Instructions for Filing a Solicitation Notice

Contents
Step 1: Contract Summary
Step 2: Custody of Contributions and Records
Step 3: Direction and Supervision
Step 4: Campaign and Banking Information
Step 5: Solicitation Locations
Step 6: Review Notice
Step 7: Signature
Step 8: Payment

Step 1: Contract Summary

Identify the charitable organization: Enter either the registration number or the name of the charity.
Click on "Search".
If you searched by name, a list of matching records will be displayed. Choose the correct charity by clicking on the name.
The charitable organization's registration number, name and address will be automatically populated.
Effective date: Enter the effective date of the contract in mm/dd/yyyy format.
Termination date: Enter the termination (ending) date of the contract in mm/dd/yyyy format.
Be sure to list the entire term of the contract as last amended. This date range can be longer than one year.
Statement of purpose: Describe the charitable purpose(s) that donations will be applied to as stated in the contract. (State law requires that the contract contain a statement of the charitable purpose of the solicitation campaign.)
Statement of respective obligations: Describe the exact nature of the contractual relationship, including the exact terms of compensation and services provided.

Example: "[Paid solicitor's name], 543 First Ave, New York, NY, 10036, 212-555-1212, plans and manages a telephone campaign for public support and awareness. [Paid solicitor's name] charges $4.50 per completed call plus $1.50 per pledge; the contract with [charity name] runs from January 1, 2003 to December 31, 2003; the campaign will run from August 1, 2003 through October 15, 2003. [Paid solicitor's name], through another firm it employs, [firm name], solicits donations on behalf of [charity name]. [Paid solicitor's name] does not itself handle donations, but employs a caging company, [company name], that receives, logs and deposits contributions."
Minimum percentage of gross receipts: Enter the specified minimum percentage, if any, of the gross receipts from contributions that the charity will receive. Any stated percentage must exclude any amount payable by the charitable organization as fundraising costs.

If this is not applicable, enter "N/A".
Minimum percentage of purchase price: Enter the specified minimum percentage, if any, of the purchase price of goods, services, or tickets to a fundraising event that the charity will receive. Any stated percentage must exclude any amount payable by the charity as fundraising costs.

If this is not applicable, enter "N/A".
Fixed percentage of gross revenue: Enter the specified fixed percentage, if any, of gross revenue that constitutes the paid solicitor’s compensation.

"Compensation" means all salaries, commissions, fees and other expenses paid by the charity or sponsor to the paid solicitor. Compensation can't be expressed in terms of net income after certain expenses are deducted from the total contributions received. This must be stated in terms of gross revenue.
Choose "Yes" or "No" to indicate if the paid solicitor's compensation is contingent upon the number of contributions or amount of contributions received.

For example, if the paid solicitor will receive 60% of the gross receipts as compensation, choose "Yes", but if the paid solicitor's compensation charges the charity $4.25 per completed decision, choose "No".
Reasonable estimate of percentage of gross revenue: If you answered "No" to #12 above, provide a reasonable estimate of the percentage of gross revenue that will constitute the paid solicitor’s compensation. In the estimate, account for any third-party caging service expenses that the charity is required to pay as a condition of the contract. A caging service collects receipts from a solicitation campaign, deposits the funds, and prepares detailed reports for both the paid solicitor and the charity.
Contract signatures: Enter the name, title and organization for each person who signed the contract. At least two names must be entered.
Click on "Save" at the bottom of the page.
Click on "Next" to continue to step 2.

Step 2: Custody of Contributions and Financial Records

Choose "Yes" or "No" to indicate if the paid solicitor will have custody of contributions at any time.
Choose "Yes" or "No" to indicate if the paid solicitor will have custody of any financial records of contributions.
Click on "Save" at the bottom of the page.
Click on "Next" to continue to step 3.

Step 3: Direction and Supervision

Enter information for each person who will be responsible for directing and supervising the solicitation campaign. You must add at least one person.
- Click on "Add" at the bottom of the page to add a person.
- Choose "Yes" or "No" to indicate if the person is a subcontractor.
- Name: Enter the name of the person.
- Title: Enter the person's title.
- Address: Enter the person's address.
- Click "Save" at the bottom of the page.
- You should see the person that you added listed on the page.
- Click on "Add" to add another person.
- To add "doing business as" names for any of the persons listed, click on their name in the list, then look for the "Doing business as names" link at the bottom of the individual's page.
To edit the information entered for any person, click on their name in the list, then edit their information and click on "Save".

To delete a person, check the box (under "Delete") next to their name, then click on the "Delete" button at the bottom of the page.
When you have finished adding names, click on "Next" to continue to step 4.

Step 4: Campaign and Banking Information

Commencement date: Enter the date that the campaign will begin in mm/dd/yyyy format. Solicitation notices must be filed no later than 15 days before the commencement date of the campaign. If they are filed later than that, a $200 fine is added to the filing fee.
Conclusion date: Enter the date that the campaign will end in mm/dd/yyyy format.

Remember that the paid solicitor must file the campaign financial report for the campaign within 90 days of the conclusion date.

The commencement/conclusion date range can't be longer than one year. The conclusion date can be extended up to 365 days from the original commencement date by filing an amendment to the original solicitation notice (if, for example, an addendum to the original contract is signed to extend the campaign).
Means of communication: Select all means of solicitation to be used for this campaign.

Left-click on an option to choose one.

To select multiple means, hold down the "Ctrl" (control) key and then left-click on each of your choices. (For Mac users, the process is the same, but you will hold down the "command/Apple" key.)
Description of event: Enter a description of any event that the campaign will lead up to. Enter "None" or "N/A" if this does not apply.
Records address: Enter the physical address where records and accounting concerning the campaign will be kept.
Bank account and address: Enter the physical address and account number for the federally insured financial institution where receipts from the campaign will be deposited.
Choose "Yes" or "No" to indicate if the account listed in #6 above is in the charity's name and if the charity maintains, administers, and has sole control over all withdrawals from the account.
Click on "Save" at the bottom of the page.
Click on "Next" to proceed to step 5.

Step 5: Solicitation Locations

Add locations and telephone numbers from which solicitations will be conducted, if applicable. If this does not apply, skip to #2.
- Click on "Add" to add a location.
- Enter the address and phone number for the location.
- Click on "Save" at the bottom of the page.
- You should see the location that you added listed on the page.
- To add another location, click on "Add".
- To edit information for a location that you entered, click on the address in the list, edit the information, then click "Save".
- To delete a location, mark the box (under "Delete") next to the location, then click on the "Delete" button at the bottom of the page.
Click on "Next" to continue to step 6.

Step 6: Review Notice

Click on "View solicitation notice" to review the entire notice.
When you have finished viewing the notice, click the "Back" button on your browser.
If you need to correct any of the information in the notice, use the "Back" button at the bottom of the page to go to the applicable step and edit the information.
If the information in your notice is correct, click on "Next" to continue to step 7.

Step 7: Signature

The solicitation notice can't be filed until it has been reviewed and signed by the charitable organization. The paid solicitor can't advance beyond step 7 until the notice has been signed.
Notify the charitable organization that the notice is ready to be signed. The charity can then log into their own account, review the notice, and sign it.
If the charity requests any changes or corrections, you can log into the paid solicitor account, bring up the notice, and make changes.
Once the charity has signed the notice, log back into the paid solicitor account, go back into the notice and continue to step 8.

Step 8: Payment

The online payment page will show the amount due at the top of the page.

If you are paying with a prepaid account:

Enter the prepaid account number.
The second field, "Prepaid account customer reference data", is for your use; it is not a required field.
Click on "Pay now" at the bottom of the page.

If you are paying with a credit card:

Choose the credit card type (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover) from the drop-down menu.
Enter the credit card number.
Choose the expiration month from the drop-down menu.
Choose the expiration year from the drop-down menu.
Enter the name of the cardholder exactly as it appears on the card.
Enter the billing address for the credit card, including street, city, state and ZIP code.

Be sure to enter the billing address for the card, which may be different than the organization's or authorized officer's address.
Click on "Pay now".

Once payment has been successfully processed, you will see a confirmation page. You can print this page for your records.

If the site does not move past the payment page after a few minutes, check the top of the page for error messages in red text.