iv, narrative relating to lobbying activities and use of vendors, relating to absence of dollar disclosure.”

“The organization allocates its expenses on a functional basis among its various programs and support services. Expenses that can be identified with a specific program are allocated directly according to their natural expenditure classification. General and administrative that are common to several functions are allocated based on the proportion of each program's direct and personnel expenses to the total program direct and personnel expenses. As a result of the organization's limited life status, the percentage of program expenses to total expenses has decreased for the year ended february 28, 2022 as compared to previous years.”

“The process has not changed from the prior year.”