501c3GO

Charitable Solicitation

If you solicit charitable contributions, you may need to register with the state in which you are soliciting. Forty states require registration. Religious organizations are generally exempted. Here’s the link to know all about it: http://www.multistatefiling.org/. Filing dates and other filing information may not be current so always check with your specific state authority. Although it is extra paperwork and may require a filing fee, the actual registration is not burdensome, and you should be able to do it yourself without having to pay someone to do it for you. Find info on your state here: http://www.multistatefiling.org/n_appendix.htm. However, Online solicitation: Some states have gone so far as to take the position that a nonprofit that requests donations online is “soliciting” donations in their state if any resident actually accesses the site. They have even extended this position to include charities soliciting funds via a “commercial donation” site such as  www.igive.com or www.givetocharity.com, where donors can contribute online to charities that are registered with the site. Please see this blog for more information:  Online Charitable Solicitation. Nothing contained herein is to be construed as legal or accounting advice.