The Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities
mn.gov/disability-mn
Providing information, education, and training to build knowledge, develop skills, and change attitudes that will lead to increased independence, productivity, self determination, integration and inclusion (IPSII) for people with developmental disabilities and their families.

Business/Organization Requirements and Record Keeping

Starting and building a credible and trustworthy business requires a current knowledge of state and federal laws that apply to many different types of businesses and organizations. It also requires a commitment to comply with those laws.

There are many online resources and consulting services to help with business startup and provide technical assistance with organizational issues that can arise during the lifetime of a business. The responsibility to be well informed about current laws and other requirements, stay updated about changes, and ensure that employees and others who are part of the business operations understand their respective responsibilities rests with the leadership of the business or organization.

The GCDD expects that suppliers who are awarded funds for grant projects and programs are in full compliance with all applicable state and federal laws, and other requirements. This is true regardless of the dollar amount involved, or the type or size of the business. These requirements include a record keeping system that is best suited to the business, and will help monitor and track income and expenses, and other financial and business transactions.

Included in this section are several informational items and resources that may be of assistance to you. They are not intended to be exhaustive or the only items that your particular business or organization needs to be aware of, understand, and apply.

Following are the included items and resources, and a brief description of each:

  1. Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (12/26/13): This Uniform Guidance was officially implemented in December 2014 by the Council on Financial Assistance Reform (COFAR). The Uniform Guidance is a "government-wide framework for grants management" that combines multiple earlier Office of Management and Budget (OMB) circulars. The purpose of these reforms is to reduce the administrative burden on award recipients as well as guard against the risk of waste and misuse of Federal funds. The Uniform Guidance does the following:

    • Removes previous guidance that is conflicting and establishes standard language;

    • Directs the focus of audits on areas that have been identified as at risk for waste, fraud and abuse;

    • Lays the groundwork for Federal agencies to standardize the processing of data;

    • Clarifies and updates cost reporting guidelines for award recipients. (2 CFR, Subtitle A, Chapter 11, Part 200-299)

  2. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) announced it is revising the OMB Guidance for Grants and Agreements, which is now called the OMB Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance (April 22, 2024).

    Between 2012 and 2013, OMB worked with Federal agencies to revise and streamline existing guidance to develop the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance) located in part 200 of 2 CFR. (Dec. 26, 2013). Federal award-making agencies implemented the Uniform Guidance through an interim final rule, which became effective on December 26, 2014.

    OMB periodically reviews the Uniform Guidance in accordance with 2 CFR 200.109. For example, OMB made further revisions to the Uniform Guidance in 2020. (Aug. 13, 2020). The 2020 revisions addressed topics including program development and design, as well as measuring recipient performance to assist Federal awarding agencies and non-Federal entities to improve program goals and objectives, share lessons learned, and adopt promising performance practices.

    OMB developed the revisions for this final guidance following review and consideration of comments received on the notification of proposed guidance published in October 2023. In this document, OMB summarizes significant comments received in response to its proposal and substantive changes made to each section of the final guidance.

  3. General Provisions for Selected Items of Cost (April 25, 2024): This section provides principles to be applied in establishing the allowability of certain items involved in determining cost, in addition to the requirements of CFR Part 75.402 through CFR Part 75.411.

  4. Questions and Answers about Sarbanes-Oxley: This is an overview of Sarbanes-Oxley, a federal law that grew out of the corporate and accounting scandals of Enron, Tyco, and WorldCom. As a result of this law, new rules were established in specific accounting and compliance areas. These rules impact how corporations conduct themselves in these areas and are considered best practices for nonprofits.

  5. Minnesota Department of Revenue:: The Department of Revenue web site includes forms and instructions, and online services for business taxpayers.

  6. Nonprofit Law Resource Library: This online resource includes a list of initial business filings for Minnesota nonprofit organizations with complete contact information for each of the state offices where information and forms can be obtained and business filings submitted.

  7. Internal Revenue Service Publication 583: This publication discusses areas related to taxes and record keeping that new business owners need to know.

  8. Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED): The DEED web site includes information on starting a business with links to resources for addressing employer issues, business tax issues, financing, and small business assistance. One of the links is to the Minnesota Small Business Resource Guide. The Guide includes business resources, financing programs through the Small Business Administration, and a business startup kit.

  9. Minnesota Statute 43A.38: This state law is a code of ethics that applies to employees in the executive branch and affects those who do business with executive branch agencies.

  10. USA.Gov/Business: This is a business link to the US Government that, in turn, links to business topics in each state.

  11. Minnesota Attorney General's Office, Registration and Reporting – Charities and Charitable Trusts: Most charitable organizations that solicit donations or have significant charitable assets must register and file an annual report and other documents with the Attorney General's Office. More information is also available at A Guide to Minnesota's Charities Laws.

  12. Targeted Employment Services: The DEED website includes information about special employment services to people in targeted groups that have unique needs or are known to have greater difficulty finding a job.

  13. Grant Opportunities:  Solicitations and Contract Opportunities: The MN Department of Administration provides links to the Supplier Portal for current solicitation postings, a list of currently expiring contracts, a link to the secure page for current contract releases and additional information regarding solicitations.

  14. Office of Grants Management (OGM) – Minnesota.gov: The Office of Grants Management (OGM) works in partnership with more than 30 state agencies and organizations to standardize, streamline, and improve state grant-making practices and increase public information about state grant opportunities.

  15. Grants Management – Minnesota.gov: The mission of Admin's Office of Grants Management is standardize, streamline and improve state grant-making practices, as well as to increase public information about state grant opportunities.

©2025 The Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities
Administration Building   50 Sherburne Avenue   Room G10
St. Paul, Minnesota 55155
Phone: 651-296-4018   Toll-free number: 877-348-0505   MN Relay Service: 800-627-3529 OR 711
Email: admin.dd.info@state.mn.us    View Privacy Policy    An Equal Opportunity Employer 

The GCDD is funded under the provisions of P.L. 106-402. The federal law also provides funding to the Minnesota Disability Law Center, the state Protection and Advocacy System, and to the Institute on Community Integration, the state University Center for Excellence. The Minnesota network of programs works to increase the IPSII of people with developmental disabilities and families into community life.

This project was supported, in part by grant number 2401MNSCDD, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

This website is supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $1,152,808.00 funded by ACL/HHS and $222,000.00 funded by non-federal-government source(s). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by ACL/HHS, or the U.S. Government.