Need some help here

[Sen's Revenge]

And finally, ΣKΞFounder, this is not the forum to discuss your organization's aspirations or issues. Please send me a private message if you want, but I strongly advise you to not answer any more questions or ask for advice in this forum. Everyone here is not a friend.

[Titchou]

Originally Posted by Sen's Revenge

Congrats on your incorporation! I am an incorporator of Gamma Xi Phi. :-)



You don't need to have a determination letter to be incorporated or refer to yourself as nonprofit. One should have plans to get one eventually, but they will get that done on the time frame which works for them.

ETA: For the record, I am not saying that it is proper or legal for them to pretend to have a tax-status that they do not have or to accept donations or apply for grants meant for 501 (c)(3) organizations. I am saying that the tax determination letter is not the most important thing for a young organization. Incorporation is good, getting a (c)(7) or (c)(10) tax designation is a nice goal, as is trademarking the symbols and securing insurance. When you're a small organization of limited means, you take one thing at a time.

One can identify as a nonprofit org on the local/state level without having a federal designation.

Oh, I agree. In fact, one must first file locally (and it's usually with the county, not the city) and get an EIN which one will need to file the 1024 (or 1023 if they want to be a C 3) with the IRS to get the letter of determination which they will need to file their 990 tax return. I've done quite a few. I was just trying to figure out exactly what he meant.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Titchou

I was just trying to figure out exactly what he meant.

She meant that ΣKΞ has been incorporated (by the state, I would assume) as a not-for-profit corporation.

Congrats ΣKΞFounder, and good luck!

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by ΣKΞFounder

She and no, we will be requesting use of one of their buildings for meetings, and no we will not house nor do we want to. It's part of our constitution that houses not be required and no one be forced to live in house, if a house is so desired. We want to be recognized by the school, but they want us to change what makes us, us. Yes, there are all the requirements for a Fraternity there, but, they do not like our core constitution. It is nothing bad at all, and as a matter of fact, we believe they have a problem with it because we proved them wrong on a key point in their system that we believe is faulty. If you would like to know what it is you may message me, because for the most part, our constitution is not public. We do show it to those who inquire about it though because our constitution is not secret, but we don't advertise it either.

Well good luck to all of you and congrats on the early strides. Don't fret too much about your Alpha Chapter. Sigma Nu's Alpha chapter was shuttered by the Virginia Military Institute when they banned fraternities in 1885 and we've done pretty well since then. Our Alpha chapter doesn't really function as a chapter though. It's more of an honorary organization which inducts the top Seniors in the Fraternity every year. Obtaining membership is kind of a big deal.

[Sen's Revenge]

Originally Posted by Kevin

Our Alpha chapter doesn't really function as a chapter though. It's more of an honorary organization which inducts the top Seniors in the Fraternity every year. Obtaining membership is kind of a big deal.

That's neat.

[ΣKΞFounder]

Originally Posted by Sen's Revenge

Congrats on your incorporation! I am an incorporator of Gamma Xi Phi. :-)



You don't need to have a determination letter to be incorporated or refer to yourself as nonprofit. One should have plans to get one eventually, but they will get that done on the time frame which works for them.

ETA: For the record, I am not saying that it is proper or legal for them to pretend to have a tax-status that they do not have or to accept donations or apply for grants meant for 501 (c)(3) organizations. I am saying that the tax determination letter is not the most important thing for a young organization. Incorporation is good, getting a (c)(7) or (c)(10) tax designation is a nice goal, as is trademarking the symbols and securing insurance. When you're a small organization of limited means, you take one thing at a time.

One can identify as a nonprofit org on the local/state level without having a federal designation.

We do have our papers :3 and we are looking into insurance. It is so expensive though! We are taking things one step at a time because we are small now, but that does not mean we are not mighty! We are hoping to have insurance in two to three years.

[ΣKΞFounder]

Originally Posted by Kevin

Well good luck to all of you and congrats on the early strides. Don't fret too much about your Alpha Chapter. Sigma Nu's Alpha chapter was shuttered by the Virginia Military Institute when they banned fraternities in 1885 and we've done pretty well since then. Our Alpha chapter doesn't really function as a chapter though. It's more of an honorary organization which inducts the top Seniors in the Fraternity every year. Obtaining membership is kind of a big deal.

That is a very neat idea. I have not really thought about maybe having an Alpha "chapter" as an honors chapter. If the community standing does not work, I might see about starting something similar as long as Sigma Nu does not take offense of us potentially starting something similar.

[ΣKΞFounder]

Originally Posted by Sen's Revenge

And finally, ΣKΞFounder, this is not the forum to discuss your organization's aspirations or issues. Please send me a private message if you want, but I strongly advise you to not answer any more questions or ask for advice in this forum. Everyone here is not a friend.

I noticed! Locals get a bad rep but I am perfectly happy with being who we are! I try not to post anything much on here anymore. But I will get on and browse/answer to a post if it needs to be addressed.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by ΣKΞFounder

That is a very neat idea. I have not really thought about maybe having an Alpha "chapter" as an honors chapter. If the community standing does not work, I might see about starting something similar as long as Sigma Nu does not take offense of us potentially starting something similar.

Pretty much all of us have stolen ideas from one another or from the Masons, etc. over the years. Not a big deal, IMHO.