<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms',sans-serif">they both ultimately go to the same place </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms',sans-serif">
<br></div><div class="gmail_default" style><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Maricopa-Pinal-GNU-Linux-Users-Group/556228454505290?fref=nf">https://www.facebook.com/pages/Maricopa-Pinal-GNU-Linux-Users-Group/556228454505290?fref=nf</a></font><br>
</div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Wed, Aug 20, 2014 at 11:48 AM, <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:techlists@phpcoderusa.com" target="_blank">techlists@phpcoderusa.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><br>
Are both of the pages the same group?<br>
<br>
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=565460910248711&id=556228454505290" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/<u></u>permalink.php?story_fbid=<u></u>565460910248711&id=<u></u>556228454505290</a><br>
<br>
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?id=556228454505290&story_fbid=565462070248595" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/<u></u>permalink.php?id=<u></u>556228454505290&story_fbid=<u></u>565462070248595</a><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
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On 2014-08-20 00:46, Kaoru Wilbur wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
Great info Mark. I am sure the new Maricopa Pinal GNU Linux users<br>
group will find this useful as they complete their charter.<br>
<br>
On Tue, Aug 19, 2014 at 6:35 PM, Mark Phillips<br>
<<a href="mailto:mark@phillipsmarketing.biz" target="_blank">mark@phillipsmarketing.biz</a>> wrote:<br>
<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
Just to add my two cents to the non-profit discussion. I set up a<br>
501c3 corporation over 10 years ago for my daughters' club softball<br>
teams. I was the head coach and president of the corporation. I had<br>
a lawyer help with the application as probono work....I downloaded<br>
the application from the IRS, filled it out, asked the attorney a<br>
few questions, he reviewed the final application, and the IRS<br>
approved it. I kept the books in gnucash and filed the annual tax<br>
forms myself....a few reports from gnucash and some electronic<br>
filings with the state and IRS. I had three teams and over $45K in<br>
annual donations, so it was not that small of an operation. It was<br>
easy. It is amazing what one can learn by just reading the IRS<br>
handouts. I did not need a CPA or attorney after the initial filing<br>
with the IRS. I also haven't been audited or sent to jail for my<br>
501c3. I am also not a CPA or attorney...just an engineer with an<br>
MBA. I think there is a certain mystic about non-profit<br>
organizations that is just not true. It is not that big of a deal.<br>
You need three officers, just like any other AZ corporation to get<br>
started. <br>
<br>
I am not volunteering to set up the non-profit, nor do I have an<br>
opinion whether PLUG should be a non-profit or not. I am just saying<br>
that from my personal experience, it is not as scary and difficult<br>
to setup and run a non-profit as part of this discussion is making<br>
it out to be.<br>
<br>
Mark<br>
<br>
On Tue, Aug 19, 2014 at 1:53 PM, Gilbert T. Gutierrez, Jr.<br>
<<a href="mailto:mailing-lists@phoenixinternet.net" target="_blank">mailing-lists@<u></u>phoenixinternet.net</a>> wrote:<br>
There are ongoing costs to being a non-profit. You do have to file<br>
taxes every year. I believe in the past that was not so if you were<br>
not having a certain amount of funds running through your accounts.<br>
Additionally, the board, or officers, are responsible for the<br>
accuracy of those taxes and the compliance of the organization which<br>
should not ever be overlooked.<br>
<br>
I would not say its a good thing or a bad thing. I would say it is<br>
a good thing if you have a bunch of corporate donors lined up to<br>
provide significant funding to some of the plug activities. If you<br>
are speaking of a $100 here or there (under $1k/year), I would say<br>
that it is a waste of time becoming a non-profit.<br>
<br>
You will have to have money to maintain the following...<br>
1. CPA for tax season,<br>
2. Lawyer (mostly for initial filings, but also for organization),<br>
3. Commercial bank account (banks charge for those things).<br>
<br>
This is my 2 cents only. I was once on the board of a charitable<br>
organization that failed. It was a lot of work and I always had<br>
concerns about money mismanagement.<br>
<br>
Gilbert<br>
<br>
On 8/19/2014 12:24 PM, Ed wrote:<br>
The need to be a non-profit, and not being one, has bit us in the<br>
ass<br>
in the past.<br>
<br>
this should be done now as there is no pressing need - when the<br>
need<br>
occurs is not when you want to be starting this.<br>
<br>
There are some initial costs (fees) just becoming a state<br>
recognized<br>
organization, getting a federal non-profit status will take longer<br>
-<br>
The purpose would be education. A bank account is needed and<br>
finding a<br>
lawyer/accountant that is willing to support the group pro-bono<br>
(post<br>
a wanted add at ASU) are also needed. Don't skimp on infrastructure<br>
-<br>
you're starting a distributed group, support it.<br>
<br>
Start with a group of founders (10+) - each founder brings a<br>
C-note....<br>
<br>
Start fresh - don't reverse into an established papertrail - don't<br>
play adopt a fubar (unless that fubar is a shell of a listed public<br>
company - even then it's a bad idea) Keep detailed records of who<br>
does<br>
what when, you are maintaining IP now.<br>
<br>
when talking to other non-profits, ask who they use - get a<br>
referral -<br>
take a meeting - make a list. think about who is good for the<br>
advisory<br>
board (ie not people you now know) pay them.<br>
<br>
involve more people than you think you will need - you will need<br>
more<br>
- tasks should be assigned to teams (not people)<br>
share everything - keep open books<br>
<br>
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