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Toastmasters clubs must constantly seek new members by promoting itself in the community or company. One recognized method of promotion is to conduct training programs or seminars. These programs attract attention and build goodwill in the community or company. But clubs are limited in the types of training and seminars they can offer.
Because Toastmasters International is a non-profit organization with a 501 (c) (3) rating with the United States Internal Revenue Service, our tax-exempt and nonprofit statuses could be jeopardized if our organization or its clubs anywhere in the world are perceived as being in the seminar business and in competition with for-profit enterprises that pay taxes.
In addition, liability must be considered. In the countries where Toastmasters clubs are covered by liability insurance, the insurance is not valid for activities outside of normal Toastmasters meetings.
The following restrictions on training programs and seminars help to preserve our tax-exempt and non-profit statuses:
- A club may conduct only Success/Communication, Success/Leadership, Youth Leadership, The Better Speaker Series, The Leadership Excellence Series, and The Successful Club Series programs outside of the club for nonmembers as a means to promote the club within the community or company and increase membership. Clubs cannot hold any other training programs or seminars for non-members.
- All of these programs are to be presented by club members acting as representatives of their clubs, thereby preserving the program's, club's and organization's identity; and
- No individuals, educational institutions or other organizations may derive financial gain either directly or indirectly from the presentations of these programs.
Occasionally a club wants to conduct a training program, workshop or other special event and open it to members of other Toastmasters clubs. A Toastmasters club's purpose is to educate its own members within the club setting, not to provide training or other events for Toastmasters members from outside of that club. An event held for members who belong to other clubs then becomes a district event and is under the district's authority.
A district may occasionally have a club conduct a training program or similar event for other Toastmasters clubs and members, but this is at the district's discretion and can only be done with the district's advance permission. The event also must be in keeping with the district and club missions.
[from the Toastmasters International website, District Newsletter July 2005]
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