Our support group is a registered "not-for-profit" corporation. How can we donate money to HEF's lobbying organization?
If a non-profit wishes to donate to HEF, without adversely affecting their tax status, a few things must be noted.
Any monies from a fund raiser (i.e. read-a-thon, bake sale, etc.) must be kept separate from your corporation's operating monies. The funds should not be deposited to your accounts, as that would affect your tax status. If the dollars collected are sent directly to HEF, there is no conflict. If checks are received, they should be made out to HEF as, again, you would not want the money to enter your accounts.
When non-profit groups choose to add money to dues, which will later be distributed to another organization, it is best to have members sign their acknowledgement of that gifting. In my group in Volusia (even though not tax-exempt), we simply showed the breakdown of dues monies; when a member signs the application, they acknowledge all of its content. HEF has an attorney on our Board who designed a freestanding form for this purpose. If you'd like a copy, please let me know. Otherwise, you simply need to add a line, to your application, where members may agree to what you're planning to do with the funds.
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