1. The Role of the Secretary of State

When the Colorado Charitable Solicitations Act was amended in the spring of 2001, legislators designated the Secretary of State as the responsible officer for creating and maintaining an electronic charities registration program. The Secretary of State issues registration numbers to charities, paid solicitors, and professional fundraising consultants; provides online access to their disclosure statements; publishes an Annual Report on Charitable Solicitations; and investigates allegations of wrongdoing in charities. Each registrant is assigned a registration number, the status of which may change depending on whether its filings are up-to-date, it is still active, or it has been subject to disciplinary action.

Organizations and individuals subject to the Act’s registration requirement e-file all required documents directly on the Secretary of State’s website, and once program staff approve the filing, the information is made available for public inspection. Any consumer with Internet access that has questions about a charitable organization, paid solicitor, or professional fundraising consultant can review the organization’s filings on the website. Such instant access and wide availability greatly speeds the decision-making process for potential donors and makes consumers a key ally in the Secretary of State’s efforts to monitor charitable solicitations activities in Colorado.

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