Title 5
Businesses and Professions

Chapter 53.1
Solicitation by Charitable Organizations

R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-53.1-7

§ 5-53.1-7. Prohibited activity.

In addition to any other violations of this chapter no person shall:

(1) Make any material statement that is untrue in an application for registration, registration statement, or written annual report; or fail to disclose a material fact in an application for registration, registration statement, or written annual report;

(2) Engage in any fraudulent or illegal act, device, scheme, artifice to defraud or for obtaining money or property by means of false pretenses, representation or promise, transaction, or enterprise in connection with any solicitation for charitable purposes, any solicitation or collection of funds or other property for a charitable organization, or with the registration, reporting, and disclosure provisions of this chapter;

(3) Fail to apply contributions in a manner substantially consistent with the stated solicitation statement created pursuant to § 5-53.1-12 and/or with the § 5-53.1-2(a)(5) registration statement of the charitable organization;

(4) Knowingly, or with reason to know, enter into any contract or agreement with or employ any unregistered professional fundraiser, fundraising counsel, or professional solicitor;

(5) Enter into any contract or agreement with or raise any funds for any charitable organization required to be registered pursuant to this chapter knowing or with reason to know that the charitable organization is not duly registered;

(6) Fail to file as required by this chapter any fundraising contract, or any other documents;

(7) Represent in any manner whatsoever that registration constitutes an endorsement or approval by the state;

(8) Solicit contributions for charitable purposes without either:

(i) Being a registered charitable organization, if required to be registered;

(ii) Having a written contract or agreement with a charitable organization or registered charitable organization if required to be registered, authorizing solicitation on its behalf; or

(iii) Being bona fide employees or volunteers of a charitable organization;

(9) Act as or enter into any contract as a professional fundraiser, fundraising counsel, or professional solicitor without having registered;

(10) Fail to maintain books and records or refuse or fail after receiving written notice by mail, to produce any books and records in accordance with § 5-53.1-5 and as otherwise required by this chapter;

(11) Knowingly and intentionally use in the course of soliciting contributions for or on behalf of a charitable organization a name, symbol, or service mark so closely related or similar to that used by another established charitable organization that the use would tend to confuse or mislead the public; or

(12) Solicit contributions on behalf of any veterans’ organization that is not chartered under chapter 6 of title 7.

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