2009 Rhode Island Code
Title 5 - Businesses and Professions
CHAPTER 5-53.1 - Solicitation by Charitable Organizations
§ 5-53.1-3 - Certain persons exempted.

SECTION 5-53.1-3

   § 5-53.1-3  Certain persons exempted. – (a) The following persons shall not be required to file a registration statement with the department:

   (1) Educational institutions, including parent-teacher associations, the curricula of which in whole or in part are registered or approved by a governmental agency as well as all other educational institutions within this state who are recognized or certified as educational institutions by a generally recognized and accepted regional or national educational accrediting organization.

   (2) Persons requesting any contributions for the relief of any individual, specified by name at the time of the solicitation, if all of the contributions collected, without any deductions whatsoever, are turned over to the named beneficiary.

   (3) Any charitable organization which does not intend to solicit and receive and does not actually raise or receive contributions in excess of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) during a fiscal year of the charitable organization, provided none of its fundraising functions are carried on by professional fund raisers and no part of its assets or income inures to the benefit of or is paid to any officer, director, member (if a limited liability company), trustee, partner or member of the charitable organization.

   (ii) For the purpose of this subdivision, contributions received from corporations, charitable foundations, government agencies, or a duly registered federated fund, incorporated community appeal, or United Way, shall not be included in determining the total amount of contributions received.

   (iii) If, during the fiscal year of any charitable organization, the gross contributions received by the charitable organization, during that fiscal year exceed twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000), it shall within thirty (30) days after the date it shall have received total contributions in excess of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) register with the director as required by § 5-53.1-2.

   (4) Organizations which solicit only from their own membership. The term "membership" shall not include those persons who are granted a membership upon making a contribution as the result of a solicitation.

   (5) Persons soliciting contributions solely from corporations, charitable foundations, or governmental agencies.

   (6) Foundations or associations exclusively for the benefit of religious organizations, education institutions, non-profit or charitable hospitals and public libraries.

   (7) Hospitals, which are non-profit and charitable.

   (8) Veterans' organizations and their auxiliaries so long as the veterans' organizations are chartered under chapter 6 of title 7.

   (9) Public libraries.

   (10) Historical societies duly organized under the laws of this state.

   (11) Free, not for profit, public art museums.

   (12) Grange organizations and their auxiliaries.

   (13) Churches or recognized denominations and religious organizations, societies and institutions operated, supervised or controlled by a religious organization or society which solicit from other than their own membership. Institutions indirectly or affiliated with but which are not operated, supervised or controlled by any religious organizations or religious society which own, maintain and operate homes for the aged, orphanages and homes for unwed mothers.

   (14) Volunteer fire and rescue associations.

   (15) Land trusts duly organized under the laws of this state.

   (b) Any charitable organization claiming to be exempt from the registration requirements of this chapter shall submit any information that the director may request to substantiate an exemption under this section.