Because the laws governing gambling and other methods of parish fundraisers are relatively complicated, not always intuitive, and implicate several other areas of law and Archdiocesan policy, and because there have been several recent changes in those laws, the legal office has prepared this summary of the most common issues.
Please remember that this summary is only intended as a guide. You should:
1) Read the accompanying materials carefully well in advance of the event;
2) Follow the indicated cross-references for more information on specific topics, and read those too; and
3) Contact the Archdiocesan Development, Legal and/or Finance Offices, as appropriate, for guidance and additional information.
See, especially, the following documents. These are accessible and downloadable through the Index of Archdiocesan Policies posted on the Archdiocesan website at SFArchdiocese.org):
— Fundraising – Electronic
— Fundraising Policies: IRS Charity’s Guide to Car Donations
— Fundraising Policies: Memo to Agency Heads re: Car Donations
— Fundraising Policies: Pastor’s Memo re: Raffles
These documents contain additional valuable, detailed information on these topics.
Depending on which law is involved, and the nature of the violation, the penalty for failing to comply with government rules can include