Oops, I forgot to include the link, just in case! http://wikiconferenceusa.org/wiki/Cascadia_Meetup
Jason On Sun, Jun 1, 2014 at 9:33 AM, Jason Moore <[email protected]> wrote: > Bumping this thread to confirm the Cascadia Meetup this afternoon > (4-5:30pm) in Room W300 at WikiConference USA. We will be discussing the > possibility of user group status. Pine, Mako, I understand that the two of > you are committed to signing on as supporters of the Cascadian Wikimedians > User Group. I, too, am willing to sign on, and there are a few people here > at the conference from Portland, Washington State and British Columbia, > some of whom may also be interested. We will see what happens this > afternoon, but perhaps we can at least come up with a solid plan to obtain > user group status ASAP. > > Thanks, > Jason > > > On Wed, May 28, 2014 at 11:31 AM, Kirill Lokshin <[email protected] > > wrote: > >> On Wed, May 28, 2014 at 10:53 AM, Lane Rasberry <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >>> Hello, >>> >>> The easiest way to incorporate in Washington is to get the minimum >>> number of people, I think 5, and then just fill out the online form. >>> >>> To get 501(c)(3) if an organization has been registered for three years >>> without failing the yearly report or having members go wild, then the bar >>> to get non-profit status is greatly lowered. >>> >>> If I were to propose a route going forward, it would be this: >>> >>> >>> 1. As soon as three supporters are identified, send an email >>> requesting usergroup status. There is really no review process for this >>> and >>> it is just something that is granted on request. The group's history far >>> exceeds expectations of applicants. >>> >>> I should point out that this isn't really the case. While the review >> process for user groups is simpler and shorter than the review process for >> chapters, there *is* a review. Depending on whether there will be bylaws >> that need to be reviewed (which may be the case if the user group is going >> to incorporate), I would expect the review to take anywhere from a few >> weeks to a month or two. >> >> >>> >>> 1. If five supporters can be identified to sign on to incorporate, >>> apply as a non-profit organization and operate indefinitely with no >>> budget >>> and few projects. Have the work of the chapter be endorsement of >>> community-organized events, and possibly oversight of coffee funding >>> which >>> is accepted not by the chapter but by an individual organizer if funds >>> are >>> ever needed at all. >>> >>> One other option that you may want to consider is that of fiscal >> sponsorship through another Wikimedia affiliate, whether or not you >> incorporate. For example, Wikimedia DC recently set up a fiscal >> sponsorship arrangement with the New England Wikimedians user group, in >> which WMDC will hold the user group's funds in one of our bank accounts and >> take care of disbursements, expense reimbursement, and financial >> bookkeeping and reporting for the user group. If something along these >> lines is of interest, I'm certain WMDC would be happy to assist Cascadia as >> well. >> >>> >>> 1. If five people either want non-profit status and wish to pay >>> $2500 or seek pro bono filing, then they could do that. Otherwise if the >>> five supporters just wait three years after filing the price and >>> complexity >>> goes way down and they could do the paperwork themselves. Otherwise, the >>> organization could persist indefinitely without nonprofit status and so >>> long as it never touched money there would be no concerns. >>> >>> Is there actually a change at the three-year mark with regard to the >> federal 501(c)(3) filing, or is this something specific to non-profits in >> Washington? The IRS has done away with the preliminary/final >> determinations for public charity status; and, as far as I was aware, that >> was the only real difference for organizations filing earlier or later. >> >> Cheers, >> Kirill >> >> -- >> Kirill Lokshin >> Secretary | Wikimedia District of Columbia >> http://wikimediadc.org | @wikimediadc >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Wikimedia-Cascadia mailing list >> [email protected] >> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-cascadia >> >> >
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