Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Problems with the Website
I have worked for weeks on our website and am very happy with the way it looks; except for one problem. The website does publish correctly in internet explorer. I had a problem with it turning out right in firefox too but the support people at our web hosting site we able to help a little. I am not sure what to do now though. I have tried everything I can think of can't get it to work. The support people said they would help me last time but for anything else I would have to start paying by the hour for their services. My husband thinks we should go with a different company but I have put some much time into building this site that I don't want to start again on something else.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Getting Connected
Work for the website is pretty much done. I am currently working to get all the links to go to the correct social media. In our Web 3.0 world (I didn't know anything about the web 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 terms until recently) there are so many connections to be made and I need to be thinking about all of these things being viewed on mobile devices too.
Mercy Partners now has a Twitter account, a Facebook account, a Linkedin account and can receive donations through paypals. Thankfully I have a wonderful board that helps with keeping these going. I will mainly be using the Twitter account but will try to also make posts on the Facebook and Linkedin pages.
Mercy Partners now has a Twitter account, a Facebook account, a Linkedin account and can receive donations through paypals. Thankfully I have a wonderful board that helps with keeping these going. I will mainly be using the Twitter account but will try to also make posts on the Facebook and Linkedin pages.
Friday, September 30, 2011
501(c)3 - STEPS
After hours reading I have found a great guide online by Sandy Deja's who wrote a book titled, Prepare Your Own 501(c)(3) Application. It is set-up in a step by step, line by line approach.
What follows below is everything that has to be done to become a 501(c)3. Don't feel like you need to read through it all but it does give you an idea as to what I am working on and why it is taking me awhile to get through everything.
Step 1: Incorporate: DONE
a) choose and apply for a name
b) write and file articles of incorporation
c) pay $125 fee
Step 2: EIN: DONE
a) apply for Employer Identification Number (EIN)
b) open back account with new EIN and corporation name
Step 3: Tax Exemption: LOTS TO DO
a) write narrative
b) complete form 1023 (26 pages of questions and additions write-ups)
b.1) complete and attach form 2848 (as part I, question 7)
b.2) attach articles of incorporation (as part II, question 1)
b.3) attach state filing certificate (as part II, question 1)
b.4) write bylaws (as part II, question 5)
b.5) write up including relations of board members to each other (as part V, questions 2a and 2b)
b.6) document describing qualifications, hours, duties (as part V question 3a)
b.7) write conflict of interest policy (as part v, line 5a)
b.8) document describing the goods, services and funds we provide to individuals (as part VI, line 1a)
b.9) document describing the goods, services, and funds we provide to organizations (as part VI, line 1b)
b.10) Description of fundraising activities (as part VIII, line 4a)
b.11) Description of oral contracts for individual fundraising (as part VIII, line 4b)
b.12) List states where Fundraising takes place (as part VIII, line 4d)
b.13) Description of activities taking place in Kenya and how they relate to our purpose (as part VIII, line 12a-12d)
b.14) Complete Financial Data Worksheet for years 2011-2013 including a)statements of revenues and expenses and b)balance sheet (as part IX)
b.15) Request for Definitive Ruling (as part X)
c) Complete Application check list
d) Appoint initial directors
e) create a budget for next 2 years
f) pay user fee of $850
g) sign and mail everything to IRS
Step 4: Wait 3-9 months to hear back from the IRS. They are currently looking at the applications that were submitted in March of this year (6 months ago). We will at this point either become accepted or not but even when we are accepted it is only probational and our status can be removed anytime over the next 4 years. - While there is nothing to do waiting might be the hardest part.
Step 5: 4 Years
The IRS wants to see that we are a viable non-profit, so we have to show them that we:
a) are doing what we said we would do
b) are bringing in money
c) aren't making a profit
What follows below is everything that has to be done to become a 501(c)3. Don't feel like you need to read through it all but it does give you an idea as to what I am working on and why it is taking me awhile to get through everything.
Step 1: Incorporate: DONE
a) choose and apply for a name
b) write and file articles of incorporation
c) pay $125 fee
Step 2: EIN: DONE
a) apply for Employer Identification Number (EIN)
b) open back account with new EIN and corporation name
Step 3: Tax Exemption: LOTS TO DO
a) write narrative
b) complete form 1023 (26 pages of questions and additions write-ups)
b.1) complete and attach form 2848 (as part I, question 7)
b.2) attach articles of incorporation (as part II, question 1)
b.3) attach state filing certificate (as part II, question 1)
b.4) write bylaws (as part II, question 5)
b.5) write up including relations of board members to each other (as part V, questions 2a and 2b)
b.6) document describing qualifications, hours, duties (as part V question 3a)
b.7) write conflict of interest policy (as part v, line 5a)
b.8) document describing the goods, services and funds we provide to individuals (as part VI, line 1a)
b.9) document describing the goods, services, and funds we provide to organizations (as part VI, line 1b)
b.10) Description of fundraising activities (as part VIII, line 4a)
b.11) Description of oral contracts for individual fundraising (as part VIII, line 4b)
b.12) List states where Fundraising takes place (as part VIII, line 4d)
b.13) Description of activities taking place in Kenya and how they relate to our purpose (as part VIII, line 12a-12d)
b.14) Complete Financial Data Worksheet for years 2011-2013 including a)statements of revenues and expenses and b)balance sheet (as part IX)
b.15) Request for Definitive Ruling (as part X)
c) Complete Application check list
d) Appoint initial directors
e) create a budget for next 2 years
f) pay user fee of $850
g) sign and mail everything to IRS
Step 4: Wait 3-9 months to hear back from the IRS. They are currently looking at the applications that were submitted in March of this year (6 months ago). We will at this point either become accepted or not but even when we are accepted it is only probational and our status can be removed anytime over the next 4 years. - While there is nothing to do waiting might be the hardest part.
Step 5: 4 Years
The IRS wants to see that we are a viable non-profit, so we have to show them that we:
a) are doing what we said we would do
b) are bringing in money
c) aren't making a profit
Monday, September 26, 2011
501(c)3 status
We have been "in process" for awhile now on Mercy Partners getting their 501(c)3 status. We started the process in January of 2011 and honestly I have left most of the work to my husband, Joseph and our CPA. I have never liked dealing with official documents, paper trails, and follow-up phone calls. In our home life Joseph takes care of all of these sort of things: the insurance paperwork and phone calls, he does the taxes or at least makes sure they are done, and gets the tags on the car each year.
I am very thankful for the work that both my husband and our CPA are putting into getting Mercy Partners tax exemption but to expedite the process I think it is time I read the "instructions"(see yesterdays post).
While I have been pushing to get the Mercy Partners website done I think it is important that I take a break from that for a couple of days and focus my attention to learning the ropes of applying for tax exemption.
I am very thankful for the work that both my husband and our CPA are putting into getting Mercy Partners tax exemption but to expedite the process I think it is time I read the "instructions"(see yesterdays post).
While I have been pushing to get the Mercy Partners website done I think it is important that I take a break from that for a couple of days and focus my attention to learning the ropes of applying for tax exemption.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Artistic Website
I have spent much of the last two day working on creating a Mercy Partner's website (really the last week but I started over yesterday as I was frustrated with the program). Honestly, I have considered myself a pretty talented person especially in the area of visual arts. Creating a website while in the end is very visual, the process itself has very little to do with being an artist. At the end of the day I think being an artist makes it even harder as, "It needs to look just right" and I am just not able to do what I want to do.
After hours of trying this and that, I broke down and read the how to section. I wonder why it is that reading the instructions is not the first step in doing something new?
After hours of trying this and that, I broke down and read the how to section. I wonder why it is that reading the instructions is not the first step in doing something new?
Monday, September 19, 2011
5 Years Ago
Over five years ago, at the ripe age of twenty-three I traveled to Kenya on a three month volunteer mission adventure. During that time I blogged about my daily life and happenings as a way to stay connected with my friends and family. It was an adventure that introduced me to a world that was very different from mine; and while their was much poverty, pain, and sadness, not everything was bad. It then became my mission to open up this new world to others as a way to help alleviate some of this sadness and correct some of the misconceptions that I heard from my peers.
Since my first trip, I have led five groups of volunteers. Each trip is a little different but always life changing. We primarily work with schools and children's homes as we consider the health and education of these children. As we build relationships and learn about the needs of the communities, we work to find partners to help fill these needs. With growing partnerships and an over abundance of needs, I am working to incorporate as a non-profit. "Mercy Partners" is about linking compassion with need.
So I have once again started blogging and hope that this blog will be the inside scoop to what is going on behind the sense of Mercy Partners. It is for my board members to keep up as we are spread across the country, it is for those who have traveled to Kenya and have invested in the lives of these children and want to see whats new, but most importantly it is for those who too would like to make a difference and don't know where to start.
Since my first trip, I have led five groups of volunteers. Each trip is a little different but always life changing. We primarily work with schools and children's homes as we consider the health and education of these children. As we build relationships and learn about the needs of the communities, we work to find partners to help fill these needs. With growing partnerships and an over abundance of needs, I am working to incorporate as a non-profit. "Mercy Partners" is about linking compassion with need.
So I have once again started blogging and hope that this blog will be the inside scoop to what is going on behind the sense of Mercy Partners. It is for my board members to keep up as we are spread across the country, it is for those who have traveled to Kenya and have invested in the lives of these children and want to see whats new, but most importantly it is for those who too would like to make a difference and don't know where to start.
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