Hi!
Here is a simple AI search on it below. No one is to loose their 501c3 status, it's really not that easy to loose it :) and not an excuse to not lobby
As a 501(c)(3), you can lobby, but it must be a small part of your activities. To simplify, you can file a 501(h) election (Form 5768) with the IRS, which gives clear limits:
- If your budget is under $500,000, you can spend up to 20% on lobbying.
- For budgets between $500,000 and $1 million, it's 15%.
- Over $1 million, the limit decreases, but you're still allowed to lobby.
- If lobbying is too much, you risk losing your status. Advocacy (education and awareness) is unlimited and allowed.
So it looks like for me I can spend 20% on lobbying and for most rescues on this platform. So why is this not being done? Why are we stuck with having to do all the animal welfare advocacy? is it because we are afraid to lobby? I want to start to lobby for this public health crisis, it can't go on any longer. How will any of us retire from this business one day or decrease our efforts to have peace of mind if we are always begging people for money and doing multiple trips a weeks for TNR and vet appointments?
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[Kimberly] [Grieser]
[Founder and President]
[Stray Kitty Rescue]
[Philadelphia] [PA][https://www.petfinder.com/member/us/pa/philadelphia/stray-kitty-rescue-pa1220/][https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089161606329]
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Original Message:
Sent: 10-21-2024 12:26 AM
From: Diane Metz
Subject: Animal welfare as a crisis and lobbying local, state, and federal
Good morning! I hear your frustration and share it. I don't have good answers to your questions except to say it is extremely important to maintaining your 501c3 status to be careful with the word "lobbying." You can educate but lobbying per se can only be done as a very limited portion of your budget. Perhaps looking to see if there is an organization for rescues and shelters in the states you work in (in NYS, there is New York State Animal Protective Federation and its associated Education Fund) would be helpful. Or, if your organization decides to directly lobby for particular action, you consult an NFP attorney to understand the exact amount of time and money you can spend and not risk your 501c3 status.
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Diane Metz
Board of Directors, Volunteer, and Foster Mom
Orange Street Cats, Inc.
Albany NY
Original Message:
Sent: 10-19-2024 10:39 PM
From: Kimberly Grieser
Subject: Animal welfare as a crisis and lobbying local, state, and federal
Hi!
this is Kimberly from stray Kitty rescue. I help out PA and NJ. So far I've seen that there are not that many place that offer FREE TNR services to the community. And I've also seen that people don't really know how to trap cats and find it a hassle. Why is there not enough help at the local , state , and federal level to address the public health crisis of animal welfare ? That is stray cats, stray dogs, and any other animal that is creating an overpopulation problem such as raccoons. Have we not spent enough time and energy lobbying for animal welfare as an overpopulation and health crisis? Please let me know if anyone else did this and how? I want to begin to make laws and have some action of this vs having me and all the other small rescues foot the bill and the burden.
#CommunityCatManagement
#LawsandPublicPolicy
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[Kimberly] [Grieser]
[Founder and President]
[Stray Kitty Rescue]
[Philadelphia] [PA][https://www.petfinder.com/member/us/pa/philadelphia/stray-kitty-rescue-pa1220/][https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089161606329]
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