Chapter Incorporation

Why Incorporate Your Chapter?

Identify as an Organization

Elect officers that will divide the work load

Control and maintain funds

Perpetuation of the Organization

Develop programs targeted at your membership

Ability to accept assets.

Two Types of Incorporated Chapters

Associated:

Those members who are working with a VVA Chapter prior to their choice to Incorporate. The newly formed AVVA Chapter will have the same Chapter number as their VVA affiliation.

Independent:

These Chapters will be developed in areas where there are no VVA Chapters or their membership does not wish to have VVA affiliation. Those numbers will start with 6014.

Independent Chapter Incorporation Instructions will be taught at a late date.

Steps to Incorporate your Chapter

Chapters of AVVA that are associated with established VVA Chapters may incorporate when a group of 10 regular members above the age of 18 agree to incorporate.

The representative of the Incorporating group will send a written request to the National Membership Chair. A fee of $25 must accompany this request. (Checks made payable to AVVA).

The National Membership Chair, upon receipt of this request, will contact the National AVVA President, Regional Director, and State Representative or State President to inform them of the Chapter’s request.

The above officials have 7 days to approve or object to the incorporation.

If the Membership Chair receives no objection, a Petition to Incorporate will be sent to the person listed as the representative for Incorporation.

The representative has 60 days from date of receipt to have the 10 necessary signatures and return the petition to the Membership Chair.

After verification of the signatures on the petition the National Membership Chair will forward a Chapter Incorporation Start up Kit.

All members signing the petition must be:

Regular voting members of AVVA.

18 years of age

Be a member in good standing for no less then 3 months.

Start up Kit will be sent within 30 days of receipt of the completed petition.

START UP KIT CONTENTS:

• A copy of our Mission and Vision Statement.

• A generic set of By-laws

• A generic Article of Incorporation

• Interim Officers Report

• Duties of each Chapter Officer

• Instruction on filing for a Federal EIN Number

• Steps to follow to complete the Incorporation process.

• A copy of AVVA history

I Got It – Now What Do I Do With It!

Steps Chapters will take to complete the Incorporation process:

• Elect Interim Officers who will hold office to the next scheduled Chapter elections.

• Develop By-laws for the newly formed Chapters using the generic copy sent with the Start up Kit as a guide. (Note: all By-laws must mirror those of the National Organization.)

• Contact legal council in the state they are Incorporating to file all necessary paperwork.

• All AVVA Chapters MUST be a 501 (C) 4

• All AVVA Chapters are Incorporated as a subsidiary of National AVVA.

• File for a Federal EIN Number.

• Each State is Different!

• You must follow the laws of the state your are incorporating in.

• You will receive from your state a copy of the Chapter’s Articles of Incorporation. These must be reviewed to assure accuracy before forwarding them to National AVVA.

• Your Articles of Incorporation should include the following information (again, all states are different, some are more detailed then others.):

• This is why we highly recommend that you seek legal council when Incorporating.

• Purpose

• Tax status 501 (C) (4)

• State seal

• Name correctly stated:

• Associates of Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 000 Inc.

Once you have completed all your legal requirements the newly elected Officers will forward the completed Incorporation packet to the address indicated in the packet.

The Committee then reviews all paperwork to insure accuracy.

The Committee will then inform the National President and ask that she award a Charter to the Chapter.

Regional Directors and State President will be informed of the newly Chartered Chapter and make arrangements for a formal presentation of the Charter.

UM ...... AND THEN?

A few notes

Chapter has 90 days to complete the Incorporation Paperwork after receipt. Request for extensions of time may be made to the National Membership Chair. These will be reviewed on a case by case basis.

Most Regional Directors or State Presidents that have awarded a Charter to a new Chapter also give them an AVVA Flag. This is up to the individual and their budgets.

The Membership Committee is available every step of the way to assist a Chapter through this process. We ask that you refer the Incorporating Chapter to us to assure the information they are receiving is correct.

Are we done yet?

Questions …..

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