RAPTAR, the 501c3 corporation we founded, is our "backing"
We are an all home school team, so just about the only way we can do funding/sponsorship is with a 501c3. I will talk to my mom (the chairman of the board) and get a copy of our bylaws. We're in the process of updating our Constitution/bylaws though. I remember we had a board meeting, and it lasted for about 2 hours, just reading the bylaws. Heh...It's not your average read...

Thanks for the help!
 

Thanks for the offers to help. If anyone has by-laws or other infothat wouldn't mind sharing with us, my email is now active so you can send it me to.

Or if you're going to the Duel tomorrow feel free to bring it with you to our pit.

This is what's great about FIRST - all the cooperation and assistance among teams.

501(c)(3)
 

84, aka Chuck 84, is also in search of info to help with this set up. If you're willing to share from your experience, we'd be very grateful...

Thanks Lots!

PS: We'll also be at the Duel.

I wish we were at the duel :( :( :( :(
We almost signed up...
Didn't have enough time though :(
I think a digitized version of our bylaws will be uploaded to our website (RAPTAR.org), which we are in the process of re-modelling, so nothing will be there just yet.
I'll post back when it's up.

Here are the steps we are taking to get the 501(c)3 designation for our team.

1. file form SS-4 to get an employer identification number
2. file the proper form from your state to register your articles of incorporation
3. file forms 1023 and 8718 with the IRS
4. file with the state again to get the letter you need for tax free purchases

Along the way you need to create some bylaws that indicate you have at least three directors, the board of directors has meetings and minutes are kept and that you keep financial records. If you write to me at rivercityrobots@hotmail.com I will send you a copy of our bylaws. You can search the web for sample bylaws for non-profit organizations and you will find several examples as well.

Once this process is completed you will have to submit annual reports to the state and I guess to the IRS also.

We are now just in the process of completing the IRS form 1023 so I can keep you updated on how it all worked out.

I have been told that you should expect this to take about 6 months to complete depending on how lucky you are to get timely responses from the state and feds and how quickly you get the forms filled out. The steps need to be completed in serial fashion.

Ralph

Re: Bylaws for 501(c)3 Designation
 

1257 is looking to become a non-profit, now. We can handle setting up a non-profit organization, but it appears it might be hard to do in New Jersey. Apparently, good ol' bureaucratic NJ has some rules about forming a seperate organization out of a club or something like that. I have tried looking through Title 18a (Education) of NJ Statutes, but sifting through 77,000 lines of legalese is not easy.

So, have any NJ teams (or teams in other states with such restrictions) formed a non-profit? Can you offer any advice? Thanks.

Re: Bylaws for 501(c)3 Designation
 

I can't help you with NJ, but 365 officially became 501c3 in May! As review, here are the steps involved:

1. Become a non-profit organization. In DE that was pretty easy and just involved filing papers with the state. And paying a fee. We had an attorney help us; a friend who advised us for free. You don't need an attorney but it helps. You do need to have by-laws and officers. You then get a employee identification number (EIN) which you'll need for the IRS.

We actually incorporated not as a team but as a group of adults that was formed to "promote interest in science and technology to middle school and high-school-aged students through participation in the FIRST Foundation robotic competitions and related activities". One of the activities we run is the MOE team (okay, it is the biggest one by far. We do also run the DE Lego League tournament). This might be a way to get around the NJ requirements.

2. Gather all the documentation needed. The hardest part of this was coming up with an estimated budget for the next three years. You also need a description of your fund-raising, list of major sponsors, by-laws, officers, summary of activities, etc. We talked informally with a CPA and a person who works with non-profits (again found through parents) who said it's not as hard as we thought, the IRS is mainly concerned with foundations with lots of assets, not small club type groups like us.

3. Fill out the 501c3 application and send it in with the $500 fee. We heard back in 6 weeks! The IRS sent us a letter giving us provisional tax-exempt status for 5 years, when we will have to re-apply or something. We can worry about that later. We have already used the letter to get a donation from a company who wouldn't donate before, without a 501c3 number. (You use your EIN for that.)

Anyone who has any questions, we'll be glad to help.

Re: Bylaws for 501(c)3 Designation
 

We are starting a new team and also starting a new 501 (c) 3. If anyone has been though the 501(c)3 procedures and would not mind shaing some of their expereinces and documents we would surely appreciate it.

We are looking for Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation expecially to look at and model after. Hate to ask but we are a little behind the game in getting the team started. We actually decided not that long ago to start the team after our multi school veteran team ended (lonnng story)

Any and all help would be highly appreciated.

Jag-

Re: Bylaws for 501(c)3 Designation
 

I was working on starting my company to support FIRST as a 501(c)3 until that kinda fell apart (moreso due to people then anything). I will gladly help anyone organize documents and whatnot and hope they have more luck then I did in the organization. Feel free to email me at leon.machado@gmail.com. Thanks.

Re: Bylaws for 501(c)3 Designation
 

Jag -- You can view several of my posts above and also e-mail me at rivercityrobots@hotmail.com and I will send you our bylaws and any new info I have since we got our 501(c)3 ruling.

Re: Bylaws for 501(c)3 Designation
 

You might want to check also if your local school board has a 501(c)3 you can use. Some programs set up accounts through existing programs (lots of school systems do this with Destination Imagination, for example. The oversight and administration are offered. Depends on how you want to run your team.
Good luck.

Re: Bylaws for 501(c)3 Designation
 

MOE became 501c3 last year and saw an immediate benefit in donations. I'll email you our by-laws as well (initially based on the ones that Ralph graciously sent us from River City Robots, but modified since).

We have recently changed the requirement for yearly audit of our books to yearly review. We found out that "audit" has a specific legal meaning and requires paying a CPA.

Our 501c3 organization is officially First State Robotics, Inc., which coordinates several programs such as the MOE team (the biggest) and the state FLL tournament. (Side note - the name is a play on words as the nickname for the Delaware is the First State. Legally we couldn't use FIRST, as in the legal entity For Recognition, etc.) The board of First State Robotics oversees and funds the various programs, each of which has its on governing board or group of some sort. In reality the various boards all have the same people in multiple roles, but we are working on getting more people involved in order to spread the workload.

Re: Bylaws for 501(c)3 Designation
 

Just curious, but does it cost anything to get 501(c)3 designation? I know one person posted that it cost them $500, while others made it seem as though it was little to no cost. Our budget is fairly limited right now so I'm hoping this designation can be achieved at little to no cost. Thanks in advance

Re: Bylaws for 501(c)3 Designation
 

From everything that I am seeing and reading it is a $500.00 fee and also you have to print your Articles of Incorporation in the paper for (3) consercutive days and I am estimated that is about $200.00.
I am no authority by any means.. this is just what I am told and quoted as we are working through all of this right now. I would love to hear otherwise if someone knows differently.

Re: Bylaws for 501(c)3 Designation
 

I have a question for teams that have gone independent from a school district. How do you handle insurance? Our robot team is an official school district sponsored team. Both the students, teachers, and outside mentors are covered under the school districts policy. The coverage and protection is considerable however, there is allot of bureaucratic demands placed on the teacher in charge. In the past, some adult mentors looked at moving the team to a Scouting America venture club. The venture club looked like it would solve the insurance and non-profit issues. Our school district more or less said it's their way or good luck. No money, no support, no free use of facilities. How is this handled by independent teams?