One right now - North Georgia Trout Online. We always raised our funds with bucket raffles at a "Fall Fling" on items donated by our various sponsors who generally consisted of local fly shops, guides, and some private trophy water areas and resorts.

Funds are used to keep the old style message board hosted and running, but most funds are used for sending kids to trout camp, supporting veterans' programs like Project Healing Waters, and providing equipment to the cold water fishery program of our DNR for equipment needed but not covered by their state budget.

Covid almost killed this non-profit, but we're making a comeback and building back up bit by bit.

If you're going to start a non-profit like a 501c(3) make sure to set it up properly and legally with officers appointed and by-laws recorded strictly followed. If your annual funds amount to under $25,000 it's usually not to much of a hassle to keep the tax records without worrying whether the IRS is going to come calling to check the books. (But that doesn't mean to be sloppy with the books or loose with how the funds are handled.)

As far as my personal donation to NGTO, I give a few hours a week monitoring the message board, trying to keep the Facebook page somewhat current, and our BOD usually has two annual meetings where business and finances are checked and reviewed and plans for the next year are made. Most of the interaction is via the message board otherwise.

eta: For the record, our Board of Directors is much like many others. A position as a director or an officer is voluntary and unpaid. However, you can set up a non-profit and pay the directors if you desire. It would probably be a good idea to bring in a lawyer to determine how to create yoru non-profit if the officers and directors will be paid.

This post was edited on 5/15/24 at 9:06 pm