Alright so I am in the process of getting a course built in my area and since it is the first course in the area we are in the need of an organization to help run it. So I am reaching out to anyone that can help on how to set up a club the cheapest way and still be legal. I want to be able to accept donations from people who are donating to help get the course built or just to the club. It would also be nice for the club to be able to sale disc in order to help raise funds. I have seen that some clubs have set up a 501c3 or 501c7. To me this is all Greek so any help is welcome.

Thanks
Ethan

You only need charitable status if you want donations to be tax deductible.... to start the club you only need a constitution and to elect or appoint officers for the first year. If you need more help a local radio and/or a tv station will help get out the word. PM me and I will help you get started... spring is a really good time to start!!!

If you open a business checking account in the name of an organization, they typically have high monthly service charges, which will eat up the funds of most any "start up" club. Instead, open a personal/DBA checking account & it will cost about $10 or less per month. It is a personal checking account for someone DBA (doing business as) an organization. Something like 'John Q Smith, DBA Local Disc Club,' then all you have to do is have a Treasurer that is trustworthy.

Mark A. Mann #5019

Mark, NO Team uses Capital One and we pay no fees at all. Sounds like y'all could use a different bank!

Ethan, my offer still stands if you need some help on course design. I think Jacques from Lafayette would be a good person to ask about the 501c3 charity, you should talk to him in Lafayette this weekend. NO Team is set up as a non-profit 501c7, which is a non-profit but not a charity, so donations to us are not tax-deductible. If that is all you need I can help you with that.

Ethan, look me up this Saturday or send me a PM or send an email to acadianadiscgolfassociation@gmail.com and I will try to help you get started.

I was planning on coming but couldn't get off of work :( Mike, I might be getting in touch with you soon about course design, I need to talk to the park director and see where we are at right now. I think all we are waiting for is funding, which if I can I would like to make it to where any donations are tax deductible. My dad has dealt with non-profit sharities before so I figured I would talk to him first but if we can't figure it out I'll get in touch with you Jacques.

Try to sell your parks department the course, course design, and upkeep. If you can do this, you future success at keeping the course will be increased. Begging for courses and making deals with the parks department can set you up for long term failure. Example: They might require you to dump all trash cans on the course or make you responsible for replacing baskets or cutting trees up that might have fallen.

From the experience here in Little Rock, we deal with an agreement made years ago from people who are not even involved with the club anymore. Its kind of silly, but true. The parks department will drive their carts and trucks around and dump trash everywhere but from our cans on the course. We about had a course pulled due to the parks wanting to add a parking lot. Had they spent money on the course for design fees and baskets.........they might have not even come up with the idea of pulling the disc golf park. Thankfully they went to Plan B to add their parking lot elsewhere.

Sell the course and the design. Ask for $1000 - $1500 for design 18holes and that is nothing for their budget. Then sell them the baskets. Once they invest into that course, they will respect it.

Just my .02 cents for you. Hope it helps. Good Luck