There are two kinds of non-profits relevant to activist groups. If you want to be a 503(c)3, generally it's because you want donations to you to be tax deductible so you can offer that as a perk to donors and get more money. For example, organizations like WREN and the Sierra Club are 503(c)3 nonprofits. However, 503(c)3's are required by law to be limited in their political activity. They can't be involved in ANY way with political campaigns, and while they can support issues and work in a nonpartisan way, they can't have a substantial part of their overall activities relate to influencing legislation or similar activities. Obviously, that wouldn't work for our needs - we're here to influence legislation and get good progressive candidates elected! So we can't incorporate as a 503(c)3.
A 503(c)4 nonprofit CAN do political work, and some activist groups do incorporate as a 503(c)4 or exist as the 503(c)4 arm of a 503(c)3. However, donations to a 503(c)4 are NOT tax deductible. That means there's no benefit to the donors to give to a 503(c)4. The only reason to spend the money and time to incorporate as this kind of nonprofit is if you're bringing in enough donations that you've got a revenue stream to speak of.
Greater Columbia Action Together has approximately the revenue stream of your grandmother's sewing circle. We are, however, even more transparent than Meemaw's get togethers because you know she don't give out her cookie recipes. Here is a full and complete accounting of all of our financials:
We have 77.90 sitting in my husband's Zazzle account that's income from the t-shirts he designed for us. That money will probably go towards our May Education Rally.
The March for Science GoFundMe brought in 1257.86 after GoFundMe's cut. 1243.98 went to Sound & Images for our PA system, chairs, etc. 71.46 went to Regal Prints for posters. 50 went to photography. Sadly, the definition of "nonprofit" is not "group that doesn't make any money" - Michelle Edgar generously donated from her personal funds to make up the difference.
We took in some donations at our Wine and Writes; we bought postcard stamps.
Because we're not incorporated, we don't have a board. We do have a leadership team, which is made up of me, Michelle Edgar, Autumn Perkins, Jane Dobreski, and Courtney Rounds. We are a women-led organization. We are always available to answer any questions you might have. I'd say the door to my office is always open, but I do most of my work for this organization sitting on my couch in my pajamas while my toddler watches PJ Masks.
We also have a postal address. We rented a PO box because you are legally required to list a physical address on all mass e-mails and we felt it was a bad practice to use one of our personal addresses, in case the political climate worsens even further in the future. Michelle pays for that, too. You'll see it on the bottom of every e-mail I send you from MailChimp. When we needed postcards, I bought them. When we needed water and ice for the March for Science, everybody stopped by Publix on their way there. When we did Wine and Writes, people brought wine. We use free spaces to gather, free services like Blogger and MailChimp to get the word out, and the generosity of my husband Wallace for our graphic design.
All of our rallies and events at public locations like the State House that require permits for legal protests have been and will always be properly permitted. When you attend one of our events, you know there will never be a question of whether we are legally allowed to be there.
If in the future we start bringing in enough money that we have overages from events or general funds hanging around, we will incorporate. Until then, we are a grassroots activist group like many other grassroots activist groups, few of which are incorporated. Like your grandma's sewing circle, we are an all volunteer organization working together, and most of what we do is funded by people just pitching in. And like your grandmother's sewing circle, we stay woke!
