Presenting our charities for WCPC22!
This year your support will aid not just one, but two charities that need your help!
MLP conventions have supported various charities since the very beginning, and we are proud to continue that trend. This year, proceeds from our Charity Auction will be divided equally between two organizations that are important to many of our attendees – The Trevor Project and Worthwhile Events NFP.
The Trevor Project is the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning) young people. The organization works to save young lives by providing support through free and confidential suicide prevention and crisis intervention programs on platforms where young people spend their time: a 24/7 phone lifeline, chat, text, and soon-to-come integrations with social media platforms. The organization also runs TrevorSpace, the world’s largest safe space social networking site for LGBTQ youth, and operates innovative education, research, and advocacy programs.
Worthwhile Events NFP is a charitable, not-for-profit company that specializes in running high-quality fandom conventions that are by fans, for fans, and is the new parent company of both Whinny City Pony Con and Ponyville Ciderfest. Funds raised will ONLY go towards covering WE’s outstanding debts. You can learn more about WE at our panel “Introducing Worthwhile Events” which will be Saturday at 8 pm in the Mustard Mark Room.
We understand that it is not typical for a convention’s charity auction to benefit itself, so we’d like to answer a few likely FAQs about WE:
Q: When, how, and why was WE formed?
A: Worthwhile Events NFP was formed earlier this year as a non-profit organization registered in Illinois under the General Not For Profit Corporation Act of 1986 specifically to promote the charitable, artistic, musical, literary, social, and educational aspects of our fan community through high-quality, accessible, family-friendly, and welcoming conventions. This new company was formed to be the parent organization of Whinny City Pony Con and Ponyville Ciderfest after they were acquired from Corgi Events, LLC.
Q: Is WE tax-exempt / a 501(c)(3)?
A: We are applying for tax-exempt status as a 501(c)(3) organization with the IRS, but have not received this status yet. We hope to have it by the end of this year.
Q: If you’re not currently a 501(c)(3), will my donations / charity auction purchases be tax-deductible?
A: Once WE receives 501(c)(3) status, it will be retroactive to the formation of the corporation in February of 2022, meaning that you will be able to list your WCPC22 contributions on your 2022 taxes to the extent deductible when you file them next year, yes.
Q: Is there a chance WE will decide not to seek 501(c)(3) status?
A: No, absolutely not. While obtaining 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status will not affect our non-profit status and mission, it will allow us to avoid paying taxes on donations and also for WE to qualify for other programs, discounts, and perks offered to NFPs. This will in turn let us spend all the funds we receive directly on supporting our community by providing the best convention experiences we can. After all, we are first and foremost fans and volunteers committed to seeing these amazing expressions of community continue. That said, it is not possible to guarantee that 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status will be approved by the IRS, but other parent companies of similar conventions have obtained such status.
Q: Why does WE need funds?
A: Due to several factors, a sizable portion of funds from WCPC22 badge registrations is not available. The owners of Worthwhile Events NFP, Michelle and Charlie Worthley, have covered this deficit with their personal funds.
Q: How much of the donations will go to the owners of WE?
A: The owners of WE will not profit a penny from the Charity Auction or any other source related to WCPC22. They will only receive what is needed to pay back the funds they loaned as discussed above.
Q: What will WE do with any charity funds raised from their half beyond what is needed to pay back the owners?
A: WE is not looking to raise any more funds than are needed to pay off our debts, so any excess from WE’s half will also be donated to The Trevor Project. However, just to make sure expectations on this are clear, there will very likely not be any excess. Our best charity auction result ever was $15,000, and this amount in whole would not be enough to cover the debt. To be clear though, The Trevor Project will receive a minimum of 50% of the total auction proceeds.
Q: What if I have more questions or would like more transparency on all this?
A: We absolutely want to be as transparent as possible, within certain legal restrictions that we have to consider. The best place and time to discuss WE or this announcement will be at our panel “Introducing Worthwhile Events” which will be Saturday at 8 pm in the Mustard Mark Room. After the con, we will detail how the donations were used and provide as much proof as we are able to.