KACF Membership Policy

MEMBERSHIP POLICY

I. General Statement of Membership and Bylaws Provisions

1. The Kansas Association of Community Foundations (hereinafter KACF) is a membership organization. Members elect the governing board of directors and officers at the KACF’s annual meeting. Voting members of the KACF are community foundations and approved affiliates of community foundations that meet specific membership criteria and provisions contained in the Bylaws and this Membership Policy. The mission of KACF is to leverage the resources of community foundations in the state of Kansas so as to strengthen and promote community philanthropy and inspire action that will improve the quality of life in Kansas communities.

2. The specific membership provisions in KACF’s Bylaws include:

Eligibility: Community foundations registered with the Kansas Secretary of State to conduct charitable solicitations in Kansas; or that are recognized as federally tax-exempt, public charities under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or any successor statute; or have application pending for such recognition shall be eligible for voting membership in the Corporation, subject to any additional standards that may be set by the Board of Directors. Community funds that are affiliates of a community foundation meeting the above criteria shall also be eligible for voting membership in the Corporation.

II. Definitions
For the purposes of membership, KACF defines community foundation and affiliate as follows:

Community Foundation (as defined by the Council on Foundations/Mastering Foundation Law):
A community foundation is a tax-exempt, nonprofit, autonomous, nonsectarian philanthropic institution supported by the public with the long-term goal of:

• Building permanent, component funds established by many separate donors to carry out their charitable interests,
• Supporting the broad-based charitable interests and benefitting the residents of a defined geographic area, typically no larger than a state, and
• Serving in leadership roles on important community issues.

Additionally, a community foundation:

• Meets the public support test under IRC Section 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) as modified by Treasury Regulations Section 1.170A-9(f)(10),
• Has a governing body broadly representative of the general public,
• Operates primarily as a grantmaking institution and may also provide direct charitable services,
• Maintains a broad grants program to multiple grantees that is neither limited by field of interest nor to serving only parts of the population, and
• Is structured primarily as a permanent collection of named funds that carry out the diverse charitable purposes specified by the governing body and donors and has a long-term goal to increase the assets held as permanent unrestricted endowment.

Affiliates of Community Foundation:
A collection of component funds benefiting:
- a defined geographic area, and
- a variety of organizations beyond their own organization and interests,
that are legally a part of, and subject to the policies and operations of the host community foundation.

III. Membership Dues
Membership investment is based on the assets reported in the most recent IRS Form 990 or end-of-year financial statement. Amounts in excess of $500 may be reported to the IRS as a grant. KACF shall annually review investment dues levels and may amend or adjust the following schedule.

$175         < $1 million in assets
$350        $1 - $4.9 million
$600        $5 - $9.9 million
$950        $10 - $19.9 million
$1,400        $20 - $99.9 million
$2,000        > $100 million

IV. Other Terms and Conditions of Membership

1.    The membership application and any required supporting materials are subject to periodic review and amendment by KACF. Dues calculations are generally based on self-reported information, but KACF reserves the right to verify information by reviewing IRS Form 990 or other sources.
2.    KACF staff shall promptly review all membership applications and apply the membership criteria objectively and in a non-discriminatory manner. Membership is valid for the current calendar year, beginning on the date of application acceptance. Thereafter, membership will require renewal due on or before March 1 of each year. Applications for membership outside of the annual membership drive (January through March) may be accepted at the discretion of KACF staff, however, the full dues must be paid, and membership is valid for the remaining calendar year.
3.    The membership of any member whose contribution has not been paid no later than 60-days after the due date (including any approved extension) shall be terminated automatically.
4.    With respect to any applicant for membership not meeting all criteria or definitions, KACF may, in its sole discretion, admit voting members on a case-by-case basis.
5.    KACF reserves the right to terminate membership for gross misconduct or violation of generally accepted ethical standards for the field, subject however to an applicant’s right to appeal any such refusal or non-renewal to the KACF Board of Directors or to a committee delegated by the Board.
6.    KACF will contact a member in the event of an overpayment of membership dues. If no response is received from the overpaying member within 30 days after notice from KACF, the overpayment will be treated as an additional gift to KACF.
7.    Information provided on membership applications or on renewal applications is confidential and for the internal use of KACF only. Information may be reported in aggregate to help portray and reflect the field of community foundations in Kansas.

Approved by the KACF Board of Directors December 18, 2023.