Greetings from the Great Lakes Taiko Center (GLTC) on this Summer Solstice 2024. Here are some updates [also shared on our GLTC Blog 6/26/2024] about our organizational transitions from Spring into Summer:
MARCH 2024 – GLTC began the search for a new nonprofit fiscal sponsor as our fiscal host Open Collective Foundation (OCF) announced its dissolution (link to statement on Open Collective blog). OCF became GLTC’s fiscal sponsor in early 2023 which enabled us to receive tax-deductible gift donations and payments with a transparent budget on the financial/legal/tech platform of Open Collective. Due to changes in payment processes during this fiscal sponsor transition, all contributions to GLTC on the Open Collective platform have been paused since March 15th 2024, including monthly membership fees.*
APRIL 2024 – GLTC co-directors @LarryAn and @eileensho officially registered "Great Lakes Taiko Center L3C" with the State of Michigan as a Low Profit Limited Liability Company (L3C) which is essentially an LLC business operating with the purpose of a nonprofit org, as described in our Articles of Organization (What is an L3C?). We also opened a member account at the Lake Michigan Credit Union.
Article II The business of Great Lakes Taiko Center L3C is as an arts and culture organization based in SE Michigan that shares the gift of Taiko arts through education, performances and community projects. (i) The limited liability company significantly furthers the accomplishment of 1 or more charitable or educational purposes described in section 170(c)(2)(B) of the internal revenue code, 26 USC 170, and would not have been formed except to accomplish those charitable or educational purposes. (ii) The production of income or appreciation of property is not a significant purpose of the limited liability company. However, in the absence of other factors, the fact that a limited liability company produces significant income or capital appreciation is not conclusive evidence of a significant purpose involving the production of income or the appreciation of property. (iii) The purposes of the limited liability company do not include accomplishing 1 or more political or legislative purposes described in section 170(c)(2)(D) of the internal revenue Code of 1986, 26 USC 170.
This business model allows for flexibility in our financial operations in partnership with a nonprofit fiscal sponsor as a we prioritize people and planet over profits to build towards a solidarity economy. (What is a Solidarity Economy?)
JUNE 2024 – Our relationship with Nonprofit Enterprise at Work (NEW.org) began when GLTC co-director Eileen S. Ho first connected with the collective care circle of NEW’s Centering Justice online community. GLTC is currently a NEW affiliate organization with an official mailing address at the NEW Center, and members can be heard occasionally drumming in the conference rooms...As a Taiko arts collective in search of partnership in a fiscal sponsor whose teams can also offer consultation and support for our organization including bookkeeping and IT services, we identify NEW as a local, inspirational, transformational organization that aligns with our own evolving ways of being at GLTC. [Images of our Community Circles from GLTC maptio.com & NEW new.org/how-we-work]
Beginning this Summer 2024, GLTC will be in community partnership with NEW as our nonprofit fiscal sponsor. Stay tuned for more updates about our work and play with our exciting NEW Fiscal Sponsorship!
*Also we will SOON again be accepting contributions to GLTC, including donations and membership fees, on our Open Collective platform at https://opencollective.com/gltc. Current members will be notified with more info about their monthly membership status and options.
We look forward to sharing the joy of Taiko in our upcoming Summer community events and thank you for your continuing support – DRUM DANCE DREAM On!!! //Eileen at GLTC
