

Ask HN: How much legal work is involved to run a non-profit startup? - hariis

I am planning on creating a web service where organizations caring for foster kids
can post their specific needs 
( something like, John's 7th birthday is on Sep 30 and he would like a skateboard
with a product link to Amazon)
and donors can pick a need and sponsor by paying the cost of the product + shipping.
Once I receive payment, I will place the order on Amazon to be shipped to the kid's address and email receipt to the donor.<p>My questions:<p>What kind of a legal structure do I need for this?<p>Does it have to be (or better be) a non-profit?<p>How much legal work is involved upfront?<p>Once created, what other (legal and accounting work etc) is involved on an on-going basis?<p>Am I missing anything?
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gojomo
Unless you're collecting donations or hiring help, defer organizational
questions. Make the site a personal project; if it has legs then consider
formal options -- and at that point you'll have advice from your community.

(For example, Wikipedia ran for 2 years as a side project of Jimmy Wales' for-
profit company before the Wikimedia Foundation was created.)

