Charitable organizations in Arizona may serve and auction alcohol at fundraising events provided that they obtain the necessary special event licenses. Additionally, civic organizations, religious organizations, and fraternal organizations in existence for more than five years with regular membership are eligible to apply for special event licenses.
In today’s world of technology and the World Wide Web, almost all charities have a website. If your charity has a website, here are a
Gambling activities are a popular way to raise funds for your nonprofit organization. However, under Washington law gambling is illegal unless specifically authorized by statute.
Ohio law change – Senate Bill 227 has been signed into law and impacts all charitable organizations (domestic and foreign) registered to solicit under Ohio
The Johnson Amendment ensures that 501(c)(3) organizations remain above the political fray by withholding exempt status (or revoking it) from organizations that engage in any amount of political activity. Requiring 501(c)(3) organizations to abstain from involvement in political activity ensures that they are able to remain dedicated to their missions without the distraction and divisiveness that partisan politics creates.
In general, where a charity is holding a public fundraising event, a liquor license is required to sell or serve alcohol. Organizations that have obtained a Special Occasion license may sell spirits, beer, and wine by the individual serving or sell bottles of wine for on premises consumption.
At times, issues will give rise to spirited debate among Board Members who each possess valuable yet different skill sets and different points of view. The Chair should make efforts to mediate differing opinions and encourage consensus on actions or policies that represent the best aspects of all points of view.
To reduce the risk to the tax-exempt organization, the tax-exempt partner should exercise sufficient power and control over the joint venture’s activities to ensure the joint venture operates in furtherance of its tax-exempt purposes. Tax-exempt organizations must be particularly careful when entering into joint ventures structured as partnerships or LLCs because the IRS attributes the activities of such entities to its owners.
The first step to managing conflicts is the disclosure of conflicts. If decision-makers are not required to disclose their conflicts, then there is no way to ensure that their decisions are not tainted by self-interest. Even the most well-meaning individuals can have their decision-making clouded by competing interests. The only way to ensure conflicts are properly managed is to disclose those conflicts and recuse oneself from the decision-making process when conflicts arise.
Rubber stamp boards tend to take a hands off approach to their duties and simply approve everything put in front of them by management without actively participating in deliberation and debate. This approach is dangerous for the nonprofit and the directors.
Most states require you to register your organization if you solicit donations from their residents. Many states also require registration if your organization collects substantial or ongoing donations from their residents, even if you aren’t specifically targeting donors in that state. Download our comprehensive list of each state’s requirements.
Download our free guide to learn about the many elements needed to run a successful nonprofit organization, as well as how to avoid common pitfalls and mistakes.