Category: Charities

A charity can be a lifesaver, but it all depends on the kindness of others. Currently, charities across America are facing the same problem – Funding. The recession has hit hard in a lot of industries, but people do not realize that charities are one of the hardest hit of all. Without the help of charities many people who cannot afford medical care and other services have been left in the lurch.

Part of the problem is the growing number of charities. Every year, an estimated one million non-profit organizations apply for 501©3 status. While all of them may have good intentions in mind, it does divide the metaphorical pie into ever so small pieces. When you consider that these days the pie isn’t really very big to start off with, you can begin to see the problem.

The other part of the problem is that people simply do not have money that they can give away. Although big donors like Warren Buffet, Bill Gates etc., do giveaway a lot of money to charity, it is simply not enough to cover all worthy causes. If each person in the United States could give $5 a month it would solve a lot of problems.

This is why you should get out and start campaigning for your favorite charity. Getting a few dollars out of your neighbors is not a big deal. Even in times of hardship people somehow find a way to give. So get out there and do your best, because you may be saving somebody’s life!

Golf is a very popular game and holding a golf tournament to raise money for a charity is a smart thing to do. However, planning is everything and it could mean the difference of raising a few thousand dollars to a few hundred.

1. Location – You need to scout around for a golf course that is conducive for a fundraiser tournament. Not all courses will accede to your request. Once you find a good location, book a date. But one thing you should do is ensure that no big events or holidays will impede the tournament.

2. Food – The tournament will take all day and you must provide the competitors with food. Lunch is a must and you should also give them something at the end of the tournament. Usually the golf courses will have their preferred contacts, if not you can always opt for lunch boxes.

3. Fee – This has to be carefully calculated. Depending on the target market, you can charge anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. Whatever the fee, keep in mind that it has to cover the cost of both meals and any promotional material you give away (caps, t-shirts, etc).

4. Sponsors – This should not be too much of a problem. Give away each hole to a sponsor and tell them they can do as much branding as they want in that area (within the golf course’s regulations). On that basis you will have sponsors jumping to get in.

5. Promote – Talk to the local media and get a few newspaper articles, radio spots and TV spots organized. Although you won’t get prime spaces, you will get something and that something will be free.

1. Laws – Setting up the laws that govern your charity is very important and some careful thought must be put into it. The laws must state as to how decisions are made, who is involved in making the decisions, the setup of the charity and the governing structure you choose to direct and guide the charity.

2. Apply – Charities are viewed as corporations by the state. Seek out your state’s Secretary of State and file an application. You will have to fill out some paperwork and pay some fees as well.

3. Get an EIN – An Employer’s Identification Number is very important to your charity. Without this you cannot hire employees and you will have lots of issues with taxes. Applying is easy and all you have to do is visit the IRS website or just give them a call and inquire about the procedure.

4. Apply again – After you have come up with your Articles of Incorporation and got approval from the Secretary of State, you must file with the IRS for a Charitable status. This form can be found online as well on the IRS website.

5. Hierarchy – You must setup a Board of Directors to govern the charity. In addition to this, you must also appoint a Registered Agent. This is the person who will receive all communications originating from the state with regards to your charity.
Once all of this is done, you are good to go. Although it may seem like a lot of work, it is after all for a good cause. Setting things up right can help you help others without any hitches. It can also help you avoid unnecessary headaches later on in time.

If you see a worthy cause that you want to do something about, you may be interested in starting a charity for it. A charitable organization may be able to provide help to people in your community or in some other part of the world. So it is important to get things right when starting one so that your good intentions do not go to waste.

• What do you want to be? – Do you want to start a charitable trust or a charitable organization? Charitable trusts primarily allocate money. This means that all you do, basically, is collect money and then evaluate proposals from deserving parties and eventually funding them. Charitable organizations engage in charitable activities as well as providing community services. If you want to find detailed information on the two entities, you can contact Inland Revenue or even visit their website.
• What is your mission? – A mission statement simply needs to state what your charity is focusing on and how it aims to help the community. It need not be several pages long and ideally should be expressed in a few sentences.
• Who are you? – This is a question that is answered by a document known as the Articles of Incorporation. This document will contain information such as the charity’s purpose, how long it will be in operation for, what type of charity it is and the structure of the charity. Getting hold of this document is easy as an online version is available in most states.

Known as Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and Osho in his later years, the man has bequeathed us with a treasure trove of literature and essential thoughts for living through his tantra books and so on and so forth.
To put it blithely (as he would have liked it), his understanding and interpretations of philosophy is considered to be among the best while his thoughts on living is considered to have made a substantial impact on Western New Age philosophy.

Yes, Osho said that every human being is a potential Buddha, and that was just the basis on which most Osho meditations have stemmed from.

Amidst all this, he also lived a life of controversy that advocated total liberation in all facets of a person’s life. Due to this, he was given the nickname ‘sex guru’ in India as well as ‘Rolls-Royce guru’ in the United States but it was obvious from his teachings that there was something much more deeper than just these shallow names that he was given.

With his deep understanding of Hinduism and its lost relevance in a world that was run over by changes, his concept of Osho sannyas was about seeking a deeper transformation from within without superficiality that he considered was the way things were in the current day scenario in Hinduism.

One way or another, Osho will always be remembered for his insightful and profound thinking that several brilliant thinkers in India have acknowledged over the years since his passing. That’s why there will never be another ‘osho’ like Osho.