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Articles of Organization:

  • We are a group of citizens of Richmond and surrounding counties who exercise our dogs at Barker Field, an acre fenced and set aside for use as an off-leash dog park in Richmond's Byrd Park.
  • FOBF's mission it to care for Barker Field with the advice and consent of Byrd Park's supervisor, currently Rocky Edwards, and to be a point of contact for those in the Richmond community who are interested in Barker Field.
  • The city's convenant with Barker Field's founding group (R-DOG) requires a group such as ours to advocate and care for the park, to keep it clean, make 'rules' for its safe operation, and collect funds for occasional repairs and improvements at the dog park.
  • FOBF is organized as a Partner of the Richmond Recreation & Parks Foundation. As such we have no need for incorporation as a separate, legal entity, but operate 'under the RR&P Foundation's umbrella' as a 501C, not-for-profit organization set up to manage donations. We have adopted their boilerplate, below, into our constitution. This organization is sufficient and necessary for our purposes now and in the foreseeable future.
  • FOBF Officers are elected for each Two-year term: President, Vice-President, Treasurer, and Secretary.
  • The FOBF Board of Advisors is comprised of others who attend meetings regularly and are known to the Treasurer and other Officers to regularly contribute to the care of the park.
  • FOBF Officers and Board meet Quarterly, record the minutes of the meeting, and post them to keep the regular users of Barker Field informed and to solicit comment & discussion about the park's needs and the Board's business.
  • Election of officers starts each Winter in even years as the Officers and Board prepare and present at the Winter meeting a slate of Officers to be posted at Barker Field and its website or Yahoo group. The slate is to be discussed, then confirmed or amended at the Winter FOBF Board meeting.
  • At the Spring Board meeting additions & changes to the slate may be proposed and voted by the Officers and Board members assembled before the slate is presented for a vote.
  • The Officers elected conduct meetings Quarterly, and meet via web, phone, and at the dog park as needed to consider concerns and requests for action at Barker Field.
  • If the slate is not approved by a majority of those present, balloting according to appropriate rules will determine who assumes each office until the next election the following Spring.
  • Each year in the Spring, the FOBF Secretary files the PARTNER INFORMATION FORM with the RRPF, including current officers and a brief summary of each FOBF activity during the prior year.
  • FOBF may engage in fundraising activities from time to time. All funds collected are deposited with RR&P Foundation who handles acknowledgement of gifts over $250, which are tax-deductable. Donations made into our account in this way are tax-deductable, with the donor able to list a deduction of the amount of their donation, less the amount of any goods or services received in return.
  • All funds raised are for the direct care and improvement of Barker Field. Although FOBF may be supportive through other means for other dog parks we hope to see in & around Richmond, funds FOBF collects are for the care of Barker Field.
  • We are not a police organization. Incidents at the park should be resolved among the individuals at the park and referred for criminal or civil action if those responsible can't reach resolution.

    FOBF will keep contact #s posted at the dog park, and these are preferable to dialing 911 on a cellphone, although 911 should be used in any emergency. FOBF Officers and Board members should be no more or less vocal than other reasonable users of the park who may suggest, for example, to a fighting dog's owner that he or she must supervise their dog and remove it from the park if it continues to be agressive.
  • Cleanliness is sometimes cited as a reason for a community to shut a dog park. Barker Field is ordinarily well picked-up. FOBF needs to continue to do all that it can do to see that our park's users clean up after their dogs to protect our dogs from worms and other disease, and so that this issue will not jeopardize our relationship with others in the Byrd Park community.


Richmond Recreation & Park Foundation Partners:

Legal Status:

The Richmond Recreation & Parks Foundation (RRPF) is an IRS designated 501c(3) tax-exempt, non-profit corporation (or "charitable organization"). The Federal Tax ID Number is 54-1610-700. RRPF is also registered with the Virginia Corporation Commission as a non-stock, non-profit charitable organization: #DO364932-4. RRPF has a Board of Directors and Officers, all of whom are unpaid volunteers.

The Foundation is entirely independent from the City of Richmond and from the Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities.

However, the RRPF's mission is to partner with the City and Department in fundraising, education, and citizen involvement.

Legal status of RRPF Partners:

RRPF creates 'Partnerships' on a case by case basis, with individuals, groups, and existing organizations who request assistance with projects and programs consistent with the mission of the Foundation and with the approval of the Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities.

In effect, the Foundation is the "umbrella" and it oversees its partners' activities and acts as their bookkeeper and fiduciary agent.

Key Factors:

IRS Code specifies what 501c(3) non-profits can and cannot do (see the IRS website for more information).

  • The major prohibition for the Foundation and its partners is to NOT engage in political activities, lobbying, or influencing legislation.
  • The major benefit to partners is that they are able to raise funds for approved projects and programs, with contributors getting tax-deductions for their contributions (less the value of goods or services that they receive in return).

As a tax-exempt organization, the Foundation does not pay federal or state taxes. However, the Foundation and its Partners must pay sales taxes.

Foundation Fiduciary Responsibilities

RRPF maintains all registration papers with the State Corporation Commission and files all annual federal and state tax reporting. Each year RRPF commissions a full financial audit, performed by an independent auditing service. Other foundations and granting agencies often request this information.

The Foundation charges a one-time processing fee of 3% for all funds and gifts deposited in their Partners' accounts. This pays for the bookkeeper and the annual audit. There is no charge at disbursement of funds.

The Foundation keeps delatied records of all transactions. The Partner group must maintain complete records of fundraising and expenditures. The Foundation will provide regular reports, depending on the degree of activity in the account.

The IRS requires the Foundation to send donation confirmation letters for all donations above $250 for the donors' tax records. These letters are generated every quarter.

General Partner Guidelines:

RRPF Encourages partners to be relatively autonomous in their operation, and asks them to keep in mind three general restrictions:

  1. Please be aware the RRPF may be liable for FOBF's actions relative to the 501c(3) status. As a partner, FOBF must not engage in lobbying activities.
  2. FOBF activity must be consistent with the Foundation's mission: To promote parks and recreation in the city thru citizen involvement, education, and fundraising.
  3. Any improvements, alterations, or removals to or from City of Richmond parks, recreation centers, community facilities, or public rights-of-way should be approved in advance by a representative of the appropriate City Department.

Partner Fundraising Guidelines:

FOBF may solicit funds from private citizens, businesses and corporations, Foundations, and the various grant-funding agencies. Technically, the Foundation is the charitable organization and your group is acting on our behalf as it raises funds. The Foundation will be the contracting agnecy (i.e. a Foundation officer will be signing the contracts), so it is appropriate to inform the Foundation of any fund-raising activities and seek whatever assistance they may offer for the event.

Bookkeeping & Recordkeeping:

How to submit donations to the Foundation:

  1. When FOBF has solicited contributions and donations, they should be sent directly to the FOBF Treasurer at their street address, or delivered by the person who collected the funds.
    • All donations should be made out to the Richmond Recreation and Parks Foundation, or 'RRPF'.
    • The name 'Friends of Barker Field' should be written in the memo section of the check. Make sure each check is signed.
    • No cash will be accepted by RRPF. The FOBF Treasurer should convert the cash to a check or money order. If a personal check is used to convert the cash, the FOBF Treasurer adds the note 'anonymous cash gifts' so that the check will not be interpreted as the personal gift of the treasurer.
  2. The FOBF Treasurer should 'batch', or combine these deposits, and list them on the official Foundation deposit slip.
  3. Make copies of these deposits for FOBF Records, and make a Thank You note for each gift of more than $20. The RRPF will generate IRS acknowledgement letters for gifts of $250 and above, each quarter. FOBF has designated the Treasurer as the person who responds individually to each gift of $20 or more, where the donor is known, mentioning the amount tax-deductable and how the gift will be used. If the FOBF Treasurer acknowleges gifts of $250 or more, the message should include a statement that RRPF will send an IRS Acknowledgement.
  4. Mail the deposit to RRPF, or drop it off no later than Thursday afternoon to reach the RRPF BookKeeper by Friday afternoon, when Foundation business is posted and closed.
  5. The RRPF will deposit funds into our Friends of Barker Field account each Friday afternoon, charging a 3% administrative fee on all incoming funds. RRPF provides quarterly, detailed accounting of income and expenses to the FOBF account.

Acknowledgement of Donations:

  1. Each quarter, the RRPF Bookkeeper generates IRS-acknowledgement letters for donations of $250 or more.
  2. Each quarter, the RRPF Bookkeeper generates Financial Reports for each partner group. If the group has no activity for the quarter, no report is generated unless requested.

How FOBF submits Requests for Disbursements:

  1. RRPF requires a check & balance system within each partner group. To get bills paid or to get reimbursed, RRPF requires two signatures - usually of the President and Treasurer. RRPF keeps signature cards at the BookKeeper's office for this purpose.
  2. Vendors or Contractors should be directed to send their invoices to the FOBF Treasurer for verification, and they should be reviewed and signed by the FOBF Officer or Board member who authorized the expenditure.
  3. The FOBF Treasurer should batch these requests for payment by filling out a RRPF REQUEST TO DISBURSE FUNDS FORM, signing it, and getting a 2nd signature from a FOBF Officer and FAX, mail, or deliver the form to the RRPF BookKeeper for payment on or about Friday of the following week.
  4. Requests for payment submitted by noon on Monday are generally available for payment by noon the following Saturday.