Panhandle United Roller Derby Receives Tax Exempt Status!
By Michi-Gang$ter, 2017 Panhandle United Roller Derby President
As President of Panhandle United Roller Derby, Inc., I am pleased to announce that as of August 22, 2017 Panhandle United Roller Derby, Inc., received notice from the IRS that our application to be recognized as a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization was approved!
In the 2017 season, this task had become a very long and tedious process for our league’s Board of Directors. The goal to become non-profit was something the league as a whole had contemplated for more than two seasons. Our league has always operated essentially as a non-profit- our BOD does not get paid to run the business and neither do our skaters to play roller derby. It has been documented that any profit earned goes back into funding the overall operations of our league. In addition, many of our bouts showcase local charities which help give back either requested supplies or proceeds to the showcased charity.
In April of 2017 The Beach Brawl Sk8r Dolls, Inc. dissolved as a business, and the league debuted as Panhandle United Roller Derby in order to effectively establish ourselves as a non-profit organization. We held on to the legacy of The Beach Brawl Sk8r Dolls as our home team name in order to honor our league’s history. With the help of an amazing local legal expert Kenneth Fountain with Fountain Schultz & Associates, we initiated the very lengthy application process to the IRS. I would like to extend a very special thank you to our league Treasurer, Dorian Von Bruisia for all her time in meeting with our lawyer, and the tedious efforts in filling out paperwork and getting all our financials in order during the application process. I would also like to extend a special thank you to our league Secretary, Jezebel for her hard work and efforts in organizing our league documents and collaborating with Dorian during the application process.
Our Board of Directors and league as a whole played a tremendous part in the process and patiently awaited the final approval for our non-profit application. We held league meetings monthly to stay transparent and to make sure our league members voices were heard regarding the process. The process to become non-profit was at times challenging as we waited for the final coordination to submit for approval. Thankfully our letter of approval was the reward, and according to the IRS it is retroactive to the date that Panhandle United Roller Derby, Inc. was established in April of this year.
As current President of PanU, I am excited about what being 501 (c)(3) means for the future of our league. We are anticipating that our new status will open many doors for PanU to apply for and receive grants. We are now able to receive tax-deductible donations from donors and sponsors. These generous gifts will help provide with the long-term sustainability of PanU. The opportunities that will arise with being a 501 (c)(3) will help also support PanU’s primary purpose of giving back to our local community and charities, all with an emphasis on our mission to empower women and protect children. We also would like to accomplish all of the above while continuing to improve our national and international rankings with the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA).
I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge our fans and local supporters- a very heartfelt thank you!
If you are interested in making a tax-deductible donation, please contact [email protected].
If you are interested in becoming a PanU sponsor, please contact [email protected]