501

[Basementdweller]

The BSA organization I am involved with was very poorly run. There is a lot of things that I have been told we have and we do not. This is one line in a very long list of them.

 

I was simply told the Pack has a 501 of it's own, it was in place a very long time before I was part of the organization. Well after 5 or so hours of investigation we have never been a 501c3.

 

 

Did you know that if you are a 501 you need to file a tax form every year, 909 or 9099????

 

The cost is $400 or more. WOW.

 

As predicted the church won't share theirs and the DE is almost of the tough luck line.

 

 

Ya know. I have WASTED probably 20 hours on this. I am done.

 

I will talk to the store front and if they demand it....guess we won't sell in front of stores this year.

[emb021]

"Did you know that if you are a 501 you need to file a tax form every year, 909 or 9099????"

 

990. Or E-990. Many small orgs have to do this each year. I can tell you that my Toastmasters club must do this each year, and my parliamentary org (part of a National org) and my professional society (again, part of a National org) has to do this each year. Our parent orgs provides us with our unique tax id number. And bug us to make sure we do this.

 

"As predicted the church won't share theirs and the DE is almost of the tough luck line."

 

Won't share what?? Their tax id number? They do understand that your unit IS part of the church? Its no different if the church choir or the church youth group needed it.

 

"I will talk to the store front and if they demand it....guess we won't sell in front of stores this year."

 

Demand what? What is this store wanting? Get on the horn with your council office. There shouldn't be an issue. I know in my neck of the woods, our council office has done things like work with local Publixes for discounts, so we have no issue selling our camp cards there.

 

 

[ScoutNut]

So all of this is to allow your Pack to sell popcorn in front of a store?

 

Wow, sorry, but you HAVE wasted 20 hours!

 

Unless it is a local ordinance of some kind, you do NOT have to be a 501©(3) organization in order to do that.

 

I have been selling candy for school, cookies for Girl Scouts, and popcorn for Cub/Boy Scouts for 18+ years, and never once has a store manager even mentioned a 501©(3).

 

I have had places tell me that it is against their store policy to allow us to sell. The biggest problem we face is contacting the business managers early enough so that we can get the dates we want, and not have to work around leftovers.

 

I suggest if one store manager says no, try another. Or try a different type of business. We have had luck with hardware stores, banks, libraries, and post offices. Try drug stores, home improvement stores, and video stores (not to many of those around any more). Smaller mom/pop stores might work. WalMart is great if you can get in. Talk to your local Park District about setting up a booth at their sports games. We even worked a Harley dealership once. Unfortunately, since most of their customers rode bikes, they did not have room to store large purchases. However, we got a lot of donations and the store sales staff bought quite a bit too (the store manager even bought a large mixed tin to share with customers and staff).

 

Go to your local Roundtable and ask other Packs what works for them.

[Basementdweller]

The store requires a 501 to sell in front of their store. It is a national corp policy.....we have sold for a number of year in front of this store and it is a new one for me.

 

Talked with our old DE a little bit ago and he is going to take care of it????????

 

 

[ScoutNut]

What is the name of this national chain store? I'm wondering if there are any in my area.

[Basementdweller]

Ain't no way I would ever post the name here.....

 

National corp would then change policy and we would lose our store fronts because every parent that reads this forum would bother the local managers.

 

Selfish yes, but money doesn't grow on trees and no one else cares about the boys from the hood. As one farm boy put it, why don't you go home.

[ScoutNut]

I thought their national policy was that you had to be a 501©(3) to sell in front of their store? Why wouldn't that be a good policy to get changed/dropped?

 

Trust me, if this is truly a national chain, then their store managers across the country have already been "bothered", often, by Scouts requesting booth sale space.

 

Personally, almost every time I have been told no because of a corporate policy it turns out to be the decision of the store manager, not the corporate offices. When the store manager changes, the "policy" changes.

 

As I said before, try other stores. There has to be more than just that one store in your area to sell at. Think outside of the box (or big box stores). Do multiple booth sales in a variety of locations.

 

We do real well with Friday evenings/Saturday combos at one local bank. Sunday mornings outside of a local restaurant do pretty well. Our local hardware stores are great. We also do well with booths set up around our local church. We catch the parishioners coming out of every door after every mass.

 

Give the places a call. You never know until you try.

 

[SSScout]

So beyond my previous post about your choices, and the agreement from the other posters about the CO "owning" the Unit and the Unit using the CO's tax number, same as any other part of the CO, I find it interesting that a "national chain" would make it so hard for the local manager to not make good PR with the local community. Our Troop sells Holiday wreaths (read Christmas) in front of the local CVS store, Safeway store, and hardware store (local owned: Two stores), no hassle.

Name the store, and some of us with "no life" can contact the corporate offices and find out why.

[FScouter]

The "higher authority" defense is invoked when the local authority doesn't want to say "NO" e.g. "I'd love for you to sell out front, but you know, the 'ol corporate office says ..."

[boomerscout]

The only time we need to show a 501c3 certificate is when we request a donation of merchandise. Most times not even that, just a typed request on our letterhead stating why we want the donation, and what good we do in the community.

To request a spot in front of the store, the boys show up in their class B while a Scouter stands in the background. Yes, at many places we do have to sign for a date in advance. But, as others have said, there are lots of stores.

Wherever you do set up - get that publicity photo in your local paper. And, send the store a thankyou note.

[ScoutNut]

I would never recommend just showing up cold, with no previous notice, for a booth sale.

 

I start calling store managers in August, and set up sale slots for every weekend from the middle of September to the end of October. I will then call them to verify/remind them a few days in advance.

 

Thank you notes are a must.