Re: [PLUG] Non-Profit -- was The Next Step? -- was Community Service Project (Devil's advocate)

[Jason <jason@nocks.com>]

On Sunday 13 July 2003 7:06 pm, R DeWald wrote:
...
> Having said all that, I think the issues here revolve more around what you
> want to do and how you want to fund it.  If it's a bunch of hobbyists
> getting together to make some discarded PC's useful to some kids that can
> use them, then why put anything (other than where to meet for beer
> afterward) on paper?
>
> If you plan to put a full support community in place then you are going to
> need money, even if your workforce is volunteer.  There's lots of money
> looking for tax relief, I don't think you'd have much trouble getting it,
> but being set up to get it does require that you have your ducks in a row
> and someone will have to be paid to line them up and keep them that way.
>

Um, PLUG is a "support community" and it's kind of "in place". Not sure if the 
word "full" applies or not... Oh, and It doesn't cost anything. And IMHO, it 
should remain that way.

If the hardware has already been donated, and the software has no costs, and 
people are volunteering their time, why is money an issue?

Only reason I can see any possible need for a discussion of non-profit status 
is if the hardware in question is coming from companies that are unwilling to 
donate it without proof of non-profit status. And, as others have suggested, 
partnering with an existing non-profit may be the best option there. But, 
this hardware is probably going to be thrown away anyway, so most of these 
companies might not care. It's probably a write-off either way. Perhaps just 
not as big of a tax savings.

Just my $.02,
-Jason Nocks

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