Governing policy: Gifts to the City Policy
Department: Finance & Property Services
Effective: November 9, 2022
Procedure
Purpose
The purpose of this document is to outline the procedures for accepting gifts to the City of Minneapolis in denominations less than $15,000. These procedures follow the policy approved for Gifts to the City.
Procedures
- Any non-travel related gifts with a value of $15,000 or less as long as there are no operating cost implications may be received by individual City departments with written notice to the Finance Officer or their designee. The gift shall be accepted by the City Council through either the Finance Department quarterly report or through a separate Request for Committee Action (RCA) from the receiving department.
- The Finance Department shall submit a quarterly gift report to the appropriate City Council committee for approval of gifts that do not involve travel, lodging and/or conference costs.
- Gifts covering travel, lodging and/or conference costs shall be approved by City Council prior to the use of the gift. The department receiving the gift of travel, lodging and/or conference costs must submit an RCA for approval by City Council prior to the use of gifted travel, lodging and/or conference costs.
Gifts reimbursing the City after travel, lodging and/or conference costs have been incurred are to be avoided. However, a donor will occasionally offer, after a city department has incurred travel, lodging and/or conference costs, a monetary gift to cover the recipient department’s expenditures. This situation is a restricted monetary gift, and the restriction should be noted on the RCA for acceptance of travel, lodging, and/or conference costs.
Statutes, Rules and Codes
Minnesota Administrative Rules, Rule 4512.002, Subp. 2 mandates City Council approval prior to use of gifts by elected officials and employees who must file Statements of Economic Interest.
Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 15.50 and Civil Service Rule 11.03B.12, both relating to acceptance of gifts by covered individuals, apply to all gifts not otherwise accepted by City Council.
Review and authorization
Reviewed and revised November 9, 2022
Finance & Property Services Department: CFO, Deputy CFO and City Controller