TarValon.Net has been undergoing changes at various levels for a while now, in an effort to attain 501c3 charitable status. To keep you all updated on what all has been going on, we thought we'd let you all know what's been happening:
1) Since we are incorporated in Alabama and hope to attain 501c3 federal charitable status, we have edited our Articles of Incorporation and our Bylaws to fit within the necessary laws and guidelines. Our Bylaws in particular look extremely different. Previously, our Bylaws were almost a sort of agreement between our members and the administration (hence why you agreed to follow the Bylaws in your citizenship application). However, with becoming a legal corporation, the Bylaws had to become something else entirely. They are now a legal document that states how we operate. It touches only on the items necessary by law, so you won't see things about Gaidin or Ajahs or anything of the sort in it. It was written by a lawyer, with input from the Board and the Director of Administration, so it is a formal document with legal terminology, and the vast majority of it has no effect on anyone but the Board and the Officers.
With this change, we have edited the Citizen Application. Rather than agreeing to the Bylaws, you now agree to the Membership Manuals. Since the Bylaws don't really touch on your membership here anymore, we think this makes sense.
2) With the new formalization and legalization of Bylaws, the Board has started adopting resolutions (legal documents as well that affect information in the Bylaws). The first is in regards to our finances and who has access to the bank accounts. We will be making these resolutions available under Resources to the left as well. I'll get them up as soon as I can, but I can't promise that it will be tonight. :P
3) We have mailed off our 501c3 application. This is huge! It's one of the final steps along the path to our becoming an actual charitable organization. As soon as we have a confirmation of our status, we'll let you know! I had three people who helped me with the 501c3 application - Kariada, Meilen, and Ubah. Ubah in particular rocked hard core on this, and it would not have been completed nearly as quickly (hah!) without her help. Thank you three for the work you did with me!
There are other things in the works (such as budgets, survey results, etc), and when they are done, we'll release them for you all to see!
1) Since we are incorporated in Alabama and hope to attain 501c3 federal charitable status, we have edited our Articles of Incorporation and our Bylaws to fit within the necessary laws and guidelines. Our Bylaws in particular look extremely different. Previously, our Bylaws were almost a sort of agreement between our members and the administration (hence why you agreed to follow the Bylaws in your citizenship application). However, with becoming a legal corporation, the Bylaws had to become something else entirely. They are now a legal document that states how we operate. It touches only on the items necessary by law, so you won't see things about Gaidin or Ajahs or anything of the sort in it. It was written by a lawyer, with input from the Board and the Director of Administration, so it is a formal document with legal terminology, and the vast majority of it has no effect on anyone but the Board and the Officers.
With this change, we have edited the Citizen Application. Rather than agreeing to the Bylaws, you now agree to the Membership Manuals. Since the Bylaws don't really touch on your membership here anymore, we think this makes sense.
2) With the new formalization and legalization of Bylaws, the Board has started adopting resolutions (legal documents as well that affect information in the Bylaws). The first is in regards to our finances and who has access to the bank accounts. We will be making these resolutions available under Resources to the left as well. I'll get them up as soon as I can, but I can't promise that it will be tonight. :P
3) We have mailed off our 501c3 application. This is huge! It's one of the final steps along the path to our becoming an actual charitable organization. As soon as we have a confirmation of our status, we'll let you know! I had three people who helped me with the 501c3 application - Kariada, Meilen, and Ubah. Ubah in particular rocked hard core on this, and it would not have been completed nearly as quickly (hah!) without her help. Thank you three for the work you did with me!
There are other things in the works (such as budgets, survey results, etc), and when they are done, we'll release them for you all to see!
You deserve every raise you get 
