Conference 7.286::digital

    re: .0
    
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Non-Profit Fundraising		{ADS,CADVAX}::FUNDRAIS			456

    Seems like the people involved there might have some first-hand
    experience at this (although I can't say, as I don't note there).
    
    -- Russ

    The important thing about a non-profit organization (from a
    governmental point of view) is that it is tax exempt.  Contact
    the IRS and ask for their booklet about 501(c)3 organizations
    and stuff like that, and apply to the Mass. Dept. of Revenue
    for the state equivalent.
    
    You shouldn't need a lawyer.
    
    						Ann B.

    
    I've just been involved with an organization doing the same thing.
    .2 has it correct. I'm told the process is long to get the permanent
    501(c)3 status, but you can get a temporary designation in as little
    as 6 weeks.  NOTE - until you have this designation, any contributions
    made to you are NOT Tax-Exempt.
    
    	bs

    Go see the Town Clerk in the community that your organization will
    reside in.  He/she will have all of the information you will need.
    
    Regards,
    
    The Selectmen

You may need an attorney if Mass laws are similar to those in Colorado. Colorado
requires that non-profit organizations incorporate for tax exempt status,
consequently Articles of Incorporation and Assignment of Registered agent must
be filed with the Secretary of State (also semi-annual corporate reports). 

    I am a member of two different clubs in Massachusetts (and an officer
    currently of one of them), and the rules for gaining non-profit status
    in this state are sufficiently complicated that neither club ever
    managed to get all the paperwork filed: we would have had to hire a
    lawyer, which doesn't make sense when you are talking about small
    organizations with a couple hundred members and a couple hundred
    dollars treasury maximum.   It would be useful to have the non-profit
    status because it would save postage costs, which is most of the budget
    (although bringing the newsletters in to the post office, which is only
    open a subset of the hours I am at DEC, in order to turn them in in
    zip-code order, instead of dumping them all in the mailbox when the
    fold-staple-mutilate party is over each time, would be a big
    nuisance!).

    Post office rules are different than IRS and state rules (or at least
    they were at one time).  I have heard of organizations that had
    non-profit postal permits without getting IRS blessings.  
    
    I think that associations (i. e. non-corporations) can get non-profit
    status from the IRS, independently of any state laws.  The IRS has a
    critical threshhold on income or gross revenue, below which you don't
    need to deal with much of the bureaucracy.
    
    Still, incorporating may be a good idea, independently of whether or
    not you get 501(c)3 status.  It will provide some important protection
    to the members and board of the organization.  Once you get past the
    initial hassles, it's worth paying the annual registration fees (I
    think $50 in MA, for non-profits).  You'll want a lawyer to help with
    incorporation.
    
    Pittsburgh, PA has or had an agency (non-profit, of course) whose main
    purpose in life was to provide legal assistance to other non-profit
    organizations interested in incorporating or getting 501(c)3 status.  I
    have yet to find such an agency in New England.  (It wasn't the usual
    Legal Aid or Neighborhood Legal Services type agency.)
    
       Gary

	This topic is not related to Digital at all. Also pointers to
	other conferences better able to handle this question have been
	made. Please take furthor discussion to mail. Thank you.

			Alfred - co-moderator