2026-07-27T15:49:34-04:00 2025-06-30 990EZ 2024-07-01 561583407 Mecklenburg Ministries MECK 7045655455 PO BOX 11243 Charlotte NC 282201243 LeDayne M Polaski Executive Director 7045655455 2026-07-28 2024 2025-03-06 01:10:19Z X www.meckmin. org X X 150184 X 103981 0 0 0 0 0 46203 10947 35256 0 0 0 139237 94886 8865 2700 1209 31311 138971 266 66968 -11963 55271 X 67334 59729 0 0 67334 59729 366 4458 66968 55271 X Mecklenburg Metropolitan Interfaith Network MeckMIN promotes interfaith collaboration to foster understanding compassion and justice. We envision a community that lives by the highest values and core virtues of its rich faith traditions and respects the dignity of every person. The Interfaith Thanksgiving Service renamed Friendsgiving in FY 2024-25 as part of strategic repositioning is an annual community program that convenes clergy congregations and community members from diverse faith traditions for a shared service of gratitude reflection and music. During the reporting year 11 faith traditions were represented through readings prayers and musical contributions. Approximately 350 individuals attended. Youth participated through music event setup hospitality parking coordination and clean-up; a youth committee participated in planning and attendance. The program promotes religious literacy strengthens relationships across faith communities and provides a visible expression of unity and mutual respect among diverse faith traditions. 0 5028 Potlucks for Pluralism is a community-based interfaith program designed to foster relationship-building and dialogue across diverse faith traditions through shared meals and facilitated conversation. The program draws students from four area universities: Johnson C. Smith University Davidson College Queens University of Charlotte and UNC Charlotte creating spaces where participants gather to share food personal experiences and perspectives in a spirit of mutual respect and learning. Each gathering includes a topic a presentation or speaker guided discussion designed to increase religious literacy reduce misunderstanding and encourage meaningful connections among participants from different backgrounds. Funded in part through a pass-through grant from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundation via Johnson C. Smith University. 0 4052 Faith Leader Gatherings convene clergy and lay leaders from across faith traditions for shared meals peer support wellness training and educational programming featuring guest speakers. The program builds sustained interfaith relationships among working faith leaders increases religious literacy and strengthens the network of clergy collaboration in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg region. Programming during the reporting year included regular leader lunches a wellness resilience training and speakers on topics relevant to interfaith ministry and community engagement. 0 3986 Other programs include the Youth Summit ongoing Youth Programs panel events service projects Interfaith Family Fun Day spring summit and Open Tables conversations. Combined expenses for these programs were approximately 5,636 during the reporting year. Youth programming is supported in part by Gemmer Family and Living Saviour grants. 0 5636 18702 Kristen Anderson Director 2 0 Rabbi Asher Knight Director 2 0 Sonja Lee Vice-President 2 0 Stephanie Fielder Director 2 0 Andrea Betaudier Director 2 0 Joshua Scott Director 2 0 Adrian Bird President 8 0 Jenni Brannan Treasurer 3 0 Zach Surber Director 2 0 Rev LeDayne McLeese Polaski Executive Director 50 45208 0 10000 Diego Torres Director 2 0 Erkam Adiguzel Secretary 2 0 Meryem Askin-Altinok Director 2 0 Kyndra Frazier Director 2 0 John Jaye Director 2 0 Ivan Mayerhofer Director 2 0 Nima Nematollahi Director 2 0 false false false false false 0 false false false false NC Rev LeDayne McLeese Polaski 3900A Park Road Charlotte NC 28209 7049659241 false false false false false false false false false false false NONE NONE true X 100984 64440 52618 59955 103981 381978 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 100984 64440 52618 59955 103981 381978 3756 378222 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 381978 0 0.9902 0 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED Awards Breakfast 46203 0 46203 0 0 0 0 0 10947 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 46203 0 46203 0 0 0 0 0 10947 10947 35256 Part I, line 16 | Other Expenses:, Amount:| Programs excluding Awards Breakfast direct expenses:Youth Summit 2,474 Friendsgiving formerly Interfaith Thanksgiving program expense 5,028 Youth Programs 1,716 Other Programs 116 Potlucks for Pluralism 4,052, $13386| Faith Leader Gatherings: Lunches 2,236 Wellness Training 750 Speaker Honoraria 1,000, $3986| Staff & Administrative: Travel mileage 931 Payroll service fees 685 Professional development 39 Associations memberships 435 Office equipment 121 Computer technology equipment 1,321 Office supplies 728 Online services 1,696 Website hosting 70 Post Office Box 296 Bank & contribution processing fees 1,921 Software 399 Subscriptions 90 Board development 477 Insurance Directors & Officers Organizational Workers Compensation 3,383 Miscellaneous operating 36, $12624| Fundraising Marketing general not direct event expenses: Fundraising marketing 110 ED networking meals 388 Marketing miscellaneous 816, $1315| Part I, line 20 | Explanation:, Amount:| During the transition away from our former accounting preparer the books were reconstructed from source records. This amount reflects prior-period cleanup from the transition between the former preparer our current preparer and resulting accounting approaches. The adjustment is fully explained in Schedule O of the return. Line 20 reflects net prior-period adjustments recognized in the current year following reconstruction of accurate cash-basis records. Components include: Recognition of balance sheet liabilities credit card balances payroll tax withholdings held in trust pending remittance and direct deposit payable for wages processed but not yet settled at year-end that existed in prior years but were not separately reported on prior returns. Release to revenue of prior-year grant funds that had been recorded as designated gifts liability balances rather than recognized as contribution revenue in the year the cash was received as required under the organizations cash basis of accounting. Removal of legacy receivable balances inconsistent with cash-basis accounting. The organization operates on a cash basis and has strengthened its balance sheet review procedures and is transitioning to a new accounting platform to support cleaner ongoing reporting., $-11963| Part II, line 26 | Explanation:, BOYAmount:, EOYAmount:| Total liabilities at end of year 4,457.49 consist of: Credit card balances First Citizens two cards800.30 Payroll tax withholdings held in trust for federal state remittance85.82 Direct deposit payable wages processed not yet settled3,571.34. Beginning of year liabilities 366.00 reflect accrued expenses as reported on the prior-year return. The credit card payroll-withholding and direct-deposit-payable components shown above existed in prior years but were not separately reported on the prior-year return. See Line 20 explanation., $366, $4458| Part V, General | Explanation:| Form 990-EZ Part V Personal Benefit Contracts a Did the organization during the year receive any funds directly or indirectly to pay premiums on a personal benefit contract? No b Did the organization during the year pay premiums directly or indirectly on a personal benefit contract? No Header, General | Explanation:| Reasonable Cause Statement Late Filing of FY 2024-25 Return Mecklenburg Ministries respectfully requests reasonable cause relief from any late-filing penalties associated with the FY 2024-25 Form 990-EZ. The organization has filed 990-series returns timely or under timely-filed extensions in prior years including FY 2022-23 FY 2023-24 and earlier. The return being filed today reflects 250 days of latency from the original due date of November 15 2025 with a calculated statutory penalty of 6,250 25 per day 250 days below both the 12,500 statutory cap and the 5% gross receipts cap of 7,509. The cause of the delay was the discontinuation of the organizations external tax preparation engagement Foard & Company P.A. during the relevant period during which the FY 2023-24 return preparation experienced significant delays. During the transition to in-house preparation the original FY 2024-25 filing deadline of November 15 2025 and the Form 8868 extension deadline of May 15 2026 were not timely identified. Upon recognition of the missed deadline the organization reconstructed accurate cash-basis records established documented methodology procedures for ongoing 990 preparation prepared this return without external assistance and is filing as promptly as practicable. The organization has implemented an internal compliance calendar with reminders 60 and 30 days before each annual filing deadline to prevent recurrence. Mecklenburg Ministries is a small interfaith nonprofit operating with one full-time and one part-time staff member. The organization respectfully requests that any late-filing penalty be abated and notes that it qualifies for First-Time Abatement based on its clean prior filing history. If First-Time Abatement is not granted the organization requests consideration of the reasonable cause factors described above. Part I, Line 1 | Explanation:| Contributor #2 on Schedule B Johnson C. Smith University represents a pass-through grant from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundation. Johnson C. Smith University partnered with Mecklenburg Ministries to host the Potlucks for Pluralism program and administered the grant funds on behalf of the Foundation. The immediate source of funds to MeckMIN was Johnson C. Smith University and it is listed accordingly on Schedule B as the contributing entity. Part III, General | Explanation:| Awards Breakfast has been reported on Schedule G as a fundraising event in this return consistent with the IRS definition of a fundraising event under Schedule G instructions principal purpose of raising funds. This differs from the treatment reflected on the prior-year amended return FY 2023-24 which included the Awards Breakfast in Part III Program Service Accomplishments. The current treatment reflects the events function and corrects the prior-year presentation. MeckMINs financial statements may classify the Awards Breakfast differently for internal management purposes; financial statement classification and Form 990-EZ classification follow different rules and serve different purposes. Part IV, General | Explanation:| The following individuals served as officers and directors during the fiscal year. None of the directors or non-ED officers received compensation. Compensation for the Executive Director is reported using calendar year 2024 figures the calendar year ending within the fiscal year per IRS instructions. Calendar year 2024 W-2 Box 1 wages Column C 45,208.37; Health benefits contributions to EBP & DC Column D 0; Calendar 2024 IRC 107 housing allowance W-2 Box 14 Column E 10,000.08. Total amount: 55,208.45. Note on column placement of housing allowance: Reverend Polaski is an ordained minister. Per IRC 107 her qualified housing allowance is excluded from W-2 Box 1 wages by statute. Per the 990-series instructions reportable compensation in column c means the greater of W-2 Box 1 or Box 5 Box 5 is blank for ministers who are FICA-exempt on ministerial earnings under IRC 1402c4 and 3121b8. The housing allowance not appearing in W-2 Box 1 is therefore reported in column e as other compensation. This presentation is consistent with Form 990 Part VII instructions and IRS guidance on the meaning of reportable and other compensation. Prior returns reported only W-2 Box 1 wages in column c and did not separately disclose the housing allowance. Beginning with this return the housing allowance is reported in column e consistent with IRS instructions for ministers. Note on other employees: The organizations part-time Finance & Communications Manager Anna Eyl earned calendar year 2024 W-2 Box 1 wages of 31,542.00. As a non-officer non-director employee earning less than 100,000 she is not required to be listed individually in Part IV or Part VI.