My First Year-End Appeal

Recently, with the news the Ars Hermeneutica, Limited is now a recognized 501(c)(3) tax-exempt corporation, I promised that I'd let my four regular readers know when I had an online option available for making tax-deductible [in the US] contributions.

We're there, finally, and I know y'all have been holding your breath.

I have a page of options, called "Support Ars Hermeneutica", just chock full of ideas for giving. Of course there's the expected "PayPal Donate" button, but there are also festive ideas for sending checks (don't forget matching gifts!), buying books for Ars' Library of the Hermeneutics of Science, or buying for yourself some lovely merchandise branded with the Ars logo (the mug and mouse pad are nice, but don't overlook the boxer shorts or the "classic thong").

There is an important part of this initial appeal beyond the obvious one of priming the money pump. To explain, here is part of a letter I wrote to some Friends of Ars:

One of our contributors asked whether we could use small contributions. By golly, yes! And I'll explain why.

We actually have two types of status to establish with the IRS: our status as tax-exempt and our status as a public charity. This latter is very important but doesn't get much public attention, because it's more important to the corporation: most of our company's tax benefits flow from our status as a public charity. For the next few years, our satus as a public charity is only provisional, and it will be visited by the IRS again in about 3 years.

Establishing ourselves as a public charity means showing that we have a broad base of public support, and the easiest way of showing that is by exhibiting a large and diverse list of individual contributors. Each contribution supports our claim as a public charity, regardless of how small or large.

So although I'm looking for ways of bringing in bigger financial chunks right now to bootstrap a staff into existence, there is a decidedly important place for even the smallest contribution that's more than just lip service.

I'm working on the brochures to help me explain why Ars Hermeneutica might be a nonprofit charity of choice for some people. I feel that my mental clarity on the topic is quite a bit better than my ability to explain the vision, largely because it seems extensive and difficult to grasp in only twenty-five words.

I could start with one version of our mission+vision statement:

Our mission is to advance science and increase the public's understanding of science. We envision a scientifically literate America.

I can also tell you about the corporation:

Ars Hermeneutica, Limited, is a nonprofit scientific research and science education corporation, registered in the state of Maryland. We are a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, and all contributions to Ars Hermeneutica are tax deductible as allowed by law.

Functional, but still not very informative.

Setting aside the research for a moment, what I need to find is a way to capture is the spirit of our philosophy about casual science education:

to create projects that excite curiosity in the bounteous wonder of the natural world, and invite people of all ages to enjoy learning about science for themselves

but this will take a bit of time for us to sit down and talk about it. There's just so much more to tell.

Posted on December 16, 2006 at 11.49 by jns · Permalink
In: All, Reflections

2 Responses

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  1. Written by S.W. Anderson
    on Saturday, 16 December 2006 at 15.01
    Permalink

    OK, it's right before Christmas, but I kicked in a small donation via Paypal. At least it will help with the qualifying.

  2. Written by jns
    on Saturday, 16 December 2006 at 16.28
    Permalink

    Thanks very much, SW. It's gratifying to have you join in here at the start, and to be able to show you off as part of our broad base of public support. Our board of directors will be pleased, too! I'll do what I can to use your generosity to challenge others.

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