is there a reason for becoming officially "not for profit"?

I'd like to begin providing quilts, both lap and bed, to the cancer
center my husband has been going to for chemo, and I don't know if I
should just make a page on my blog about it, and hope people
contribute orphan quilt tops and quilts, or become an actual non
profit organization with all the requisite paperwork.
I realize that RCTQ hasn't seen hide nor hair of me in quite a while,
and that there are probably many here who have never heard of me, but
I remember this being a place where I can get LOTS of advice on nearly
any topic imaginable.
Musicmaker

On Thu, 13 Oct 2011 08:22:16 -0700, Musicmaker wrote:

I'd like to begin providing quilts, both lap and bed, to the cancer
center my husband has been going to for chemo, and I don't know if I
should just make a page on my blog about it, and hope people contribute
orphan quilt tops and quilts, or become an actual non profit
organization with all the requisite paperwork. I realize that RCTQ
hasn't seen hide nor hair of me in quite a while, and that there are
probably many here who have never heard of me, but I remember this being
a place where I can get LOTS of advice on nearly any topic imaginable.
Musicmaker

I would imagine the first thing to find out, and you may already have, is
if the cancer center simply takes contributions of that sort (product as
opposed to simply money), or if you have to be an officially licensed(?)
non-profit organization.

Brian Christiansen

On 10/13/2011 11:22 AM, Musicmaker wrote:
I'd like to begin providing quilts, both lap and bed, to the cancer
center my husband has been going to for chemo, and I don't know if I
should just make a page on my blog about it, and hope people
contribute orphan quilt tops and quilts, or become an actual non
profit organization with all the requisite paperwork.
I realize that RCTQ hasn't seen hide nor hair of me in quite a while,
and that there are probably many here who have never heard of me, but
I remember this being a place where I can get LOTS of advice on nearly
any topic imaginable.
Musicmaker

I have no idea but here's a website that describes some of the benefits
and drawbacks of becoming a nonprofit organization.

http://smallbusiness.findlaw.com/bus...t-pro-con.html

--
Jeri

Is your email address still one-eleven? the list I can find is very
old and I seem to remember that you changed your address. Please email
me privately

Susan
slpdesigns at speakeasy dot net

On Thu, 13 Oct 2011 08:22:16 -0700 (PDT), Musicmaker
wrote:

I'd like to begin providing quilts, both lap and bed, to the cancer
center my husband has been going to for chemo, and I don't know if I
should just make a page on my blog about it, and hope people
contribute orphan quilt tops and quilts, or become an actual non
profit organization with all the requisite paperwork.
I realize that RCTQ hasn't seen hide nor hair of me in quite a while,
and that there are probably many here who have never heard of me, but
I remember this being a place where I can get LOTS of advice on nearly
any topic imaginable.
Musicmaker

Of course I remember you! Welcome back!
Can't help much with the issue- I seem to recall that a not-for-profit
(501C?) needs a board of directors and a minimum number of start-up
"members". (Otherwise anybody could start one and make e.g. the family
a not-for-profit as a sort of tax scam.) The main reason for one
IMO,off the top of my head, is to open a corporate bank account. But
you really need to contact an expert. These organizations need bylaws,
and there is definitely recurring tax paperwork!
Roberta in D

On Thu, 13 Oct 2011 08:22:16 -0700 (PDT), Musicmaker
wrote:

I'd like to begin providing quilts, both lap and bed, to the cancer
center my husband has been going to for chemo, and I don't know if I
should just make a page on my blog about it, and hope people
contribute orphan quilt tops and quilts, or become an actual non
profit organization with all the requisite paperwork.
I realize that RCTQ hasn't seen hide nor hair of me in quite a while,
and that there are probably many here who have never heard of me, but
I remember this being a place where I can get LOTS of advice on nearly
any topic imaginable.
Musicmaker

Not for profit means you can solicit donations of materials and money without being taxed. The process was cumbersome and miserable 20-some years ago and I'm guessing it hasn't gotten less so. If you're benefiting in any way, including advertising, then you could run into trouble without official 501-C3 status. Somebody gets ticked off at you and bingo, you've been reported to the IRS. If it's just you, just giving, no big deal.

Sunny
good to see you back, hope you stay a while

Nice to have you pop in Musicmaker. Of course we all remember
you.
One of the gals in the guilds here does a LOT of charity quilts. She
donates many through the guild charities along with CPS her choice
charity. It has been amazing to see how many folks give her fabric.
It sort of snowballed and every time I see her quilts she points out
who gave her certain pieces of fabrics. She does scrappy but she
gets more than a tad of large pieces too. If you can get the word
out of what you are doing you might be surprised that fabric will
come your way. Both local guilds here are good at helping with
batting and Hobbs does have good stuff through their websites
for charity work. Maybe even some folks here might want to help?
I can't imagine messing with a bunch of paperwork would help a
lot unless you get to working with a lot of other folk and quilts.
Hugs to you and your dh. I don't have your blog addy. What is
it?
Taria

"Musicmaker" wrote in message
...

I'd like to begin providing quilts, both lap and bed, to the cancer
center my husband has been going to for chemo, and I don't know if I
should just make a page on my blog about it, and hope people
contribute orphan quilt tops and quilts, or become an actual non
profit organization with all the requisite paperwork.
I realize that RCTQ hasn't seen hide nor hair of me in quite a while,
and that there are probably many here who have never heard of me, but
I remember this being a place where I can get LOTS of advice on nearly
any topic imaginable.
Musicmaker

On Oct 13, 11:20*am, Brian wrote:
On Thu, 13 Oct 2011 08:22:16 -0700, Musicmaker wrote:
I'd like to begin providing quilts, both lap and bed, to the cancer
center my husband has been going to for chemo, and I don't know if I
should just make a page on my blog about it, and hope people contribute
orphan quilt tops and quilts, or become an actual non profit
organization with all the requisite paperwork. I realize that RCTQ
hasn't seen hide nor hair of me in quite a while, and that there are
probably many here who have never heard of me, but I remember this being
a place where I can get LOTS of advice on nearly any topic imaginable.
Musicmaker

I would imagine the first thing to find out, and you may already have, is
if the cancer center simply takes contributions of that sort (product as
opposed to simply money), or if you have to be an officially licensed(?)
non-profit organization.

Brian Christiansen

I did ask, and they do. There is no paperwork or obligation beyond
simply bringing donations.
Musicmaker

On Oct 13, 3:10*pm, Jeri wrote:
On 10/13/2011 11:22 AM, Musicmaker wrote:

I'd like to begin providing quilts, both lap and bed, to the cancer
center my husband has been going to for chemo, and I don't know if I
should just make a page on my blog about it, and hope people
contribute orphan quilt tops and quilts, or become an actual non
profit organization with all the requisite paperwork.
I realize that RCTQ hasn't seen hide nor hair of me in quite a while,
and that there are probably many here who have never heard of me, but
I remember this being a place where I can get LOTS of advice on nearly
any topic imaginable.
Musicmaker

I have no idea but here's a website that describes some of the benefits
and drawbacks of becoming a nonprofit organization.

http://smallbusiness.findlaw.com/bus...n-profit/non-p...

--
Jeri

Thanks for that link, Jeri. I'm starting to think that becoming a
nonprofit will depend entirely on IF this becomes bigger than just me
bringing quilts to the center whenever I have one finished. I like to
think big, but I'm so right brained that I think big about everything
and actually get very little accomplished!!

On Oct 14, 10:33*am, Roberta Roberta@Home wrote:
Of course I remember you! Welcome back!
Can't help much with the issue- I seem to recall that a not-for-profit
(501C?) needs a board of directors and a minimum number of start-up
"members". (Otherwise anybody could start one and make e.g. the family
a not-for-profit as a sort of tax scam.) The main reason for one
IMO,off the top of my head, is to open a corporate bank account. But
you really need to contact an expert. These organizations need bylaws,
and there is definitely recurring tax paperwork!
Roberta in D

On Thu, 13 Oct 2011 08:22:16 -0700 (PDT), Musicmaker







wrote:
I'd like to begin providing quilts, both lap and bed, to the cancer
center my husband has been going to for chemo, and I don't know if I
should just make a page on my blog about it, and hope people
contribute orphan quilt tops and quilts, or become an actual non
profit organization with all the requisite paperwork.
I realize that RCTQ hasn't seen hide nor hair of me in quite a while,
and that there are probably many here who have never heard of me, but
I remember this being a place where I can get LOTS of advice on nearly
any topic imaginable.
Musicmaker

Thanks Roberta!