Important questions for the player base!

Tonia Glowski · Post by **Tonia Glowski** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 10:34 am

Evan --

I'm looking into the nonprofit aspect of it, but there are several problems.

First, in order to be tax exempt, we have to get a 501(c)(3) status from the IRS, which takes about 6 months to a year.

Secondly, in order to get a 501(c)(3) status, we have to be a CHARITABLE orgranization and while there's lots of comedic material inspired by this, I'll refrain here.

Best we could do as individual LARPs or even a LARP association would likely be a 501(c)(4), for a social club, but that's not tax-exempt and you can get virtually zero grants for these.

Now... onto the fun stuff.

I am looking into starting a nonprofit organization called "Living History" which would promote historical re-enactments as learning tools for youths and adults. For that, I'd like to get a grant for about 100 acres and for developing the land to produce buildings and statures, etc. The lands would have to be used first for the charitable purpose of the organization and THEN they can be used to rent out to other groups as "Unrelated Business" to which there is a UBIT (Unrelated Business Income Tax).

Here's what is required if we really go nonprofit:

An active Board of Directors
A Strategic Plan
Legitimate Programs and Camps
Insurance
And a whole bunch of money won by me in grants to get this thing going.

I've been looking at this for over a year now and it's even more complicated than I originally thought, but it is a possibility... just not in the near future. If there are any other people in any of the LARPs involved that have nonprofit managerial experience and fund development experience, please have them contact me, otherwise I'm on my own.

I hope this was helpful and informative of the options. Any questions? Fire away...

Tonia-the-Nonprofit-Guru

Faerykin · Post by **Faerykin** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 10:35 am

Indeed, 38 bunks is pushing it.

But adding another Family Cabin just ups the cost - and there are only a total of 4 of them (8 bunks per cabin = 32 total).

Another reason looking for another site is up on the priority list.

Peace420 · Post by **Peace420** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 10:36 am

20+8+8=36

Faerykin · Post by **Faerykin** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 10:37 am

Peace420 wrote:20+8+8=36

doh!

Binky hates math!

Tonia Glowski · Post by **Tonia Glowski** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 10:38 am

I ran Edam out of Bald Mountain Recreation Center's Rustic Cabins. There's 2 cabins for a total of 40 bunks and it was $390 per weekend, if I recall correctly, but you may want to double check the prices. The setup was nice and private and was a good camp area.

Post by Ug » Thu Aug 12, 2004 11:23 am

That doesn't sound too bad. More bunks, $10 less, are the cabins right next to eachother?

But then...the NPC's prolly wouldn't have their own cabin then. Not that this would affect FH since the FH NPC's prefer not to use a cabin.

Faerykin · Post by **Faerykin** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 11:40 am

NPCs would still need a place to set up Camp - even if it isn't a Cabin.

Eli · Post by **Eli** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 11:46 am

Mind this is totally a off the cuff idea here, I have not checked the practicallity of it yet cause never been inside the family cabin.

however, we could fit over 8 in them probably. Nat and I could probably try to arange things so we put our matress in a corner, or we could get foldout cots. Would hvae to pick it up every morning, and be considerate for sleeping and such, but we could all manage, for a time at least.

-still requires testing to be sure.

Faerykin · Post by **Faerykin** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 11:48 am

Mind you, the Family Cabins are not very big. They have the bunks up against the walls and a picnic table in the middle.

I was thinking, after everyone's equipment/stuff, there wouldn't be room to do much more than sleep there.

Post by **GM_Chris** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 2:00 pm

If we hd land then we wouldnt have cabins and we would loose all the people who dont like camping.

If we stay at Brighton it is going to suck logistically.

If we go to a new camp the price is going to go up, but we will gain electricity, running water, and flush toliets most likely.

If we stay within the park system no state park has more than 2 cabins next to each other unless you look at Brighton family cabions and then there are 0 and I mean 0 trails for the fam cablins are sourounded by a swamp.

Chris

Lambic · Post by **Lambic** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 2:35 pm

I feel the need to chime in that I think $30 is probably my max a game and I don't even participate in CARPs.

However, I will start trying to gather some info my self and offer it up.

Do we have a list of requirements? Numbers of people, no camping without cabins, near strange cemeteries, etc. ? I'm new so I'm not sure I am a very good judge or I'm just lazy. Maybe both

Sethreal · Post by **Sethreal** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 2:44 pm

Is moving to a new location going to change anything In Game?

Faerykin · Post by **Faerykin** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 3:05 pm

GM_Chris wrote: If we go to a new camp the price is going to go up, but we will gain electricity, running water, and flush toliets most likely.

Actually, I would have thought that since the price of cabins at Brighton Rec. is going up next year, that the price to play would increase even if we stay at Brighton Rec.

In fact, the cost of the one remaining Frontier Cabin and only two Family Cabins is more than the price of all three Frontier Cabins - so starting next event, NPC Staff is gonna have to shell out more money than they had to before.

Donovan Thynedar · Post by **Donovan Thynedar** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 4:04 pm

Ok folks, I don't have the Non-profit knowledge that Tonia does, but I do know a few things about for-profit businesses, and it's not impossible that we could make a go that way as well. We'd need to calculate out the approximate income of the two games we have direct influence over (FH & CARPS) and see what we could muster on a monthly basis.

For example:

Six FH events a year @ $30.00 per event w/an average attendance of 30 people would net $5,400.00 per annum.

Ten Carps events @ $30.00 per event with the same average attendance would net $9,000.00 per annum, for a grand total of $14,400.00 a year from the two games.

Now, I have no idea what kind of ancillary expenses we incur per event, but if those expenses are comparitvely minimal, that would leave a sizable chunk remaining for a loan payment, property taxes, and insurance. IF we were to form an LLC, we would feasibly qualify as a small business. Provided the people who were listed on the articles of organization have respectable credit ratings and we can work up a 5 year prospectus, I believe we could secure funding adequate to purchase land.

I'm not sure what coding requirements are involved with the construction of cabins, but I can't imagine the cost of construction being too extreme, considering their simple design and interiors.

Moreover, having dedicated, private land would allow us to open it for use to other games and organizations, increasing the potential for expansions and new projects.

This is not something that is going to help us in the short run, but I'd be lying if I said the long term possibilities didn't excite me. I'll refrain from spouting them for the moment and give people a chance to shoot this idea down before I get too far into it.

Post by **GM_Chris** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 4:32 pm

I should also mention that 30 bucks is actually significatly cheaper than what most LARPS charge...just FYI

We have always been the cheap LARP.

chris

Important questions for the player base!

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