MuseCon Corporation - The Business of Running MuseCon
Looking for the Convention??
It is still at http://www.musecon.org/. This site is dedicated to the business of running MuseCon.
A message from the treasurer
The IRS has formally determined MuseCon is an exempt organization under section 501c3. This is huge! Even better, MuseCon is a 509a2 charity, with the highest deductibility and contribution limits.
This was not easy, and for a time it was looking grim, but through perseverance (and some valuable suggestions from ISFiC's Tom Veal), we have successfully addressed all questions to the IRS' satisfaction.
Q: So, what does this get us?
A1: We get taken seriously by other organizations,
businesses, groups, and individuals.
A2: No income/revenue limits.
Q: Wait, I though you were a 501c3 before? This doesn't seem to change anything. A: Au contraire! We were a statutory 501c3. As long as we met certain criteria, the IRS allowed us to operate as an exempt organization, subject to certain limits, most notably no more than $5000/yr revenue. But, the IRS requires we make one of three choices:
- Do nothing. We are limited to $5000/yr, with no formal recognition.
- Fulfill IRS requirements to become an exempt organization under 501c3. This is our desired happy place.
- Fulfill IRS requirements to become a non-exempt organization under a different set of rules. All of the filing requirements, none of the tax exempt benefits!
Q: What do you mean by "taken
seriously"?
A: Anyone can request
donations, but if you have the formal IRS determination letter and are
in the IRS Publication 78, it shows you, as an organization, have met
stringent IRS requirements. This opens many, many additional doors for
us as we pursue our organizational goals: corporate grants, matching
donations, material donations, reduced postage, free hosting, etc. This
list goes on...
About Us...
MuseCon is a 501(c)(3) organization that does more than a yearly convention!
We emphasize the convention, perhaps a bit too much. The emphasis is understandable, since it is such a large teaching outreach opportunity, but we do have many other activities. And yes, the convention is open to the general public.
Joining MuseCon the organization requires no membership fee!
So, What Is MuseCon?
We are an educational service organization that emphasizes hands-on learning. Go out and teach what you know! Demystify science and/or the arts. Learn something new by combining art in new ways, or science in new ways, or even better, art and science in new ways - then go teach or show others. Bonus points if you inspire them to do the same.
Dare I say, be a Muse to others!
What Do You Do?
Simply put, at various venues, we hold classes and demonstrations. Yes, we do this for fun, and because nothing is more gratifying than helping kids aged 9 to 90 (and all ages in between) to learn something new - and be excited/thrilled while doing it.
Did I mention the hands-on part? An essential part is the student building something as part of the creative learning process. You will hear the phrase Make-And-Take quite often.
Q: Hey, I think this sounds really
interesting. How can I get you to come to our event/college/etc?
A: Drop us an email. See our contact
page for some of the different groups.
Q: What other classes, make-and-takes, or
demonstrations can you do?
A: Ask. We're a pretty clever bunch, so if you
have an idea, we'll probably be able to work it into a class. At the very
least, we'll be inspired to think up something new.
Q: Does it cost anything?
A: No, we do not charge to show up.
Q: What else do you do?
A: We want to encourage similar teaching and
exploration at other groups. If you have a really great idea, we may be
able to arrange for monetary, material, and MuseCon membership support. Click
to view our MuseCon Loan/Grant Application (a pdf document).
Becoming a Member
Q: How do I join MuseCon?
A: Send us an email to apollo@musecon.org.
Show up at a monthly meeting. Show up at an event. Give us a call. All
you need to do is say, "I want to be a member of MuseCon."
Q: Wait, that's too easy.
A: Uh, it's supposed to be easy. If you like to
teach, or learn, then teach, then we want you to be part of our community.
Q: What do I get for being member?
A: A sense of purpose. The satisfaction of
giving back to the community what you have learned. A warm and fuzzy
feeling. Ego boo (ego boost).
Q: What about dues?
A: There are no membership dues.
Q: Oh, come on - every organization needs
money.
A: Yes, but not from dues. Our main goal is
teaching, which by itself requires no money. If props or other materials
are needed, the member provides it themselves, or asks another member if
they have materials. We are a very cooperative group. Many of us have
supplies we have collected as part of our own interests. If we cannot find
donated materials, there may be a small fee to cover class materials.
MuseCon Activities
Not all MuseCon organization members attend the convention, as that is not the only thing we do. Most of our activities involve 3-5 members each, and anywhere from five to eighty members of general public. Some examples of events we have held in the preceding 12 months:
DemiCon,
Des Moines, IA - electronic workshop for 80+adults and children
DeVry
Student Org, Downers Grove, IL - electronic workshop for 100+ adults
Pumping
Station One, Chicago, IL - electronic workshop for 20+ adults and
children
Wiscon,
Madison, WI - electronic and science demos for 100+ adults and
children
ICon,
Cedar Rapids, IA - electronic workshop 80+ adults and children
In each of these cases, we did not charge an attendance fee. We were asked by these organizations if we would come and give classes or demonstrations. Hotel, materials, and travel expenses came out of the pockets of the MuseCon members giving the classes.
Musecon, Inc. and Non-Profit Status
We are a 501(c)3 organization, but the process is not yet complete. We are an official not-for-profit charity organization, and donations are tax-deductable, and often eligible for corporate matching programs, but not all organizations will recognize our not-for-profit status. Most importantly, we are still too new, and not (yet) listed in the IRS "Publication 78". This is the official published list of charities recognized by the United States Internal Revenue Service.
Our status right now (in all cases, search for MuseCon):
Still in progress,
You can also see the Publication 78 FAQ and some additional lists of entities that have been recently added or removed from Publication 78 at http://www.irs.gov/charities/article/0,,id=96136,00.html.
About Not-For-Profit Organizations
The following information was taken from the IRS publication: Applying for 501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt Status
U.S. federal tax law imposes responsibilities on organizations receiving 501(c)(3) status.
Recordkeeping Section 501(c)(3) organizations are required to keep books and records detailing all activities, both financial and non-financial. Financial information, particularly information on its sources of support (contributions, grants, sponsorships, and other sources of revenue) is crucial to determining an organization's private foundation status.
Filing Requirements Organizations recognized as tax exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the IRC may be required to file an annual information return. Smaller organizations must submit an annual electronic notice using Form 990-N, Electronic Notice (e-Postcard).
Disclosure Requirements Section 501(c)(3) organizations must make their application (Form 1023) and the annual returns (Form 990 or Form 990-EZ) available to the public for inspection, upon request and without charge (except for a reasonable charge for copying). Each annual return must be made available for a three-year period starting with the filing date of the return.
Organizations that are tax exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the IRC must meet certain requirements for documenting charitable contributions. The federal tax law imposes two general disclosure rules: 1) a donor must obtain a written acknowledgment from a charity for any single contribution of $250 or more before the donor can claim a charitable contribution on his/her federal income tax return; 2) a charitable organization must provide a written disclosure to a donor who makes a payment in excess of $75 partly as a contribution and partly for goods and services provided by the organization.
Recordkeeping Requirements A donor cannot claim a tax deduction for any contribution of cash, a check or other monetary gift, unless the donor maintains a record of the contribution in the form of either a bank record (such as a cancelled check) or a written communication from the charity (such as a receipt or a letter) showing the name of the charity, the date of the contribution, and the amount of the contribution.
