FYI.. The HAM club probably is an IRS 501c3 type "not-for-profit" corp. Those are "for educational and scientific purposes" and are both tax exempt themselves and their donors get deductions. Note that donors are NOT allowed write-offs for giving to some of the other IRS types of not-for-profit corporations (eg, not for 501c6 which is what many of the local professional associations are.. like a lobbying group or labor union that looks out for actual monetary gain for members. A 501c6 does not pay tax itself, but donations are not exempt. IEEE is a complex but clean 501c3, but many others are not even close). Something sounds wrong about $200/yr fees for a 501c3 because neither the state of MN renewal nor IRS Fed renewal has fees and there's nothing more to deductions per se. Insurance might be another prudent matter, and that would have annual costs. The earlier worry that some HAM club member would run off with donated equipment should not be a worry because the HAM club stands to lose their non-profit status (maybe more) and get booted if that were allowed to happen and they got caught. The idea and terms of that lease are truly silly or truly "not for community benefit". There are ways to play this "management stuff" to advantage for TCWUG - like a can't lose poker game - but it must be done with a view toward winning and not just reacting. Chuck > -----Original Message----- > From: tcwug-list-admin at tcwug.org [mailto:tcwug-list-admin at tcwug.org]On > Behalf Of mgenelin at ieee.umn.edu > Sent: Tuesday, October 08, 2002 2:08 PM > To: tcwug-list at tcwug.org > Cc: ben at nerp.net > Subject: Re: [TCWUG] Install Moos [hurdle] > > > Hey Ben- > > I am uncertain if we can actually get the tax write-offs for donors. > That's a Ham-Radio-Club-Lawyer-Question. I believe we need to pay a > $200.00 / year fee for the privilage of giving away tax > write-off's. If > that's the case, let's make sure we get our $200.00 (or > whatever fee) a > year write-off's worth! =) > > Regards, > ---Matthew Genelin--- > > > > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- > > Hash: SHA1 > > > > thanks for taking a look at it. you sumed up our problems with the > > agreement. The ham club is a really small group, and we have only > > slightly more funding than TCWUG, mostly because I gave the > group $20 > > for dues ;) > > > > I would like to see equipment and/or money donated to the > club. we are > > a registered U student organization, and a registered > non-profit org. > > so anyone donating can recive tax write-offs. the main > reasons I was > > given for why there needs to be a lease involved, is that > Arnan does not > > want the equipment donated, and taken home/pocketed by club > members. I > > can understand this, but setting up a lease agreement is > not the way to > > do it. > > > > I'm willing to cough up a few hundred $ to purchase some of the > > equipment. I am thinking about picking up outdoor > enclosures, antenna > > masts, LMR-400, and associated LMR-400 tools. I may also order a > > soekris SBC so that I can start testing and setting up my > hostAP linux > > distro. > > > > the soekris board is $277 for a single unit, or $270 for > 2-4 units. so > > if anyone wants to go in on an order, let me know. maybe we can get > > enough orders to get the 5-24 discount. > > > > - -ben > > > > "Unix is user friendly, Its just picky about its friends." > > > > On Mon, 7 Oct 2002, Bob Tanner wrote: > > > >> Quoting SpencerUnderground (spencer at autonomous.tv): > >> > I reported last week we had a donor for some equiptment > to install > >> on Moos Tower. Well, we still do. However, there is a > hurdle that we > >> must overcome. > >> > >> Can you or someone from the Radio Club eloborate on why > they wouldn't > >> sign it? > >> > >> Since the TCWUG is just a group of people, who just share a common > >> interest, who is going to sign on the dotted line? > >> > >> Is the group really ready and willing to accept the > following points: > >> > >> Item 6 is a little draconian. If I read this right, > something breaks, > >> TCWUG would be responsible to fix it. Where does the money > come from? > >> > >> Item 9 is another draconian measure. Hail storm comes > through, TCWUG > >> would be responsible for fixing/replacing the equipment. > What is the > >> value of the equipment? > >> > >> Item 10 requires more money. > >> > >> Item 14 isn't part of what is trying to be done here for personal, > >> family and household purposes? I know I'd like to use it > for personal > >> usage. > >> > >> Personally, I would not sign this lease. Since TCWUG has > no funds, I > >> would not want to have to fork out the (personal) cash if > any of the > >> above lease items need to be invoked. > > > > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- > > Version: GnuPG v1.0.6 (GNU/Linux) > > Comment: For info see http://www.gnupg.org > > > > iD8DBQE9ouAWflzKmtpiQEMRAgRyAJ9LaNy55ggjQ5xyOZ4Wm8D0CZ/d5gCffLD0 > > kyHaXcl0T64izhHXBmeD8DY= > > =9ga8 > > -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Twin Cities Wireless Users Group Mailing List - > Minneapolis/St. Paul, > > Minnesota http://www.tcwug.org > > tcwug-list at tcwug.org > > https://mailman.real-time.com/mailman/listinfo/tcwug-list > > > > _______________________________________________ > Twin Cities Wireless Users Group Mailing List - > Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota > http://www.tcwug.org > tcwug-list at tcwug.org > https://mailman.real-time.com/mailman/listinfo/tcwug-list >