Title 5
Businesses and Professions

Chapter 53.1
Solicitation by Charitable Organizations

R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-53.1-12

§ 5-53.1-12. Solicitation.

(a) Any written solicitation used by or on behalf of any charitable organization shall provide a description of the programs and activities for which it has expended or will expend contributions it receives from the solicitation or shall include therein a statement that, upon written request to a specified person at the charitable organization, a person may obtain from the charitable organization a description. In addition, any written solicitation shall state in clear and unambiguous language whether or not contributions are deductible for federal income tax purposes in accordance with applicable law. The requirements of this section shall be satisfied by written notice to the donor or prospective donor. This written notice requirement shall be deemed satisfied if made once during the solicitation process, including at the time of confirmation of receipt of any contribution.

(b) If any charitable organization solicits contributions for or makes contributions through a solicitation to another organization that is not its affiliate as defined in § 5-53.1-4, the written solicitation shall include a statement that the contributions have been made and that a list of all organizations that have received contributions from the soliciting organization during the most recently completed fiscal year of the charitable organization for which information is required to be filed in accordance with § 5-53.1-2 may be obtained from that organization. A United Way, federated fund, or incorporated community appeal, by or through which a donation is merely transferred to another organization selected by the donor, does not need to include the donor-selected transferee organizations in the list. The requirements of this section shall be satisfied by a written-notice to the donor or prospective donor. This written-notice requirement shall be deemed satisfied if made once during the solicitation process, including at the time of confirmation of receipt of any contribution.

(c) A charitable organization shall comply with all requests made pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) of this section within fifteen (15) days of their receipt.

History of Section.
P.L. 1999, ch. 152, § 2.