Читать книгу The Law of Fundraising - Bruce R. Hopkins - Страница 35

Nonprofit organizations that solicit funds in several states are confronted with a web of financial reporting requirements. Regulation of charities in different states is the responsibility of different agencies with different reporting requirements and different filing deadlines. In addition, charities are often subject to the registration and reporting requirements of local units of government.

Fundraising expenses frequently are a focus of state and local regulators. Different jurisdictions require different detail in reporting fundraising costs. Some states and municipalities have attempted to restrict the right of solicitation to organizations whose fundraising costs do not exceed a fixed percentage of contributions, but the federal courts have ruled this to be unconstitutional.

State and local regulation of charities is fluid and subject to unanticipated changes. Accountants, therefore, must closely monitor the reporting requirements of all jurisdictions in which their organization solicits funds from the public.

Accountants must also be alert to guidelines established by private “watchdog” agencies. These agencies establish “standards” for nonprofit organizations. Deviation from these standards may result in public censure and in sanctions, in the form of reduced or withheld contributions from corporations and other grantmaking organizations that judge potential donees and grantees on the basis of these standards.