In this YouTube explainer, Steve Urich (sponsored by Ironwood Registrations) walks nonprofit leaders through Ohio’s charitable solicitation registration law. He emphasizes that any organization—whether based in Ohio or elsewhere—must register before soliciting any donation from Ohio residents, and that the definition of solicitation includes online donate buttons, email blasts, social media posts, direct mail, phone calls, and any other request for contributions. The video outlines the annual compliance cycle: an initial online registration, filing an annual financial report, and yearly renewal. Filings are due 4.5 months after the fiscal year end, but an IRS Form 8868 extension automatically extends the Ohio deadline to 10.5 months; missing the deadline incurs a flat $200 late fee. Fees are on a sliding scale based solely on contributions received from Ohio donors, with no fee for less than $5,000 and a maximum of $200, excluding membership dues and fees for services. Major exemptions include organizations with total gross revenue of $25,000 or less nationwide, certain religious groups, some educational institutions, and membership-only groups that only solicit members. The presenter concludes with a best‑practice checklist (track renewal dates, monitor Ohio fundraising totals, ensure accurate reports, re‑evaluate exemption status annually) and stresses that compliance builds public trust. He invites viewers to consider Ironwood Registrations for assistance with multistate fundraising compliance.
Chapters
If you're fundraising in Ohio, well, there's a rulebook you need to know. In this explainer, we're going to break down exactly what you need to do to stay compliant with the state's charitable registration requirements. Just so you know, this resource is brought to you by our friends at Ironwood Registrations. It's one part of a whole series we're doing, and the goal is pretty simple: to make multistate fundraising compliance clear and, you know, actually practical for nonprofit leaders. Okay, let's just dive right in. Are you fundraising in Ohio? Or maybe you're just thinking about asking for donations from folks in Ohio? If so, this is for you. You're gonna want to pay close attention. Alright, if you take away only one thing from this, let it be this: in Ohio, you have to register before you ask for a single dollar. I'm serious. This isn't a suggestion, it's a hard and fast rule. And honestly, it's the number one place where we see organizations trip up. So, you might be wondering, does this even apply to me? Let's dig into who exactly has to register. We'll take a look at the scope of the law. Okay, so Ohio's Attorney General, specifically their Charitable Law Section, takes a really broad view here. It doesn't matter if your organization is physically located in Ohio or not. If you're based somewhere else but your fundraising campaigns reach people in Ohio, the rules apply. Oh, and if you hold any charitable assets in the state, that counts too. You've gotta register. Now, what exactly is solicitation in Ohio's eyes? This is super important. We're not just talking about old-school direct mail or phone calls. That You have a Donate Now button on your website? That's solicitation. Your email blasts? Solicitation. Social media posts asking for support? Yep, that's solicitation too. Basically, if you're asking for a contribution in pretty much any way, it falls under their definition. Alright, let's get into the nitty-gritty. What do you actually have to do? We're going to walk through the whole process, from that first initial registration to, just as importantly, how you stay compliant year after year. The best way to think about this is as an annual cycle, right? First, you file your initial registration, which is all done online. Then, you submit your annual financial report. And finally, you renew your registration every single year. Do that, and you'll stay in good standing. Now, timing is everything here. Your filings are typically due 4.5 months after your fiscal year wraps up. But there's a helpful little tip here: if you file for a federal extension—that's the IRS Form 8868—Ohio automatically gives you an extension too. That pushes your deadline all the way out to 10.5 months. And trust me, you do not want to be late. If you miss that deadline, even the extended one, there's a flat $200 late fee, no questions asked. It's a really simple penalty, and it's so easy to avoid if you just plan ahead. Okay, let's talk about the money side of things. We'll cover the fees you might have to pay, and also the common exemptions that could mean you don't have to pay anything at all. So, Ohio's fees are on a sliding scale, and here's the key: it's based only on what you raise from donors inside Ohio. If you bring in less than $5,000 from Ohio, there's no fee. Zero. After that, it scales up to a maximum of $200. And something else to keep in mind—this calculation doesn't include stuff like membership dues or fees for service. It's just about contributions. Okay, now here's a big one, a major exemption: if your organization's total gross revenue, we're talking nationwide from all sources, is $25,000 or less, you are probably exempt from having to register at all. And again, that's not just Ohio income. That's your total revenue, period. There are a few other common exemptions you should know about too. These usually cover religious organizations, some educational institutions, think colleges and universities, and also membership groups that only ask for donations from their own members. Look, getting registered is really just the starting line, so let's wrap this up by talking about some best practices for staying compliant in Ohio for the long haul. So, think of this as your annual checklist, your game plan. First, keep a close eye on those renewal deadlines. Next, always be monitoring how much you're raising in Ohio so you know which fee tier you're in. Make sure your financial reports are accurate and on time. And last but not least, if you think you're exempt, make it a habit to check every year to make sure that's still true. You know, when you boil it all down, these laws are really about one thing: public trust. They're all designed to promote transparency and ultimately to protect donors. When you're proactive about your compliance, you're sending a powerful message to your supporters that you're a responsible, trustworthy organization they can believe in. And that really brings us to a final and pretty crucial question. As your nonprofit grows and your fundraising starts crossing more and more state lines, is your organization really prepared to handle all of these expanding compliance duties? Because let's face it, as your fundraising footprint gets bigger, this stuff can become a huge administrative headache. If your team could use some help managing registrations, whether it's in Ohio or any other state, this is exactly what Ironwood Registrations specializes in. You can find out more over at ironwoodregistrations.com. Thanks so much for tuning in.
