Furs For Freedom

[UplandObsession]

  So being in the Army National Guard I always am looking for a way to help fellow soldiers and families.  I started getting the idea together to start a non profitable organization that has to do with donation furs or buying them at a cheaper price from trappers and hunters. All proceeds with go to the Minnesota troop serving over seas. Its all an Idea at this point but I was wondering how Trappers and hunters would react to something like this. And if you have had experience with non profitable organizations please help? Please add as much input as you can.

[Mayfly]

What would you do with the furs?

[UplandObsession]

Bring them to a fur buyer and all money from that will go towards care packages and or To FRG's (Family Readiness Groups) which every active and reserve unit has one.  Every unit has a fund for soldiers and there families.  Like i said its an idea right now and I am planning on making acouple calls next week to see what people within other military support groups have to say about it.

[GRIZ]

It's possible. I dunno what/if there'd be any lic requirement. There are a couple fur donation things going on already and they both have one thing in common. That is they have someone that is able and capable of taking care of the furs. Freezing, skinning, storeing, drying, etc what ever it takes. Now since your taking about selling to a fur buyer, you wouldn't have to worry about that, just a place to keep them until you get them to him. Maybe you could work out a deal with him to put them up for a fee and shipp them to auction?

A few things I will mention alot of donated hides will be the junk ones or misshandled ones. Some will be so shot up it really isn't worth dealing with the pelt. Most will come on the carcass mud, burrs, blood and all. Some froze an not or in between. Same stuff that comes into a buyer but somewhat worse.

I also believe due to the economy fur donations have became less just because more need the money to help scrape by.


Just some things to think about.

[HUNTER2]

Hey, there is a coyote laying on the river just south of my place u can have. There was a dead deer laying there and someone shot the coyote from the road. They shoot right off the bridge. Second time someone has shot one from the bridge.

[UplandObsession]

Hey thanks for the input GRIZ, I donno how far I will get with the thought of all this.  Thanks H2 but I think i will pass...

[mahmoodmahi]

You should have a look at the sec of state website http://www.sos.state.mn.us/index.aspx?page=3 , they also have a legal guide to starting a non-profit that is comprehensive. Just a heads up, you have a to have a board of directors (3 minimum) and articles of incoporation, tax registration both federal and state, and file annual reports. Also if you want employees you will have to get an EIN,among other things. It is a lot of paper work, but if you are legit and do your accouting correctly and follow the rules things should go smoothly.

[UplandObsession]

So I talked to a VFW in St. Cloud and they were gonna talk it over to see if they think it would be worth it to accually follow through with. Everything would beunder them but it would be directed by me and other people with military ties that know what there talking about.