Virginia Law

The following words and terms when used in this chapter shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Agents" means one or more persons who transact some business or manage some affair for another, by the authority and on account of the latter, and who render an account of such business or affair to that other. The term "agents" shall include the term "subcontractors."

"Bona fide salaried officer or employee" means a person who is in an employer-employee relationship with a charitable organization and who is compensated exclusively by a fixed annual salary or hourly wage.

"Budget" means a financial plan of action that itemizes expected sources and amounts of income and expenses and that is ratified by the organization's board of directors.

"Certified audited financial statements" means financial statements prepared by an independent certified public accountant with an opinion rendered in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).

"Certified treasurer's report" means an income and expense statement and a balance sheet for the past fiscal year that have been prepared and signed by the organization's treasurer verifying that the report is accurate and true.

"Code" means Code of Virginia (1950), as amended.

"Commissioner" means the Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services or a member of his staff to whom he may delegate his duties under Chapter 5 (§ 57-48 et seq.) of Title 57 of the Code of Virginia.

"Department" means the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

"File with the commissioner" means depositing the originals of the documents required to be filed, along with payment of the appropriate fee and all supporting documentation, with the department.

"Foundation," as referenced in subdivision A 1 of § 57-60 of the Code of Virginia, means a secondary organization established to provide financial or program support for a primary organization with which it has an established identity.

"Gross contributions" means the total contributions received by the organization from all sources, regardless of geographic location, excluding government grants.

"Having an established identity with" means a relationship between two organizations such that if the primary organization ceased to exist, the secondary organization would also cease to exist.

"Health care institution" means any medical facility that is tax exempt under the Internal Revenue Code § 501(c)(3) and at least one of the following:

1. Licensed by the Department of Health or by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services;

2. Designated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as a federally qualified health center;

3. Certified by CMS as a rural health clinic; or

4. Wholly organized for the delivery of health care services without charge, including the delivery of dental, medical, or other health services where a reasonable minimum fee is charged to cover administrative costs.

"IRS" means the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service.

"Local civic league or association" means a not-for-profit organization operated to further the common good of the city, town, or county that it is organized to serve.

"Local service club" means a not-for-profit organization that is organized for the purpose of providing educational services, recreational services, charitable services, or social welfare services to the city, town, or county in which such organization operates.

"Past fiscal year" means the most recently completed fiscal year.

"Primary address" means the bona fide physical street address of the organization or sole proprietor.

"Primary name" means the name under which an organization is incorporated, if incorporated; if unincorporated, has been issued a certificate, by the Virginia State Corporation Commission, to transact business in Virginia, if so certified; if neither incorporated nor certified to transact business in Virginia, the name by which the organization is commonly known or referred to, except that such name shall not be an assumed name, or a deceptive name, as described in subsection A of 2VAC5-610-80.

"Report," "register," and "submit" mean "file with the commissioner" as that phrase is defined in this section.

"Subcontractor" means any agent, but not an employee, of a professional solicitor who solicits under a contract or agreement on behalf of the professional solicitor for the benefit of any charitable or civic organization with which the professional solicitor has a contract or agreement.

"Trade association" means an association of business organizations having similar issues and engaged in similar fields formed for mutual protection, exchange of ideas and statistics, and for maintenance of standards within their industry.

"Unified Registration Statement" means the standardized form created by the National Association of Attorneys General and the National Association of State Charity Officials to consolidate the information and data requirements of all states requiring registration.