Colorado State Fundraising Registration
Resources for charities, businesses, professional fundraisers, and individuals conducting fundraising activities
Colorado Nonprofit & Fundraising Company Licenses
Labyrinth provides the state fundraising regulations below as a guide to help you apply for and maintain your ability to fundraise. Need help? We can manage your state registrations for you. Contact us today to learn more.
Colorado defines requirements for:
• Charitable Organization Registration
• Commercial Co-Venturer Registration
• Professional Fundraiser Registration
• Individual Nonprofit & Fundraising Licenses
• Charitable Gift Annuity Registration
Need a different state? Visit our 50-state Compliance Guide
Company Licenses
Colorado Nonprofit & Fundraising Company Licenses
Colorado Bingo, Raffle, and Pull-Tab Licenses
Initial Registration
Agency: | Colorado Secretary of State |
Form: | |
Filing Method: | Mail or online. |
Agency Fee: | $100 |
Registration Renewal
Agency: | Colorado Secretary of State |
Form: | |
Filing Method: | Mail or online. |
Agency Fee: | $100 |
Due: | Annually by December 31. |
Colorado Charitable Gift Annuity Registration
Not required
Charitable Gift Annuity licensure is not required on the State level in Colorado.
No filing is required, but charities need to meet certain conditions before issuing charitable gift annuities. Charities that meet the following conditions are also exempt from insurance business regulation: "(a) Meets the definition and standards contained in section 501 (m)(5) of the federal "Internal Revenue Code of 1986", as amended; (b) Contains on its face the following statement: "This annuity is not issued by an insurance company nor regulated by the Colorado division of insurance and is not protected by any state guaranty fund or protective association." (c) Is issued or guaranteed by an organization that at all times during the three years preceding the date of the issuance of such annuity: (I) Was qualified to receive contributions described in section 170 (c) of the federal "Internal Revenue Code of 1986", as amended; and (II) If required as a condition of such qualification by provisions of the federal "Internal Revenue Code of 1986", as amended, was in receipt of notification from the federal internal revenue service that such organization was so qualified.".
Law: | C.R.S. § 10-1-102 and C.R.S § 10-3-903 |
Colorado Charitable Organization Registration
Automatic Exemption
Exemption Eligible Organizations: |
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Law: | |
Notes: | Exempt charities can file an optional exemption claim to have a public record of their exempt status created in the secretary of state's database. |
Initial Registration
Instructions: | |
Filing Method: | |
Agency Fee: | $10 |
Turnaround: | 1 week |
Notes: |
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Before you Apply: | All Applicants:
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How to Apply: | Domestic Applicants:
Foreign Applicants:
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Required Attachments: |
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Registration Renewal
Filing Method: | |
Agency Fee: | $10 |
Due: |
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Due Date Extension: | Due dates are automatically extended for 3 months after the original due date, but charities needing more time can request an additional 3 months extension by making a request online. For more information and detailed instructions, see this page. |
Penalties: | There is a $60 fee for failure to file a renewal. |
Notes: |
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Required Attachments: |
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Change of Fiscal Year
Filing Method: | |
Agency Fee: | $0 |
Turnaround: | Immediately online |
Notes: | Fiscal year can be changed online. |
Cancellation
Form: | |
Filing Method: | Mail, fax, or email to charitable@coloradosos.gov |
Agency Fee: | $0 |
Notes: | To close out your registration, file a withdrawal form with the Secretary of State. |
Commercial coventurer means a person who, for profit, is regularly and primarily engaged in trade or commerce other than in connection with soliciting for charitable organizations or purposes and who conducts a charitable sales promotion.
Colorado Commercial Co-Venturer Registration
Not required
Commercial Co-venturer licensure is not required on the State level in Colorado.
Colorado does not currently have a traditional registration requirement for commercial co-venturers, but there are disclosure requirements when more than 50% of a campaign's proceeds come from within the state.
Paid solicitor means a person who, for monetary compensation, performs any service in which contributions will be solicited in this state by such compensated person or by any compensated person he or she employs, procures, or engages to solicit for contributions. The following persons are not “paid solicitors”:
- A person whose sole responsibility is to print or mail fund-raising literature;
- A lawyer, investment counselor, or banker who renders professional services to a charitable organization or advises a person to make a charitable contribution during the course of rendering such professional services or advice to the charitable organization or person;
- A bona fide volunteer;
- A director, officer, or compensated employee who is directly employed by a charitable organization which, at the time of the solicitation, had received a determination letter from the internal revenue service granting the organization tax-exempt status pursuant to 26 U.S.C. sec. 501 (c)(3), (c)(4), (c)(8), (c)(10), or (c)(19). For purposes of this paragraph (d), such a determination letter shall not have retroactive effect.
- Any employee of the department of revenue collecting voluntary contributions for organ and tissue donations under sections 42-2-107 (4)(b)(V) and 42-2-118 (1)(a)(II), C.R.S.;
- A person whose only responsibility in connection with a charitable contribution is to provide a merchant account to process credit card payments using the internet;
- A person who prepares a grant application for a charitable organization or purpose, unless the person’s compensation is computed on the basis of funds to be raised or actually raised as a result of the grant application; or
- A person who provides any service or product to a charitable organization who does not directly solicit for a charitable contribution.
Colorado Paid Solicitor Registration
Agency: | Colorado Secretary of State |
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite: | Not Set |
Bond Requirements: | $15,000 surety bond |
Exam Required? | Not Set |
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required? | Not Set |
Initial Registration
Filing Method: | |
Agency Fee: | $175 |
Before you Apply: |
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Required Attachments: |
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Registration Renewal
Filing Method: | |
Agency Fee: | $175 |
Due: | Annually by the registration anniversary date. |
Contract Filing
Filing Method: | |
Agency Fee: | $75 |
Due: | File a solicitation notice at least 15 days prior to the start of the performance of the contract. |
Financial Reporting
Filing Method: | |
Agency Fee: | $0 |
Due: | Within 90 days after a campaign has ended and on the anniversary of commencement for campaigns lasting more than a year. |
"Professional fundraising consultant" means any person, other than a bona fide officer or regular employee of a charitable organization, who is retained by a charitable organization for a fixed fee or rate under a written agreement to plan, manage, advise, consult, or prepare material for or with respect to the solicitation in this state of contributions for a charitable organization but who does not solicit contributions or employ, procure, or engage any compensated person to solicit contributions. No lawyer, investment counselor, or banker who renders professional services to a charitable organization or advises a person to make a charitable contribution during the course of rendering professional services to the person shall be deemed, as a result of such professional services or advice, to be a "professional fundraising consultant".
Colorado Professional Fundraising Consultant Registration
Agency: | Colorado Secretary of State |
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite: | Not Set |
Exam Required? | Not Set |
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required? | Not Set |
Automatic Exemption
Exemption Eligible Organizations: | Counsels who do not and will not have custody or control of contributions are exempt from the requirement to register but must follow other provisions of the Charitable Solicitations Act. |
Law: | C.R.S. § 6-16-104.3 |
Initial Registration
Filing Method: | |
Agency Fee: | $175 |
Turnaround: | 10 days |
Notes: | Contract Requirements: Every contract between a professional fundraising consultant and a charitable organization or sponsor shall be in writing and signed by an authorized official of the charitable organization. The professional fundraising consultant shall provide a copy of the contract to the charitable organization prior to the performance of any material services under the contract and shall make a copy of the contract available to the secretary of state upon request. The contract shall contain all of the following provisions: (a) A statement of the charitable purpose for which the solicitation campaign is being conducted; (b) A statement of the respective obligations of the professional fundraising consultant and the charitable organization; (c) Whether the professional fundraising consultant will at any time have custody or control of contributions; (d) A clear statement of the fees that will be paid to the professional fundraising consultant or, if the fees are to be calculated based on a percentage of contributions or other formula, a clear statement of the percentage or other formula; and (e) The effective and termination dates of the contract. |
Before you Apply: |
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Registration Renewal
Filing Method: | |
Agency Fee: | $175 |
Due: | Annually by the registration anniversary date. |
Contract Filing
Filing Method: | |
Agency Fee: | $75 |
Due: | File a solicitation notice at least 15 days prior to the start of the performance of the contract. |
Notes: | Contracts must contain all of the following provisions:
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Individual Licenses
Colorado Individual Nonprofit & Fundraising Licenses
Colorado Individual Professional Fundraiser Registration
Not required
Professional Solicitor licensure is not required on the State level in Colorado.
Solicitors who are not employed by a professional fundraising firm but operate independently may be required to register. Employees of professional fundraising firms are generally not required to register as an individual solicitor in Colorado.
Learn about fundraising in other jurisdictions:
D.C. |
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