501c3 Submission

This here wiki entry is to document our attempt to fill out and submit the 501c3 application

General Information

Generic Info

• Good starting point: http://www.irs.gov/charities/article/0,,id=96109,00.html
• Filing Fee: $850 for us, please see: http://www.irs.gov/charities/article/0,,id=232771,00.html
• Regarding online submission of Form1023: http://501c3book.org/Cyber_1023.html

Other Attempts

• HacDC's Draft: http://wiki.hacdc.org/index.php/Form_1023_Draft
• HarFord's Draft: http://wiki.harfordhackerspace.org/index.php?title=Form_1023 Approved!!!
• Hive13: http://wiki.hive13.org/Form_1023_Draft
• Heatsync: Not actual draft, but related info good: http://wiki.heatsynclabs.org/wiki/Starting_a_Non-Profit
• Dallas Makerspace: http://dallasmakerspace.org/wiki/IRS_Form_1023_Draft
• Noisebridge!: https://www.noisebridge.net/wiki/501c3app Approved
  • i3 Detroit notes on noisebridge doc: http://i3detroit.com/wi/index.php?title=501com_Minutes_2010-11-18#Noisebridge_Form_1023_Report_.28Ross.29

Parts I - XI

Part I: Identification of Applicant

• Lead:

1. 1: Full name of organization (exactly as it appears in your organizing document): All Hands Active
2. 2: not applicable
3. 3: Mailing Address: 525 E. Liberty St., Ann Arbor, MI 48103
4. 4: EIN: josh/xander/jenn have it
5. 5: Month Accounting Period Ends: 12 (December)
6. 6a: Primary contact (officer, director, trustee, or authorized representative): Josh Williams
   1. 6b: Phone: 734-252-9595
   2. 6c: Fax: N/A
7. 7: Represented by an an authorized rep: No
8. 8: Was a person who is not one of your officers, directors, trustees...: No
9. 9a: Organization's Website: www.allhandsactive.com
   1. 9b: Organization's Email: allhandsactive@gmail.com
10. 10: No, we are NOT claiming exemption from filing Form 990
11. 11: Date incorporated if a corporation, or formed, if other than a corporation: 1-8-2010
12. 12: No, we were not formed under the laws of a foreign country?

Part II: Organizational Structure

• Lead:

1. 1: Yes we are a corporation, please see http://www.dleg.state.mi.us/bcs_corp/dt_corp.asp?id_nbr=70632W&name_entity=ALL%20HANDS%20ACTIVE or http://imgur.com/a/SrIGp
2. 2: No, we are not an LLC, please see http://www.dleg.state.mi.us/bcs_corp/dt_corp.asp?id_nbr=70632W&name_entity=ALL%20HANDS%20ACTIVE or http://imgur.com/a/SrIGp
3. 3: No, we are not an unincorporated association, please see http://www.dleg.state.mi.us/bcs_corp/dt_corp.asp?id_nbr=70632W&name_entity=ALL%20HANDS%20ACTIVE or http://imgur.com/a/SrIGp
4. 4a: No, we are not a trust
   1. 4b: No, we are not a funded trust
5. 5: Yes, we have adopted bylaws, please see: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lp5_oGZ9V7muIaGploIQY91ZaQd0zjUd73YpLICp9BY/edit?hl=en_US&authkey=CJ2V_b4J&pli=1

Part III: Required Provisions in Your Organizing Document

• Lead: Jamison Lundy
• Section needs further information

1. 1: Purpose clause: Our Articles of Incoporation says: "To establish, perpetuate, and expand a cooperative invention and education space, infrastructure, and community."
   1. Examine other hackerspaces 1023 submissions for comparison [1]
2. 2a: Dissolution: We can check this box. According to our Bylaws: "In the event that All Hands Active must dissolve its corporate charter and liquidate its assets, the Board of Directors shall unanimously approve a nonprofit organization with a similar mission to which to donate all assets."
   1. 2b: In our bylaws, Page 6, Article XII - currently at: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lp5_oGZ9V7muIaGploIQY91ZaQd0zjUd73YpLICp9BY/edit?hl=en_US&authkey=CJ2V_b4J&pli=1
   2. 2c: Unnecessary

Part IV: Narrative Description of Your Activities

• Lead: Xander Honkala
  

Dotz/Williams/Goffeney Rendition
We run an open workshop in Ann Arbor, MI, which provides access to tools, resources, and educational opportunities, all free and open to the public. Volunteers and organization members run both the workshop and its associated activities. This is a continuous effort that includes a brick-and-mortar establishment which aims to be open as often as possible to the public, with organized events occurring several times a month. By keeping this workspace with its resources open, we are able to continue providing the space necessary to meet the needs of our purpose statement and act as both home-base and storage area for educational event materials. All of the organization’s operating time is devoted to facilitating the goals of our purpose clause. Our funding comes primarily from member contributions or compensation from outside organizations for classes and events run by our volunteers.

We started All Hands Active as a group of friends who wanted a space to share ideas and knowledge with one another. We started meeting unofficially before we ever had a name in July 2009. Once we realized the value that forming an organization could provide to the community, we started our filing process in December 2009. We are fully operational for the most part and are open on a daily basis to the public. We currently have one paid staff member with 15 years experience managing environments involving youth using technology, and have a base of approximately 40 members and volunteers. We reach approximately 300 people on a regular basis through activities and announcements about happenings within our organization, however we could potentially serve a far greater number based on volunteer involvement. We serve members of the general public and communicate regularly via our physical location, website, and electronic user groups such as email and social networking sites.

Activities

• General daily goal: Providing a core space for people to make things, similar to that of a library for people to learn things
  • Regular volunteers staff the front desk. They work with the members of AHA and the general public to connect them with resources in the space, ie: People, tools, events, and other resources in the area that they can utilize to realize their ideas & projects. Students use the space to work on homework, computer programmers work together, people will use the sewing machines to hem their parents, companies use the LASER cutter to prototype designs, etc.

• Build Nights: Encouraging people to bring projects and work on them in a collaborative environment
  • Though anyone can come down nearly any day of the week, we have established a weekly event called "Build Night" where individuals and organizations are encouraged to bring down and collaboratively work on projects. People have worked together to fix their bikes, learn how to use and fix their computer, get computer programming advice for personal and work projects, etc.

• Outreach Classes: Working with public schools afterschool programs to offer DIY, STEM based workshops for K-12 students
  • We have established ongoing relationships with Bright Futures, the Ann Arbor District Library, the Hands on Museum, and numerous other organizations that share similar goals of providing resources and educational opportunities for the public.

• Workshops & Classes at AHA: Low cost (often free) weekly events that introduce people to new technologies and skills
  • Workshops are offered at least once a week that provide opportunities for individuals and organizations to learn how to safely use Soldering Irons, Sewing Machines, 3D Printers, LASER Cutters and more. These tools are often priced beyond the accessibility of your average consumer, or have a perceived level of danger that prevents many people from using them.

• Entrepreneurship: Lowering the barrier to starting your own small business / technological startup.
  • We have built an environment that attracts people with unique interests and skills that are not often taught in typical learning channels. This has proved useful for numerous individuals looking for others to start a small business, or find technically inclined individuals. Examples: Xander, Tyler, Dotz, Backyard Brains, Yost, Robotics Redefined, etc.

The 501c3 Instructions ask these questions regarding Section IV:
• For each past, present, or planned activity, include information that answers the following questions.
• What is the activity?
• Who conducts the activity?
• When is the activity conducted?
• Where is the activity conducted (for example: Los Angeles and San Francisco, California)?
• How does the activity further your exempt purposes?
• What percentage of your total time is allocated to the activity?
• How is the activity funded? (This should agree with the financial data in Part IX.)
• List any alternate names under which you operate, including any “aka” (also known as) or “dba” (doing business as)


The 501c3 Book (email me if you want more info) recommends answering the above IRS questions, and these regarding Section IV:
• What led to the formation of this group?
• When did the organization begin operations? 
• When will the organization be fully operational?  
• What does the organiza tion do?
• Who will carry on the activities of the organization?  
• Will these individuals be paid staff or volunteers?
• What are their qualifications?
• How many people can the organization serve?
• Who is eligible to receive the organization's services? 
• What steps will the organization take to determine eligibility?
• How will people hear about the program?
• Exactly what will the organization offer to eligible individuals?
• Will participants have to pay?  How much?  How was this amount determined?

Narrative Activities - Broken Down

General Questions

* List any alternate names under which you operate, including any “aka” (also known as) or “dba” (doing business as)
* What led to the formation of this group?
* When did the organization begin operations? 
* When will the organization be fully operational?  
* What does the organiza tion do?
* Who will carry on the activities of the organization?  
* How many people can the organization serve?
* Who is eligible to receive the organization's services? 
* What steps will the organization take to determine eligibility?
* Exactly what will the organization offer to eligible individuals?

3D Printing

1. What is the activity?
   1. An introduction to 3D Modeling, 3D Printing, and the various theory and skills needed to utilize these tools. By the end of the activity individuals will have the skills and knowledge to use the 3D Printers at All Hands Active.
2. Who conducts the activity?
   1. Tyler Worman and Michael Senkow
3. When is the activity conducted?
   1. First Saturday of every month from 11:30am to 1:00pm.
4. Where is the activity conducted (for example: Los Angeles and San Francisco, California)?
   1. Ann Arbor, MI
5. How does the activity further your exempt purposes?
   1. The activity educates the public with tools that are often hard for an individual to have access to by themselves.
6. What percentage of your total time is allocated to the activity?
   1. See the attached Time Matrix
7. How is the activity funded? (This should agree with the financial data in Part IX.)
   1. It is funded by proceeds from the class.
8. Will these individuals be paid staff or volunteers?
   1. Volunteers
9. What are their qualifications?
   1. Tyler Worman is a professional programmer for a local hospital. He has a lot of hobby experience working with these tools, and his programming knowledge adds significantly to the class. He is a hobbyist in this area of technology.
   2. Michael Senkow is a graduate student at the University of Michigan. His work at the school involves a significant amount of computer programming, which also adds significantly to the class. He is also a hobbyist in this area of technology.
10. How will people hear about the program?
    1. A public online calendar, our web site, printed fliers, and submissions to online listings for local workshops, events, and classes.
       1. http://www.arborweb.com
       2. http://annarbor.craigslist.org
       3. http://www.annarbor.com
       4. http://www.allhandsactive.com
11. Will participants have to pay? How much? How was this amount determined?
    1. We ask attendees for $10 to $15. We do not turn people away for lack of funds. It is a rough estimate based on projected material and wear costs over the lifetime of the machine.

CNC Router

1. What is the activity?
   1. An introduction to CNC Routing and the various theory and skills needed to utilize these tools. By the end of the activity individuals will have the skills and knowledge to use the CNC Router at All Hands Active.
2. Who conducts the activity?
   1. Tyler Worman
3. When is the activity conducted?
   1. First Saturday of the Month from 1:30pm to 3:00pm
4. Where is the activity conducted (for example: Los Angeles and San Francisco, California)?
   1. Ann Arbor, MI
5. How does the activity further your exempt purposes?
   1. The activity educates the public with tools that are often hard for an individual to have access to by themselves.
6. What percentage of your total time is allocated to the activity?
   1. See attached Time Matrix
7. How is the activity funded? (This should agree with the financial data in Part IX.)
   1. It is funded by proceeds from the class.
8. Will these individuals be paid staff or volunteers?
   1. Volunteers
9. What are their qualifications?
   1. Tyler Worman is a professional programmer for a local hospital. He has a lot of hobby experience working with these tools, and his programming knowledge adds significantly to the class. He is a hobbyist in this area of technology.
10. How will people hear about the program?
    1. A public online calendar, our web site, printed fliers, and submissions to online listings for local workshops, events, and classes.
       1. http://www.arborweb.com
       2. http://annarbor.craigslist.org
       3. http://www.annarbor.com
       4. http://www.allhandsactive.com
11. Will participants have to pay? How much? How was this amount determined?
    1. We ask attendees for $10 to $15. We do not turn people away for lack of funds. It is a rough estimate based on projected material and wear costs over the lifetime of the machine.

Learn to LASER

1. What is the activity?
   1. An introduction to vector image editing, LASER Cutting, and the various theory and skills needed to utilize these tools. By the end of the activity individuals will have the skills and knowledge to use the LASER Cutter at All Hands Active.
2. Who conducts the activity?
   1. Dana Nelson and Josh Williams
3. When is the activity conducted?
   1. Fourth Saturday of every month from 11:30am to 1:00pm.
4. Where is the activity conducted (for example: Los Angeles and San Francisco, California)?
   1. Ann Arbor, MI
5. How does the activity further your exempt purposes?
   1. The activity educates the public with tools that are often hard for an individual to have access to by themselves.
6. What percentage of your total time is allocated to the activity?
   1. See the attached Time Matrix
7. How is the activity funded? (This should agree with the financial data in Part IX.)
   1. It is funded by proceeds from the class.
8. Will these individuals be paid staff or volunteers?
   1. Volunteers
9. What are their qualifications?
   1. Josh Williams has 15 years of experience working with technology and youth. He is also a hobbyist in this area of technology.
   2. Dana Nelson builds electronic neuroscience kits for a company that researches and provides products to the educational neuroscience community.
10. How will people hear about the program?
    1. A public online calendar, our web site, printed fliers, and submissions to online listings for local workshops, events, and classes.
       1. http://www.arborweb.com
       2. http://annarbor.craigslist.org
       3. http://www.annarbor.com
       4. http://www.allhandsactive.com
11. Will participants have to pay? How much? How was this amount determined?
    1. We ask attendees for $10 to $15. We do not turn people away for lack of funds. It is a rough estimate based on projected material and wear costs over the lifetime of the machine.

Arduino Microcontrollers

1. What is the activity?
   1. An introduction to programming, microcontrollers, and the various theory and skills needed to utilize these tools. By the end of the activity individuals will have the skills and knowledge to use the Arduino controller.
2. Who conducts the activity?
   1. Nathan Yost
3. When is the activity conducted?
   1. Second Saturday of every month from 2:00pm to 4:00pm.
4. Where is the activity conducted (for example: Los Angeles and San Francisco, California)?
   1. Ann Arbor, MI
5. How does the activity further your exempt purposes?
   1. The activity educates the public with tools that are often hard for an individual to have access to by themselves.
6. What percentage of your total time is allocated to the activity?
   1. See the attached Time Matrix
7. How is the activity funded? (This should agree with the financial data in Part IX.)
   1. It is funded by proceeds from the class.
8. Will these individuals be paid staff or volunteers?
   1. Volunteers
9. What are their qualifications?
   1. Nathan Yost is a software consultant with a hobbyist background in this area of technology.
10. How will people hear about the program?
    1. A public online calendar, our web site, printed fliers, and submissions to online listings for local workshops, events, and classes.
       1. http://www.arborweb.com
       2. http://annarbor.craigslist.org
       3. http://www.annarbor.com
       4. http://www.allhandsactive.com
11. Will participants have to pay? How much? How was this amount determined?
    1. We ask attendees for $10 to $15. We do not turn people away for lack of funds. It is a rough estimate based on projected material and wear costs over the lifetime of the machine.

Soldering

1. What is the activity?
   1. An introduction to Soldering and the various theory and skills needed to utilize these tools. By the end of the activity individuals will have the skills and knowledge to use soldering equipment as it applies to electronics.
2. Who conducts the activity?
   1. Nathan Yost & Josh Williams
3. When is the activity conducted?
   1. Third Saturday of every month from 2:00pm to 4:00pm.
4. Where is the activity conducted (for example: Los Angeles and San Francisco, California)?
   1. Ann Arbor, MI
5. How does the activity further your exempt purposes?
   1. The activity educates the public with tools that are often hard for an individual to have access to by themselves.
6. What percentage of your total time is allocated to the activity?
   1. See the attached Time Matrix
7. How is the activity funded? (This should agree with the financial data in Part IX.)
   1. It is funded by proceeds from the class.
8. Will these individuals be paid staff or volunteers?
   1. Volunteers
9. What are their qualifications?
   1. Nathan Yost is a software consultant with a hobbyist background in this area of technology.
10. How will people hear about the program?
    1. A public online calendar, our web site, printed fliers, and submissions to online listings for local workshops, events, and classes.
       1. http://www.arborweb.com
       2. http://annarbor.craigslist.org
       3. http://www.annarbor.com
       4. http://www.allhandsactive.com
11. Will participants have to pay? How much? How was this amount determined?
    1. We ask attendees for $10 to $15. We do not turn people away for lack of funds. It is a rough estimate based on projected material and wear costs over the lifetime of the machine.

Part V: Compensation and Other Financial Arrangements with...

• Lead: Josh Williams
• Section needs further information

1. 1a: List the names, titles, and mailing addresses of all of your officers, directors, and trustees. For each person listed, state their

total annual compensation

1. 1. Board of Directors: Xander Honkala, Nathan Yost, Nate Dotz, Michael Senkow, Jamison Lundy
   2. Officers: Josh Williams, ?
   3. 1b: No one > $50k
   4. 1c: no one > $50k
2. 2a: No
   1. 2b: No
   2. 2c: No
3. 3a:
   1. 3b:
   2. 3c:
4. 4a: Yes
   1. 4b: Yes
   2. 4c: Yes
   3. 4d: Yes - Since we take good board meeting notes
   4. 4e: Yes - We will compensate accordingly, get multiple bids, etc.
   5. 4f: Yes - We will record information appropriately
   6. 4g: We did not say No to any of the above items.
5. 5a: Yes, we do have a conflict of interest policy as our bylaws don't allow for paid directors, and directors must have a 4/5 majority vote to implement anything new, and members have an opportunity to overturn any decisions they disagree with. See bylaws
   1. 5b: See above
   2. 5c: See above
6. 6a: Yes, we do have non-fixed payments, in that if we don't have enough money to pay an officer for their position, we can't pay them as much as we would like to.
   1. 6b: No, we are not paying >$50k for anyone
7. 7a: No, not planned. What if we buy a tool from an existing director?
   1. 7b: No
8. 8a: No
9. 9a: No

Part VI: Your members and Other Individuals and Organizations That Receive Benefits From You

• Lead: Dana / Nate D.

1. 1a: Yes
   1. 1b: Yes
2. 2: No
3. 3: No

Part VII: Your History

• Lead: Nate D
• Section needs further information

1. 1: Lawyer Question: We did acquire assets of BGEi, and the services they offered are still operating. However, AHA was incorporated in January of 2010, and did NOT purchase the assets until ~June of 2012.
2. 2: Yes. need to look into Schedule E

Part VIII: Your Specific Activities

• Section needs further information
• Lead: Xander & Nate Y

1. 1: No, we don't support/oppose candidates
2. 2a: No, we don't attempt to influence legislation
   1. 2b: No
3. 3a: No
   1. 3b: No
   2. 3c: N/A
4. 4a: Yes, Email & Personal Solicitations, Web site, and Other web site donations (
   1. 4b: No,
   2. 4c: No, though Yes, we have raised money for GEMSI, it's not a normal activity for us
5. 5: No
6. 6a: No
   1. 6b: No
7. 7: no
8. 8: no
9. 9: no
10. 10: No (we do generate a lot of information, but we have no plans to patent/trademark/copyright any of it outside of possible open CC licensing of wiki psoted
11. 11: We should talk to a lawyer WTF is Real Property?
12. 12: No for all
13. 13: No, not at this time
14. 14: No
15. 15: No
16. 16: No
17. 17: No
18. 18: No
19. 19: No
20. 20: No
21. 21: No
22. 22: No

Part IX: Financial Data

• Lead: Josh W.

1. 1 Gifts / Grants / Contributions
   1. a $100
   2. b $900
   3. c $0
   4. d $0
   5. e
2. 2 Membership Received
   1. a ~$5000
   2. b $7016.28
   3. c $2410
   4. d $0
   5. e
3. 3
   1. a
   2. b
   3. c
   4. d
   5. e
4. 4
   1. a
   2. b
   3. c
   4. d
   5. e
5. 5
   1. a
   2. b
   3. c
   4. d
   5. e
6. 6
   1. a
   2. b
   3. c
   4. d
   5. e
7. 7
   1. a
   2. b
   3. c
   4. d
   5. e
8. 8
   1. a
   2. b
   3. c
   4. d
   5. e
9. 9
   1. a
   2. b
   3. c
   4. d
   5. e
10. 10
    1. a
    2. b
    3. c
    4. d
    5. e
11. 11
    1. a
    2. b
    3. c
    4. d
    5. e
12. 12
    1. a
    2. b
    3. c
    4. d
    5. e
13. 13
    1. a
    2. b
    3. c
    4. d
    5. e
14. 14
    1. a
    2. b
    3. c
    4. d
    5. e
15. 15
    1. a
    2. b
    3. c
    4. d
    5. e
16. 16
    1. a
    2. b
    3. c
    4. d
    5. e
17. 17
    1. a
    2. b
    3. c
    4. d
    5. e
18. 18
    1. a
    2. b
    3. c
    4. d
    5. e
19. 19
    1. a
    2. b
    3. c
    4. d
    5. e
20. 20
    1. a
    2. b
    3. c
    4. d
    5. e
21. 21
    1. a
    2. b
    3. c
    4. d
    5. e
22. 22
    1. a
    2. b
    3. c
    4. d
    5. e
23. 23
    1. a
    2. b
    3. c
    4. d
    5. e
24. 24
    1. a
    2. b
    3. c
    4. d
    5. e

Ack!

1. 1
   1. a
   2. b
   3. c
   4. d
   5. e
2. 2
   1. a
   2. b
   3. c
   4. d
   5. e
3. 3
   1. a
   2. b
   3. c
   4. d
   5. e
4. 4
   1. a
   2. b
   3. c
   4. d
   5. e
5. 5
   1. a
   2. b
   3. c
   4. d
   5. e
6. 6
   1. a
   2. b
   3. c
   4. d
   5. e
7. 7
   1. a
   2. b
   3. c
   4. d
   5. e
8. 8
   1. a
   2. b
   3. c
   4. d
   5. e
9. 9
   1. a
   2. b
   3. c
   4. d
   5. e
10. 10
    1. a
    2. b
    3. c
    4. d
    5. e
11. 11
    1. a
    2. b
    3. c
    4. d
    5. e
12. 12
    1. a
    2. b
    3. c
    4. d
    5. e
13. 13
    1. a
    2. b
    3. c
    4. d
    5. e
14. 14
    1. a
    2. b
    3. c
    4. d
    5. e
15. 15
    1. a
    2. b
    3. c
    4. d
    5. e
16. 16
    1. a
    2. b
    3. c
    4. d
    5. e
17. 17
    1. a
    2. b
    3. c
    4. d
    5. e
18. 18
    1. a
    2. b
    3. c
    4. d
    5. e
19. 19
    1. a
    2. b
    3. c
    4. d
    5. e

Part X: Public Charity Status

• Lead:
• Section needs further information

1. 1: No? Ask a lawyer. We are supported by members, who arise from the general public. Sounds like Public Charity
2. 2: waiting on answer to #1
3. 3: waiting on answer to #1
4. 4: waiting on answer to #1
5. 5: waiting on answer to #1
6. 6: waiting on answer to #1
7. 7: No, we have not received any unusual grants.

Part XI: User Fee Information

• Lead:

Schedules A - H

Schedule E: Organizations Not Filing Form 1023 Within 27 Months of Formation

• Section needs further information

1. 1: No
2. 2a: No
   1. 2b: No
3. 3a: No, move onto #4
4. 4: No
5. 5: Yes Need to talk to a lawyer and create a letter of explanation. ie: We don't know what we are doing : )