Obtaining 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Status

Create A Friends of the Shelter Group

Municipal agencies (city, town, county) are not eligible to become 501(c)(3)s. What can they do to garner grants available to nonprofits?

One answer is to reach out to your community to form a "Friends of the Shelter" group whose mission is to increase adoptions, provide volunteer support, and seek alternative sources of funding for your municipal shelter.

A "Friends" group is distinct from the shelter, but its mission is bound to it. The shelter is included by name in the group's organizational documents when the Friends group seeks and obtains state incorporation and 501(c)(3) status. The director of the shelter often is a member of the board of directors for the Friends group. Funds raised by the Friends group are then used to benefit the physical building and programs of the shelter. Enter "Friends of the Shelter" into any Web browser and a wealth of examples will appear!