[Foundation-l] Mission & Vision statement updated

[Ray Saintonge]

Anthony wrote:

>On 4/26/07, Thomas Dalton <thomas.dalton at gmail.com> wrote:
>  
>
>>>>I don't know the details, but it is common sense that such a law
>>>>exists. I can't found a charity to help cure cancer, get lots of
>>>>donations, and then change the charity to one that provides caviare to
>>>>aristocrats.
>>>>        
>>>>
>>>No, you obviously can't change a charity into a non-charity without
>>>getting into trouble with the IRS.  But that doesn't mean that you
>>>need IRS approval to make any change to your mission statement.
>>>      
>>>
>>I said going from a cancer charity to a caviare *charity*. Any
>>non-profit organisation that follows the appropriate rules can be a
>>charity, there is no legal connection between "charity" and the
>>subjective concept of "good cause".
>>    
>>
>Well, I'm not convinced that providing caviar(*) to aristocrats would
>ever be considered a charitable purpose by the IRS.  But if it is,
>then I don't see any reason the IRS would have a problem with it.
>State law governing non-profit organizations, on the other hand, might
>very well have something to say about it.
>
The essence of straw man arguments is to propose a situation that is 
ridiculously unlikely (like the caviar charity), and proceed to use 
arguments against it to serve in more sensible circumstances.  
Converting a charity established to cure lung cancer into one that 
treats emphysema would be a more likely situation.

Ec