Nonprofit or charitable organizations have Tax-Exempt Status because the organizations serve a public good or provide a benefit to society. These organizations are also allowed to solicit donations from people with the promise that the money will be used to do something that will provide some type of benefits to society.

Unfortunately, in some cases, the money that a nonprofit obtains is not used properly in accordance with the purpose of the organization. If money donated or given to the nonprofit is used to enrich insiders with a leadership or employment role in the foundation, this is referred to as a Private Inurement. There are penalties associated with a Private Inurement and it is important for those who operate a nonprofit to speak with an experienced attorney to make sure they are not breaking the rules regarding what they can do with the organization’s money.

What is a Private Inurement?

When a Nonprofit applies for Tax-Exempt Status, it must state a purpose other than making money. There are certain types of organizations that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will give nonprofit status to, such as religious organizations, organizations to further the arts or education, and charitable organizations. In every case, the IRS will allow Tax-Exempt Status only if the nonprofit plans to use the money it obtains to serve some type of broader purpose that is good for the public.

All money the Nonprofit takes in must actually be used to fulfill the purpose that was specified when the organization was started. No money, or assets, can be used to provide a private benefit to anyone involved with the Nonprofit. This includes the founders of the foundation; those who contributed money to it; and those who work for it.

For example, if the founder or manager of a Nonprofit uses money that was donated to the organization to buy a car for himself or to pay his mortgage, this would be an example of Private Inurement. If a contributor or a donor to a nonprofit made a $10,000 donation but then the nonprofit bought him a $10,000 car, this would also be an example of a Private Inurement. Even those who donate to a charity or nonprofit cannot use the money they have gifted to the organization for their own personal purposes, as the money is Tax-Exempt and it is supposed to be used for the nonprofit’s goals.

When Private Inurement occurs, the consequences will vary depending upon the situation. In many cases, the IRS will simply impose monetary sanctions or penalties. In other situations, however, the IRS May revoke the Tax-Exempt Status of the Nonprofit. Revocation is a much more serious consequence and it is not as common. News of the Private Inurement can also affect donations, causing people to no longer trust the nonprofit and to be reluctant to donate as a result.

It is important to ensure that Private Inurement does not occur if you are running a nonprofit. Speak with an experienced nonprofit lawyer at Lotzar Law Firm, P.C. for help understanding the rules for nonprofits and ensuring that expenses are legitimate in accordance with the law.

If you wish to operate a Charitable or a Nonprofit Organization, it is important to understand the rules and requirements that will apply to fundraising. Most nonprofits survive on a combination of grants and donations, with the exception of organizations that are supported by Private Foundations. This means that nonprofits need to be able to reach out to donors and ask for financial contributions.

The rules differ from state-to-state regarding what a charitable organization must do in order to fundraise. If you wish to operate your charity in Arizona or to try to raise money from people within the area, you should speak with an experienced attorney about the requirements to Solicit Donations in Arizona. Lotzar Law Firm, P.C. has helped many clients to successfully start charitable organizations and to ensure they remain in compliance with all state rules for operating. Call today to schedule a consultation and learn more.

Arizona used to have a law requiring charities to be registered in order to Solicit Donations. Charities had to file a registration form annually in order to be allowed to Solicit Donations in Arizona. However, the registration requirement was repealed and after 2013 charities are no longer obligated to be registered in the state of Arizona in order to raise funds. Furthermore, Arizona is also one of just four states in the country where the Attorney General does not have Common Law Authority to ensure that charities are complying with legal requirements.

Requirements to Solicit Donations in Arizona

Because of the repeal of the registration requirements, it has become far too easy for dishonest organizations to try to pass themselves off as charities and raise money in Arizona. Wary consumers who are concerned about where money is going may ask for other information from your charitable organization before making a contribution in order to ensure your non profit is legitimate. It is important to be prepared with documentation demonstrating that you are a legitimate charity in order to have success at raising funds.

One of the essential things that you will need to do is to secure Tax-Exempt Status from the Internal Revenue Service. Most organizations do this under the provisions set in 501(c)(3) of the tax code and are thus called 501(c)(3) Organizations. Donors will need to know your status as a Tax-Exempt Organization before making contributions so they are able to take a deduction for the money that they give to your organization. If you cannot provide proof of Tax-Exempt Status, it will be very difficult to successfully Solicit Donations in Arizona.

You may also wish to use a Unified Registration Statement, which is accepted in Arizona as well as in other locations throughout the country. This provides your organization with an opportunity to register to Solicit Donations in participating states.

An experienced Scottsdale Arizona non profit lawyer knows the ins-and-outs of starting a charity and complying with the laws regarding who may Solicit Donations in Arizona. An attorney can advise you on the specifics of what you need to do if you want to start raising funds, so be sure to talk to a lawyer about your legal obligations.

If you run a Nonprofit or Charitable Organization, you may wish to solicit funds from people throughout the country who are interested in the work that you do. You may also want to expand the services that you provide to help people outside of your immediate geographic location. 

Operating a Nonprofit in multiple states is possible, but there are many legal steps that must be taken in order to successfully work across state lines while remaining in compliance with the law. An experienced Scottsdale Arizona nonprofit lawyer can help you to understand your options and ensure you are in compliance with the law so you do not accidentally do anything that will jeopardize the good works your organization is trying to do.

Following the Rules for Operating a Nonprofit in Multiple States

When Soliciting Donations from people from out-of-state in order to raise funds for your non profit, you must ensure you comply with the rules and requirements from the states where the money will be coming from. This is true even if you send donation requests via email or via mail, rather than having a physical location in the location where you are soliciting funds.

The laws, unfortunately, differ from state-to-state. This means you will need to find out the specific requirements for raising money in every state where you wish to tap into a potential donor base. In states like California and Illinois, for example, there may be criminal penalties for a failure to register your Charity before Soliciting Donations.

The Internal Revenue Service, which operates on the federal level, also wants to ensure that your Charity is not breaking the rules for any of the individual states that you are soliciting funds from. Form 990 must be filed by nonprofits that raise $25,000 or more. This form asks questions about compliance with state registration laws and it has to be signed by an officer of the organization under penalty of perjury.

Of course, your organization may want to do more than just solicit funds. If you wish to actually provide services in a different state, then you will also need to check the laws applicable to beginning your type of operation. Many states have very specific rules about the type of charity work that can be performed. For example, there may be municipal ordinances or statewide laws limiting where homeless people can be fed. You need to know the local rules to avoid criminal and civil penalties.

This does not mean that operating a non profit in multiple states is impossible. In fact, non profit organizations that work in different geographic areas can open up different chapters that share a name, trademark and mission. When this occurs, the groups of charity chapters in different states are usually called “Federated Organizations.”

Federated Nonprofit Organizations can be structured as a Single Corporation operating in multiple locations; as Separate Subsidiary Corporations; or as separate corporations with affiliation agreements. There are advantages and disadvantages to each approach and you should ensure you speak with a Scottsdale Arizona nonprofit lawyer at Lotzar Law Firm, P.C. for help before you decide how best to begin your operations in a new location.

Some organizations are founded for the purpose of serving the public good, rather than making money for owners. These organizations may operate as Tax-Exempt and avoid paying income taxes on the money they earn or obtain as long as that money is used to fulfill the organization’s purpose. An organization must apply to the Internal Revenue Service to be classified as a Nonprofit and obtain Tax-Exempt Status. Different sections of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) allow different types of organizations to be classified as Exempt Nonprofits. Most charitable and religious organizations, as well as organizations intended to promote science or literacy or protect kids and animals – obtain their Tax-Exempt Status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code allows for an organization to be a Tax-Exempt Nonprofit only if it is organized exclusively for an exempt purpose. This section of the IRS Code doesn’t specifically use the term “Private Benefit.” However, an organization is not organized exclusively for an exempt purpose if it concerns Private Benefits that are more than just incidental to furthering its charitable goals.

In other words, if an individual benefits from an organization rather than society or the public, then this can jeopardize the organizations’s Tax-Exempt Status. The distinction between a public good and a Private Benefit can be difficult to make, and an experienced Scottsdale Arizona nonprofit lawyer should be consulted for help understanding the meaning of Private Benefit and how it applies to your organization.

Defining a Private Benefit

Drawing a distinction between an organization intended to provide a Private Benefit and one intended to serve an exempt purpose can be difficult. After all, individuals are members of the public. A soup kitchen, for example, feeds individuals. However, while a soup kitchen is created to benefit the individuals who are being fed, this does not necessarily mean that the soup kitchen is conferring a Private Benefit and should lose its Tax-Exempt Status. If the soup kitchen was set up to provide food only to a small select group of people, however, this could mean that it was conferring Private Benefits that are not permissible if the organization wants to maintain Tax-Exempt Status. This is true even if the small select group of people are among the hungry who are part of a larger charitable class.

To draw a distinction between a Private Benefit that is impermissible and a charitable purpose, it is essential to assess whether the benefit is qualitatively and quantitatively incidental. The Private Benefit, for example, will need to be a by product of the benefit to the public (qualitatively incidental) and will need to be insubstantial (quantitatively incidental) in order for the organization to be considered Tax-Exempt under 501(c)(3) provisions. To determine if the organization is benefitting the public or a private individual, the IRS will consider:

• The size of the group of people who will benefit.
• Whether the organization is entering into transactions on unreasonable or unfavorable terms.
• Whether the organization engages in a substantial amount of activities that are not directly related to fulfilling a charitable purpose.
• Whether private parties are receiving more benefits than would be necessary for the charity of fulfill its exempt purposes.
• Whether the 501(c)(3) organization establishes exclusive business dealings with a for-profit enterprise or fails to compare prices or consider alternative sources of services or goods.

It is very important to avoid conferring Private Benefits if your organization is Tax-Exempt under 501(c)(3). Call a Scottsdale Arizona nonprofit lawyer at Lotzar Law Firm, P.C. for help to ensure you are able to avoid mistakes that could jeopardize your nonprofit status.