What is a District Chapter?
A District Chapter is a local non-profit, volunteer group made up
of National members of the Colored Pencil Society of America. District
Chapter Officers All officers of the District Chapter shall be elected
by their local membership.
Terms of Office
Terms of office shall be established at the discretion of the chapter
members, a minimum of two years is suggested. After the designated term
of office, new officers should be voted in by the local membership.
Funding
Since District Chapters are self-governing, it is the responsibility of
each Chapter to provide their own operational funds as long as they follow
IRS nonprofit guidelines of the national organization. Depending on the
size of the DC membership and its planned activities, the amount of funds
necessary will vary.
Dues
Most District Chapters have choosen to collect local dues to help with
their operational costs. These local dues are in addition to, and separate
from, the required national dues. National membership year begins November
1 and ends on October 31 of each year. We highly recommend that chapters
follow this same calendar year.
- Non-profit Status
As a DC, you have 2 choices in terms of your tax status:
1. To obtain your own federal non-profit status. In that case, the chapter would have to:
• File with the IRS (there is a $600 non-refundable fee + lawyer and accountant fees)
• File with your individual state. Note: CPSA considers you a "separate entity" and can withdraw the use of any part of the CPSA name, logo, and any other privileges of the organization.
2. To function under CPSA's national non-profit umbrella. In that case, the chapter would have to:
• Abide by CPSA by-laws governing nonprofit status.
• Send the following information to the DC Development Director:
A. State that you wish to be under our umbrella. - B. Names and addresses of
your chapter members.
C. Federal ID number (EIN #)
Non-Profit Frequently Asked Questions
| Are the yearly dues to national CPSA tax deductible? | NO |
| Are the yearly dues to the District Chapter tax deductible? | NO |
| If a member makes an unearmarked contribution to the District Chapter, is it tax deductible? | YES |
| If a member makes a contibution to a scholarship or award fund, sponsored by the district chapter and presented at the Annual Confernece, is the contribution tax deductible? | YES |