LegalEntity < Org

<font color="red">UPDATE: </font>GNHLUG is registered with state as of October 4, 2000. Details and a copy of said registration will be uploaded asap. -- Main.TedRoche 19-Oct-2006

<font color="red">UPDATE: </font>GNHLUG has filed their 2005 (every-five-year) annual report with an updated Board of Directors. See Attachments below. -- Main.TedRoche 20-Oct-2006


<s>Efforts have been made before, but not completed, to make GNHLUG a registered organization with non-profit status. This is noted not to condemn earlier attempts, but to help us understand the challenges previous volunteers faced, and to understand the difficulty of the task. "Those who fail to learn from the past are doomed to repeat it." </s>Previous similar meetings included: MeetingAgenda24May2003, MeetingAgenda05Feb2004,  and MeetingMinutes05Feb2004. Discussions include WhatDoWeWantToBe, etc.

At the Www.SummerSummit2005, Main.MadDog explained some of the differences between 501(c)3 and 501(c)6. At that meeting, we agreed that our goal as GNHLUG to be an inclusive organization that provides the infrastructure for volunteers to perform volunteer activities including community service, advocacy and educational projects around Free and Open Source Software while allowing free membership and encouraging fraternal social networking, too. Establishment of the organization should not infringe on others enjoyment of the current meetings.

See ProposedByLaws2005

See ProposedArticlesOfAgreement

Links outside this wiki for reference:

   * State of New Hampshire [[http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/indexes/292.html][RSA]]
   * IRS Guides for Non-Profits [[http://www.irs.gov/charities/nonprofits/index.html][PDFs]]
      * [[http://www.irs.gov/instructions/i990-ez/index.html][Form 990]] instructions (the tax return)
      * [[http://www.irs.gov/charities/article/0,,id=96339,00.html][Common Filing Errors]]
      * [[http://www.irs.gov/publications/p557/][Publication 557 (3/2005), Tax-Exempt Status for Your Organization]] - a 3-page PDf or website: the rules, simplified.
      * [[http://www.irs.gov/charities/nonprofits/article/0,,id=96107,00.html][Business Leagues 501(c)(6)]]

   * IRS [[http://www.irs.gov/charities/article/0,,id=96103,00.html][Filing Requirements]]
   * New Hampshire Secretary of State Office [[http://www.sos.nh.gov/corporate/Nonprofitforms.html][Non-Profit Forms]]
   * [[http://www.linuxmark.org/][Linux Mark Institute]]

   * Most legal forms of organization will require some form of structure with by-laws. A quick Google yields:
   * [[http://www.kalamazoolinux.org/][Kalamazoo LUG]] by-laws in [[http://www.kalamazoolinux.org/klug_bylaws_040306.pdf][PDF format]] - likely not what we want, as they require dues for privileges such as email archive access, but these can serve as a starting point for discussions.
   * Pensacola has their bylaws on their forum at http://pcolalug.org/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=40
   * Orlando has their "indefinitely tabled" bylaws at http://www.golug.org/bylaws.html and a cautionary tale of (too?) Many LUGS at http://www.golug.org/manylugs.html
   * Liability is a concern raised several times, most recently at SummerSummit2006. Googling provides lots of [[http://nonprofitrisk.org][information]]. Consultation with legal advice and insurance professionals may be advisable.
   * More interesting reading/resources: [[http://www.thecorporatefund.org/][The Corporate Fund]], [[http://www.nhnonprofits.org/][NH Center for Non-Profits]], [[http://www.hurwitassociates.com/l_start_forming.html#BylawsBoard][some legal resources]], 

%COMMENT{type="below"}%

Links to the messages in the -discuss mailing list archives  discussing this subject are:

   * http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/private/gnhlug-discuss/2005-October/011856.html
   * http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/private/gnhlug-discuss/2005-October/011777.html
   * http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/private/gnhlug-discuss/2005-October/011829.html

And a lot of the October 2005 messages in the -org archive discuss this subject.

-- Main.BruceDawson - 24 Oct 2005



Some justifications for formalizing as a non-profit are:

   * Defensive - prevent someone from usurping our [good] name.
   * Ease - so we can more easily secure gifts, meeting places, and sponsorship.
   * Structure - so we know what we are doing and who's doing it.
   * Outreach - so people know what we are about and who is responsible.
   * Provide "agent" services to other like-minded LUGs, SIGs, and chapters. 

-- Main.BruceDawson - 13 Oct 2005 18:00:49 
   * [[%ATTACHURL%/GNHLUG_Annual_Report_2005.pdf][GNHLUG_Annual_Report_2005.pdf]]: Every-five-years Annual Report, filed 20-Oct-2006
Attachments
Topic attachments
I	Attachment	History	Action	Size	Date	Who	Comment
pdf	GNHLUG_Annual_Report_2005.pdf	r1	manage	75.8 K	2006-10-20 - 08:39	TedRoche	Every-five-years Annual Report, filed 20-Oct-2006
This topic: Org > WhatDoWeWantToBe > LegalEntity
Topic revision: r15 - 2006-10-20 - TedRoche
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