What is a “charitable organization?
The Charitable Solicitations Act, 19.09 RCW, defines a charitable organization as any entity that solicits or collects contributions from the general public, where the contribution is, or is said to be, used to support a charitable purpose, but does not include commercial fundraiser, commercial fundraising entity, commercial coventurer, or any fundraising counsel. Charitable organizations do not include Churches and their integrated auxiliaries.
A Charitable Organization is any entity that solicits or collects contributions from the public, where the contribution is, or is said to be, used to support a charitable activity. Charitable activity includes, but is not limited to, educational, recreational, social, patriotic, legal defense, benevolent, or health causes.
(1)(a) “Charitable organization” means a person, as defined in item (7): (i) determined by the Internal Revenue Service to be a tax exempt organization pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; (ii) that is or holds itself out to be established for any benevolent, social welfare, scientific, educational, environmental, philanthropic, humane, patriotic, public health, civic, or other eleemosynary purpose, or for the benefit of law enforcement personnel, firefighters, or other persons who protect the public safety; or (iii) that employs a charitable appeal as the basis of solicitation or an appeal that suggests that there is a charitable purpose to a solicitation, or that solicits or obtains contributions solicited from the public for a charitable purpose. What organizations are excluded from the definition of charitable organization? (i) a bona fide religious organization or group affiliated with and forming an integral part of the religious organization where no part
“Charitable organization” means a group which is or holds itself out to be a benevolent, educational, voluntary health, philanthropic, humane, patriotic, religious or eleemosynary organization, or for the benefit of law enforcement personnel, firefighters, or other persons who protect the public safety, or any person who solicits or obtains contributions solicited from the public for charitable purposes. “Charitable organization” does not include any authorized individual who solicits, by authority of the organization, solely on behalf of a registered or exempt organization, or on behalf of an organization excluded from the definition of charitable organization.
