[Ansteorra] group fundraising at Gulf Wars

Haraldr Bassi ansteorra at haraldr.drakkar.org
Fri Apr 13 21:44:36 PDT 2012


Greetings,

I guess I've spent a few too many years being a deputy exchequer at the regional, kingdom and 
society level to let this go past. I think it's a great idea for SCA Groups (and guilds who 
report their finances through an SCA branch) to have an opportunity to have some form of 
fundraiser at GWXXII. I see no issues there. I'd like to see them do something more than games 
of chance. Excellent ideas would be providing non-alcoholic beverages, snacks, souvenirs and/or 
meat on a stick etc.

My only issue is when we open this up for households. If I walk into a private household camp at 
Pennsic or Gulf War where there is a party and donations are being requested, there is no 
implication that the household is part of the SCA. The household isn't an IRS recognized 501(C)3 
charitable organization. I don't track that donation the same way I do when I write a check or 
drop cash into a helm or auction benefiting an SCA branch.

I am not a lawyer and am unfamiliar with MS laws regarding games of chance for entities that are 
not 501(C)3's and wouldn't expect that you or anyone else associated with Gulf Wars would know 
the rules either. I do expect that if an SCA branch were to sell me a normally taxable item, 
that they would not be required to collect or render sales tax to the state, while a household, 
not having the same tax benefits, would likely be required as if they were any other merchant.

So, I guess what I am trying to say, modify the offer slightly to have it be any SCA branch or 
group whose finances funnel up through a branch, including most guilds, but leave the households 
out of the "fund raising" blanket.

With all due respect,
Haraldr Bassi

... I debated whether to reply to the list or privately to Mistress Seraphina, one of my 
friends. I finally chose to reply to the list in the hopes of engaging in thoughtful debate and 
encouraging people who might have similar trepidations or even better, more information on 
implications of non-501(c)3 entities holding fundraisers, would be able to also contribute their 
wisdom.

On 4/13/12 7:35 PM, Adrienne Ferrell wrote:
> Greetings,
>
> I've been asked by quite a few people about fund raisers at Gulf Wars. So for Gulf Wars XXII,
> I'd like to give your barony, household, or other SCA group the opportunity to participate in a
> enhanced midnight madness. I invite your non profit group to set up a table to sell your items,
> or run a carnival game (ring toss for example). Please contact me for details.
> merchantcrat at gmail.com or
> (210) 287-3275 (mka Adrienne)
>
> sincerely,
> Mistress Seraphina
> Gulf Wars merchant coordinator
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