On behalf of the 6 Directors who are Betty Jong, Vice-Chair, Lois Mui, Jerilyn Jeffryes, Maura Yee, Lynnae Lee and myself), we congratulate the ACUW membership on achieving consensus in finalizing the Amended and Restated ACUW Articles of Incorporation and the Bylaws. We also applaud the leadership of 2012 President Susan Louie Lee and 2012 Legislative Chair Lynnae Lee in this quest to obtain 501(c)(3) status.
The application to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service to become a 501(c)(3) corporation was recently submitted. We hope for approval in 4-6months, after which we will submit the state application to the Hawai‘i State Tax Department. We are proceeding to develop and implement a plan to insure that ACUW will meet the requirements as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization according to U.S. and Hawaii tax laws. We will also be developing policies and procedures to support and stimulate the activities and programs of ACUW.
2013 will be a year of transition for ACUW as Directors, Officers, and Committee Chairs learn to operate in an enhanced non-profit corporate organization. For example, we will have the opportunity to look at long-range goals, consider other ways of fund-raising, and modernizing records to transmit our history of 83 years to future generations to know and build upon.
We will continue to update you on the work ahead in future newsletters, such as meeting dates for the Board of Directors (includes Officers), plan summaries and policy drafts. We welcome your questions and suggestions that you can also convey to Ruth Hirai, the 2013 Member Representative.