Shipping update

[Bangor MC 3rd]

Dude, feel free pay for the font with the extra money. You've gone above and beyond for the project, so the least we can do is help pay for any out of pocket costs with group funds.

I vote for Child's Play, but it's my go to charity. They donate toys and game consoles to children's hospitals and the like.

Edit: I do like the idea of a substance abuse charity for Fo:E, but we should totally donate to Child's Play for Pink Eyes and Project Horizons, they both have a feel for the kids thing going.

Child's Play is a great charity... buuut they are also a very well-known one, with a lot of existing support (last year they raised more than $3.5 million). My personal preference (and that is all it is) would be to give to an organization that's less in-the-spotlight. And it's not a hipster vanity thing either. $2000 is a drop in the bucket to CP, but for a smaller charity, it might mean the difference between getting the supplies/space they need, or having to turn away people because they simply can't afford to help everyone. There are a LOT of good causes out there that don't get enough love. Just throwing that out there.

[Arcane_Scroll]

Dude, feel free pay for the font with the extra money. You've gone above and beyond for the project, so the least we can do is help pay for any out of pocket costs with group funds.

I vote for Child's Play, but it's my go to charity. They donate toys and game consoles to children's hospitals and the like.

Edit: I do like the idea of a substance abuse charity for Fo:E, but we should totally donate to Child's Play for Pink Eyes and Project Horizons, they both have a feel for the kids thing going.

Child's Play is a great charity... buuut they are also a very well-known one, with a lot of existing support (last year they raised more than $3.5 million). My personal preference (and that is all it is) would be to give to an organization that's less in-the-spotlight. And it's not a hipster vanity thing either. $2000 is a drop in the bucket to CP, but for a smaller charity, it might mean the difference between getting the supplies/space they need, or having to turn away people because they simply can't afford to help everyone. There are a LOT of good causes out there that don't get enough love. Just throwing that out there.

You make a very good point.

[Pugs]

There's a new brony focussed charity thats seemed to be just starting out, Friends on the Moon Charity. Apparently they are going to focus on bronies who "are struggling with things in their life beyond their control. Whether it's a lifelong disability or a life-altering injury or event that is throwing their life into Chaos."

It was in the roundup.
http://www.equestriadaily.com/2012/09/n ... p-451.html

[Forrest Flanagan]

There's a new brony focussed charity thats seemed to be just starting out, Friends on the Moon Charity. Apparently they are going to focus on bronies who "are struggling with things in their life beyond their control. Whether it's a lifelong disability or a life-altering injury or event that is throwing their life into Chaos."

It was in the roundup.
http://www.equestriadaily.com/2012/09/n ... p-451.html

This seems a bit sticky. There's a lot more involved in creating a charitable organization than finding individuals in need and asking them permission to solicit funds on their behalf.

First, the organization would have to choose how to incorporate. Depending on how the group is incorporated, rules governing the liability of the people involved and the internal governing of the group would need to be drafted and submitted for approval by the Internal Revenue Service. The time involved in drafting, formally organizing the group, and corresponding with local and federal government can last for months. The local and federal filing fees for me, in Texas, cost about $1000. It took about eight months of correspondence for the IRS to accept my group's application. Once it was accepted, very good financial records are requestable for audit and available to the public, including times from before we filed for exemption. The groups 990 must be filed accurately and on time, and all of our tax paperwork must be made publicly available to anyone that asks.

Giving money to a US entity that does not meet these requirements is a very dangerous endeavor. Petzen would be held liable for one set of federal taxes, the Friends of the Moon would be responsible for a second set, and the Brony beneficiary for a third. The state taxes vary by location, but can be substantial. It is entirely possible in the US for the government to collect more taxes in this manner than the amount of the donation.

Plugging again: TX/RX Labs has been involved in many varied and interesting charitable activities. We've sent engineers to Africa to rebuild hospital equipment and electrical infrastructure, we hold many free lectures and at-cost workshops, we provide the general public with access to subject matter experts of high regard in their fields, we never pay our volunteers, we never use donations for overhead costs such as rent or utilities unless they're specifically solicited for those purposes, and we don't do any funny business.

[ThePuzzldPirate]

I wouldn't donate to bronies. I would prefer a children's charity of some sort, mainly cause they don't have way to produce funds they way older people can.

[Pugs]

There's a new brony focussed charity thats seemed to be just starting out, Friends on the Moon Charity. Apparently they are going to focus on bronies who "are struggling with things in their life beyond their control. Whether it's a lifelong disability or a life-altering injury or event that is throwing their life into Chaos."

It was in the roundup.
http://www.equestriadaily.com/2012/09/n ... p-451.html

This seems a bit sticky. There's a lot more involved in creating a charitable organization than finding individuals in need and asking them permission to solicit funds on their behalf.

First, the organization would have to choose how to incorporate. Depending on how the group is incorporated, rules governing the liability of the people involved and the internal governing of the group would need to be drafted and submitted for approval by the Internal Revenue Service. The time involved in drafting, formally organizing the group, and corresponding with local and federal government can last for months. The local and federal filing fees for me, in Texas, cost about $1000. It took about eight months of correspondence for the IRS to accept my group's application. Once it was accepted, very good financial records are requestable for audit and available to the public, including times from before we filed for exemption. The groups 990 must be filed accurately and on time, and all of our tax paperwork must be made publicly available to anyone that asks.

Giving money to a US entity that does not meet these requirements is a very dangerous endeavor. Petzen would be held liable for one set of federal taxes, the Friends of the Moon would be responsible for a second set, and the Brony beneficiary for a third. The state taxes vary by location, but can be substantial. It is entirely possible in the US for the government to collect more taxes in this manner than the amount of the donation.

Plugging again: TX/RX Labs has been involved in many varied and interesting charitable activities. We've sent engineers to Africa to rebuild hospital equipment and electrical infrastructure, we hold many free lectures and at-cost workshops, we provide the general public with access to subject matter experts of high regard in their fields, we never pay our volunteers, we never use donations for overhead costs such as rent or utilities unless they're specifically solicited for those purposes, and we don't do any funny business.

Point taken.
I'm just throwing ideas out there.

[Metapsionic]

Alex, go ahead and reimburse any personal expense you have to go through to make this project work. This can be printing material, gas money for the dozens of trips to the post office, etc. It's only fair.

Sadly, even though keeping the extra money as a very secure screw-up fund for the next printing would be awesome, it is not as option. As much as I really like the idea, it was stated multiple times that the extra would go to charity. Next time we'll just ask for an extra dollar for emergency screw-ups

[Winji]

Not sure if joking or serious...
There WAS emergency screw-up fund.

[NinjaShade]

Definitely reimburse yourself for the font.

What about something related to the story itself? Like an organization that helps people trying to overcome drug addiction? Or even NACoA (a charity for children of alcoholics)? Just throwing out ideas here.

And I like this idea, but the Kiki fund is also good.

I wasn't in the first printing either, but you can count on me picking up the second for sure . Can't wait!