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Channel: Uncategorized – RPM

This Song’s For You

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In a recent article, Louisville Magazine talked to Joan Shelley, Patrick Hallahan of My Morning Jacket, Jack Hedges of Canvasback Music and Secretly Group about how Revolutions Per Minute has helped them support causes they care about.

“In the last 13 years, RPM has grown to include a network of 1,500 people within the music industry. For about a year, one of them has been Jack Hedges, the vice president of marketing for Canvasback Music, a division of Atlantic Records. “I think artists come from a place of sensitivity and awareness and good intentions and wanting to do good things for the world outside of just making music and playing shows,” Hedges says. “I think sometimes where people get stuck is, ‘I want to do something charitable but I don’t know where to start. I don’t know how to handle the financial aspects or legal aspects.’ Meeting Jess (George) was a bolt from the blue because, all of a sudden, there’s somebody out there who knows the answers to all our questions.”

We’re here when you need us.

The post This Song’s For You appeared first on RPM.


Answers to your burning questions about 501c4 nonprofit organizations

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Headphones

A 501c4 is a nonprofit corporation or association designed to promote social welfare.

How is that different from a 501c3? A 501c3 nonprofit organization has to largely restrict their lobbying efforts or risk losing their tax status. 501c4’s can engage in an unlimited amount of lobbying, as long as the issues relate to the exempt purposes of the organization. In addition, a c4 may engage in some partisan political campaign activities in accordance with federal and state campaign finance laws, provided that its political activities do not become its primary activity. 501c3’s, on the other hand, are limited to strictly nonpartisan political work. 

To illustrate the difference, here is an example of how a 501c3 and a 501c4 may frame a question to a candidate on a voter guide (a popular voter education strategy).

In a 501c3 voter guide you have to ask a really balanced question:

“Some people think that once you commit a felony, you should lose voting rights forever.  Others think that once you’ve completed your sentence, you should have your voting rights restored. What’s your position on voting rights for formerly incarcerated individuals?”

In a 501c4 voter guide you can be more direct:

“312k Kentuckians are locked out of the voting booth because of a felony conviction on their record.  These folks are not allowed a vote even though they have completed the punishment given to them through the court system. Would you support legislation to restore voting rights to formerly incarcerated individuals?”


Why are 501c4s important?

  • 501c4s can more fully support their members to participate on the local, state and national level. They can not only register voters, they can also educate them about the issues and candidates on their ballot, get them to the polls and, after election day, help them lobby.
  • A 501c4 can be more direct in their communications. Using the voter guide example, because the 501c4 can ask a more direct question, the candidate must also be more direct in their response. From there, that organization can take those responses to voters so they can cast educated ballots.
  • After election day, those organizations can support voters to contact the elected officials about specific legislation. This is an important way change is made, and it’s a critically important tool that is woefully underfunded.

Why is funding different for 501c4s?

501c4s are non-profits, but donations made to them are not tax deductible. Since the money donated is not deductible, the majority of their funding comes mostly from small individual gifts. This makes that funding stream an asset because it represents a lot of people (think the of the power of large grassroots scale), but also no small feat to build and manage. 


This is where RPM comes in.

Raising money using RPM strategies (through a ticket add-on or special merch item) is basically the best of both: small gifts that don’t need a deduction, delivered in a large sum! 

 

Contributions to a 501c4 are not deductible for federal income tax purposes.

The post Answers to your burning questions about 501c4 nonprofit organizations appeared first on RPM.

Tell Someone: An Easy Way To Get Others Involved

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Boy yelling into mic

Chances are good that there are others just like you who want to get involved in efforts around the midterm election, but either they don’t have the time to implement a campaign or don’t know the best places to direct their support. We are here to help! 

Fill out the form below to recieve an email you can forward to others! Once an email arrives in your inbox, add a personal note at the top and forward it along to others you think might want to participate.

The post Tell Someone: An Easy Way To Get Others Involved appeared first on RPM.

Implement A Campaign: Strategies For Raising Money And Awareness During The Midterms And Beyond

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Raise Money

Piggy Bank

We know you and your team are handling a lot so we’re going to make this as easy as possible.

Since 2005, RPM has been using and refining the following strategies because they seamlessly incorporate into what you’re already doing and the execution is a light lift for everyone involved. By making it easy and effective, teams of any size and artists at any point in their career can get involved.

Start by letting us know you want to implement any of the strategies below. Email us at yes@revolutionsperminute.net and we’ll get started.

1. Add $1 or more to every ticket you sell on tour.

Adding $1 to each ticket you sell is the easiest and quickest way to raise significant funds. It just involves one step per team member:

Agents: Receive a “how-to” document from RPM that includes deal memo language for promoters.

Promoters: Cut a check to RPM at settlement, per deal memos and “how-to” document.

Tour managers: Ensure that promoters cut checks as specified in deal memos.

Publicists: Ensure legal compliance by implementing a customized and simple version of RPM’s recommended language for ticket buyers. 

No steps for business managers or accountants. Raised funds do not hit the artist’s account. No tax implications. No separate accounting.

Here are some examples of artists who have already done this!

2. Dedicate the proceeds of a merch item or a percentage of your online merch sales.

Whether you take the item on tour with you, sell it exclusively online or dedicate a percentage of total sales, merch items are an excellent way to generate support.  

Here are some examples of artists who have already done this!

3. Release a song or album. 

Dedicate the proceeds from a release. Whether you manage the release or RPM does, we can make sure it’s a smooth process.  

Here are some examples of artists who have already done this!

The post Implement A Campaign: Strategies For Raising Money And Awareness During The Midterms And Beyond appeared first on RPM.

Midterm elections are around the corner…

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Our democracy works best when we are all inspired to participate. That is why RPM is here to connect you with nonprofits who are making an important impact this November AND are building a healthier democracy all year.

In advance of the midterm elections, RPM is partnering with Movement Voter Project to direct support to lesser-known organizations who are:

  • Creating momentum that lasts beyond election day by organizing around issues all year long.
  • Led by the very people in the demographic they are setting out to organize.
  • Not just educating voters and getting them to the polls, but also working beyond election day to build relationships with elected officials and participate in the development of legislation.

A few quick and simple ways to contribute:

  • Dedicate a percentage of proceeds from your merch store for the last quarter of the year.
  • Release a song. Could be a previously unreleased live version or something fans haven’t heard at all.
  • Run a sweepstakes via RPM for tickets or items you have that you think might do well with your fan base.

We can also easily pull together a portfolio of orgs who are working on a specific issue important to you or direct the money you raise to the areas that need it the most.

Ready to get started? Shoot me an email at jessica@revolutionsperminute.net.

The post Midterm elections are around the corner… appeared first on RPM.

Revolutions With Your Merchandise

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RPM is really proud of the fact that a large portion of our operating costs are covered by the 15% that we retain from implementing charitable campaigns with artists. That means that we are spending almost ALL of our time helping artists generate support for some amazing causes. But since it doesn’t cover it all, we could use your help.

Starting his fall we are launching RPM sweepstakes, creating opportunities for your fans to bid on something special from your camp. Donating an item and letting your fans know when we post your item is an easy way to support RPM. Items could include something signed you have laying around, a favorite t-shirt or accessory, or tickets to an upcoming show. You down? Please take 2 minutes to fill out this short form  or send us a message at yes@revolutionsperminute.net!

By raising money through a commission on charitable campaigns and support from the RPM network, we’re not competing with the very nonprofits we’re trying to raise money for.   

You know we love you and very much appreciate your support!

The post Revolutions With Your Merchandise appeared first on RPM.





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