OK. Explain This to Me???

Updated on October 03, 2013
D.P. asks from McKinney, TX
8 answers

I posted a question about seeking advice as to whether I need to get a nonprofit licensing to raise funds through a 3rd party. It was flagged for soliciting. There was no link to my fundraiser. Nor was I requesting nor thinking of requesting $$ from anyone in Mamapedia. I read and reread the post and I am so confused. Is there a guideline about asking questions regarding the legality of a fundraiser?? I'm not so sure how I broke Mamapedia's rules.

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So What Happened?

The pm was for sharing ideas nothing more. Anyway, I doubt if I'll find the answer here like Doris said. I will let this go and just have to do more research on my own.

ETA.
I did clarify and got a response pretty quick that it was a mistake and that I can repost. However, I did find out that Mi has exemptions for non-profit licensing. Our endeavor falls under the exemption rule of <$25k/year and solicitation manned by volunteers. I believe since gofundme is just a service, it does not count as a volunteer.

Big thank you for all the responses. For a sec I felt like a child being punished based on assumptions. =) I am glad to report that I have already raised $200/500 as of this morning YAY!

More Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

B..

answers from Dallas on

Well, you said to PM you, if anyone needed help setting the same thing up. (Or something like that.) That's advertising your services.

I didn't report or anything, but when I read it I remember thinking it would probably get pulled.

ETA: D., it wasn't what you said, but how it was worded. The way you worded it made it sound like a solicitation. I knew it wasn't, but when I read it I figured someone would think that and report it.

Next time, why not say something like..."I have a lot of ideas about this, but it's not a question so I'll leave it to PMs. If you want to share ideas, please PM me!"

11 moms found this helpful

G.F.

answers from Philadelphia on

Because no one bothered to look at your profile or they would have known you really were just asking a question. Instead they just reported you.

8 moms found this helpful

C.O.

answers from Washington DC on

D.:

you can write back and ask for clarification on the pulling. You MIGHT get a response. You might not. I don't know.

I was off the board for almost 3 weeks, so I don't know what to tell you. I didn't see your original post.

Try re-posting it.

6 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

D..

answers from Miami on

You didn't. Someone thought you did and reported you, and the person who removed your threads didn't really read it.

Try again and specify at the beginning that it's not a solicitation to MP members in any way. Make sure that you copy and paste any answer that helps you so that you have it. I doubt you'll get many answers because not that many people know how to help.

Don't worry about breaking rules. You know you weren't doing the wrong thing.

6 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

L.R.

answers from Washington DC on

I replied to your original post and would not have bothered if it seemed like a solicitation to me - I would have reported it, and I didn't. It seemed fine to me; you were just asking for help regarding the legalities of nonprofit status etc. I think it was similar to questions someone might ask about PTA fundraising.

Sorry it got pulled. I think pulling it was an over-reaction. We do get spammy junk on here but it's usually quite clear that it's solicitation. Yours was a real question. Good luck with your endeavour!

5 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.C.

answers from New York on

I didn't even see your original post. If you want to re-post it I'll read it and try to help!

5 moms found this helpful

S.T.

answers from Washington DC on

cuz sometimes MP is a big fat idjit.
khairete
S.

5 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.B.

answers from Dallas on

I read your request but didn't have time to answer at the time. The mentoring program you mentioned that your daughter is involved in needs to raise $500. It would cost more than that to apply for and get a non-profit tax status (probably a 501c3). You need a 501c3 in order to solicit and get donations from some organizations. You would probably be better off getting donations from family and friends or setting up a fund raiser (like a pancake breakfast or a car wash). Have her make an information sheet explaining her project, why she needs to get donations and what she needs to spend the money on. You had mentioned in a previous post that she was setting this up as a Girl Scout project - perhaps others in her troop would help. Another idea -- if one of her main expenses is books, you could have a book drive to collect donated children's books. Then she could select the appropriate ones and donate the others. I am glad you want to support your daughter's activities. If you could personally fund it, you might want her to do extra chores to earn the money to fund the project.

2 moms found this helpful
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