-Veteran Impact Services, Inc.

An Indiana Non-Profit Domestic Corporation / Public Benefit Corporation.

DLN: 17053154337036

PUBLIC CHARITY STATUS: 170 (B)(1)(A)(VI)

EFFECTIVE DATE OF FEDERAL EXEMPTION: 12 OCT 2015

CHAPTER GUIDELINES

Section 1. Corporate Name

The name of the corporation is Veteran Impact Services, Inc. Formerly known as Operation Combat Bikesaver, Inc. The corporation will be doing business as Operation Charlie Bravo. The corporation may also use the name VIS, Operation Charlie Bravo, Charlie Bravo, or OCB. Operation Combat Bikesaver, or Combat Bikesaver will always be remembered as where it all started and may still be used in different programs within the organization.

CHAPTERS / SUBSIDIARIES

Section 1. General Powers

The Chapter Board President shall be nominated by individuals seeking to start a Chapter using an application process produced by the Executive Director and approved by the National Board of Directors. The Chapter Board President will be voted on and approved by the Executive Director and the National Board of Directors.

The affairs of the subsidiary corporation shall be managed by its Chapter Board President and His / Her Officers. The Chapter Board of President along with his/her elected officers shall have control of and be responsible for the management of the affairs and property of the State formed Corporation (location) and maintain its own 501(c)(3) status in the state it resides.

Copies of all filed Federal and State taxes must be sent to National HQ annually upon request.

The officers of all Chapter Boards shall be the President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. All additional officers must have the status of active members of the Chapter Board.

Section 2. Number, Tenure, Requirements, and Qualifications

The individual/s interested in forming a new Chapter shall send their nominations for their President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer to the National Headquarters for approval. These individuals must consent to background checks. If the National Board of Directors feels that an individual nominated is in some form of conflict of interest or has a criminal record, the National Board of Directors can vote the rejection of the nomination/s for any reason.
The number of Officers shall be fixed from time-to-time by the Chapter Board but shall consist of no less than four (4), nor more than fifteen (15) including the following officers: The President, the Vice President, the Secretary, and the Treasurer. A Chapter Board Member may hold up to two positions.
The members of the Chapter Board of Directors shall, upon election, immediately enter upon the performance of their duties and shall continue in office until their successors shall be duly elected and qualified. All members of the Chapter Board of Directors must be approved by a majority vote of the National Board of Directors members present and voting. No vote on new members of the Chapter Board of Directors shall be held unless a quorum of the National Board of Directors is present as provided in Section 7 of Article V in these National Bylaws.
Each member of the Chapter Board of Directors shall attend at least nine (9) out of the twelve (12) meetings of the Board per year but are encouraged to attend every meeting. If three (3) consecutive meetings are missed, the member’s status as a Chapter Board of Director will be placed under review and is grounds for possible dismissal.

Maintain at least 4 Chapter Board of Directors:

President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer

All Chapter members must report to the Chapter President.
The Chapter President has the final decision on all Chapter matters.
The Chapter President reports to National Executive Director / President.
Civilian and Veteran State Board Members must respect the atmosphere of the Sunday Shop Day therapy sessions. Being a State Board Member does not give access to Sunday Shop Days, unless the Board Member / Civilian is there to Volunteer, or they are teaching a skill to the Veterans.

Section 3. Corporate Name of Chapter

The “Expansion Chapter or Chapter” or “Franchise” will be a subsidiary of Veteran Impact Services, Inc. doing business as Operation Charlie Bravo (National Headquarters) (hereinafter called the “Franchisor”) and will be incorporated under the state laws of “Chapter State” (hereinafter called the “Franchisee”) and which term shall unless excluded by or repugnant to the context mean and include its heirs, successors, administrators etc. acting through its authorized signatory National Headquarters, duly authorized vide board resolution dated ___/___ in this regard, of the OCB National Bylaws.

The Expansion Chapter’s name will follow this example when incorporated:

Example: Operation Charlie Bravo AL-01, Inc.

AL = State abbreviation
01 = Numerical founding number in order of formation.

The Chapter may also use the name Operation Charlie Bravo (their state), OCB (their state), or Charlie Bravo (their state) in any speaking engagements, social media posts, interviews, or any written correspondence.
Operation Charlie Bravo Inc., or the Indiana location is the mother founding Public Benefit Corporation, the research facility, and where it all began. All National work is currently done by volunteers at the Indiana Chapter. Indiana also has the highest demand for the program with an average of 50 veterans per week with 7 different programs. The Indiana location is open to veterans 24/7 and has a commercial location.

Section 4. Atmosphere:

Maintain a 100% veteran atmosphere.
Civilian Volunteers are welcome during therapy sessions as long as they understand that they are there to teach a specific trade pertaining to workshop activities or they’re present to volunteer in some way. Examples include cleaning, doing building maintenance, bringing lunch, etc. Civilians are not to be at Shop Day “hanging out” with veterans. This is “veterans restoring veterans” therapy.
Civilian Volunteers should also be tactful of veteran emotional crises and triggers. This alleviates the chance of conflict between a veteran and civilian causing unneeded mental strain on the veteran that is present for treatment.
Civilians will be kindly asked to leave if there is conflict.
The lead Chapter President, or designated HR representative must handle this issue as delicately and privately as possible.
The Chapter President will manage / delegate all internal veteran builds and issues.

Section 5. Safety

Physical safety:

Safety is always the top priority.
Always keep personal protective equipment (PPE) on hand and enforce use when in any work area.
Ensure that anyone entering their work area has first filled out their Liability Form located on our OCB Veteran Service page at: https://form.jotform.com/220944948822162
Ensure that everyone entering their work area has also read and understands the Shop Safety Guidelines located on our website at: https://www.combatbikesaver.org/safety-guidelines.html
In case of an emergency please follow instruction in section (4.) Reporting to Executive Director paragraph (c).

Mental safety:

This refers to maintaining veteran atmosphere.
Be aware of moods carried by veterans participating in shop days.
Try to include everyone in staying busy or at least interacting with them the entire time they are there unless they would like to work alone.
Be mindful that every veteran is different and some noises and actions by others can affect the mental state of a veteran seeking treatment.
Having the shop full of visitors can impact the enjoyment level of the veteran trying to focus on a project.
Fun and productivity are the overall goal in this form of distraction therapy.

Section 6. Reporting to Executive Director

The Chapter President must hold at least one meeting per month recording minutes. Those minutes are to be saved and sent to ntlhq@combatbikesaver.org
Minutes must include current financial report showing end of month balance from prior month.
In case of any emergency related to OCB, contact must be made immediately / ASAP to someone at National Headquarters. National Headquarters needs to help manage the emergency in any possible in order to protect the individual(s) in crisis and/or the organization. Within forty-eight (48) hours of the emergency, the State Chapter must send out an Incident Report to: ntlhq@combatbikesaver.org. In the event of press coverage about a negative occurrence, the State Chapter will not make any comments publicly and they will refer press for any questions or statements to National Headquarters for response.
In case of any non-emergency medical incident, the State Chapter must send out an Incident Report to: nthq@combatbikesaver.org. All incidents must be reported to National Headquarters within forty-eight (48) hours of incident. Follow-up may or may not be required by National Headquarters depending on the nature of the incident.

Section 7. Dedication of Chapter Assets

Property Dedicated to Nonprofit Purposes

The property of the Chapter is irrevocably dedicated to charitable purpose(s) and to benefit the public as stated in Articles of Incorporation. No part of the net income or assets of the Corporation shall ever inure to the benefit of any of its Directors or Officers, or to the benefit of any private person, except that the Corporation is authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in Article 3 of the National Bylaws.

Distribution of Assets Upon Chapter Dissolution

Upon the dissolution or winding up of an Expansion Chapter, its assets remaining after payment, or provision for payment, of all debts and liabilities of the Corporation shall be distributed to Operation Combat Bikesaver, Inc. National Headquarters in the State of Indiana, a nonprofit fund, foundation, or corporation which is organized and operated exclusively for charitable purposes and to public benefit purpose(s) stated in Articles of Incorporation and which has established its tax exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Code.

Chapter President and Chapter Treasurer are responsible for debts and liabilities accrued in the time managed in their elected sworn positions.

Section 8. Finance

National HQ will have limited access to a chapter’s financial institution and financial reports.
The Chapter President and Treasurer will have overall control of the bank account and will be responsible for its overall management, maintenance, and any fees accrued.
The new Chapter will have one-time mandatory fees for:

State Registration - $250 (approximate – may vary by state)
Registered Agent - $385 (approximate – may vary by state)

In order for potential new Chapters to gain approval for opening, they must raise $5K or more by the end of their inaugural Kick Starter event. They may begin raising these funds at any moment prior to their event but must have raised a total of $5K before they are eligible to conduct their first Sunday Shop Day. The event must be planned for a Saturday, so the concurrent Sunday is available for the first Sunday Shop Day to commence. The amount of funds raised from the Kick Starter Event should display enough community support to help with start-up costs required before a potential new Chapter may open.
The chapter will have quarterly dues that will cover all the mandatory services provided by National Headquarters.

Mandatory annual dues cover:

Legal Board of Directors Insurance - $400.00 / year
Website / E-mail hosting - $200.00 / year
Quality Control (Minutes / Financials Review / Security / Background / Legal) - $1000.00 / year
The sum of Section 8 (e) 1-3 makes the Chapter’s dues equal $1600 per year or $400 per quarter or $133.33 per month. The State Chapter may vote on how instalment payments are made to National HQ.

When services and/or merchandise are required by the State Chapter they will need to complete the Chapter Inventory Order Form. https://form.jotform.com/92483532031148 located on OCB’s Veteran Services website page at: https://www.combatbikesaver.org/forms.html The form is password protected: This password can be obtained from the National Executive Director.
OCB National Finances are always available for inspection upon request notified in writing from anyone inside or outside the organization.
Each chapter must operate under its own EIN number, and must submit a copy of their annually filed tax returns to the National Chapter.

Section 9. Services Provided by National Board of Directors (NTL HQ)

These services must be acquired, as needed, through National Headquarters located in Crown Point, IN. Pricing for these services may vary and will be available as needed. Chapters will only pay what the NTL Headquarters cost is plus any shipping.

Website:

There will only be one website Nationally shared amongst all expansion chapters.
National Headquarters is the “Tech Support” for all issues that come in on a global level. National Headquarters answers the vast majority of emails, phone messages, and social media messages daily on behalf of all Chapters.
National Headquarters troubleshoots, maintains uniformity throughout the Chapters, and handles all global media / marketing design.
National Headquarters updates the State Chapter information to reflect the area(s) of operation, management team, and contact information.
National Headquarters maintains and updates the OCB website and has annual maintenance fees accrued from hosting. All chapters must share the expense.

Social media:

Facebook:

There will only be one Operation Combat Bikesaver Facebook page until the State Chapter(s) move(s) into a permanent location unattached from a personal residence.

OCB values individual privacy on social media and does not feel home addresses should be publicly displayed in any social media.

The State Chapter(s) will have one individual elected by the State Chapter Board of Directors to have access to OCB’s main Facebook page in order to post and share information speaking as the State Chapter.

Instagram:

Optional usage.
If the State Chapter starts an Instagram account, it will be named in this format:

combat_bikesaver_al01
AL = The State abbreviation
01 = Numerical founding number in order of formation.

No other forms of social media are permitted or approved at this time.

Marketing Materials:

National HQ operates 7 days per week on a global level to ensure all other chapters are operating at National quality control / uniformity standards.
All products must be approved and purchased through National Headquarters and their approved vendors to ensure the highest quality control and uniformity. Products include, but are not limited to:

Banners
Posters / Flyers
Table and booth set up
Informational cards / brochures
Social media promotions
Commercials / advertisements
All merchandise

Any Chapter-specific (example: Alabama, Indiana, California) items sold on OCB’s National website will result in proceeds to be split 50/50 between National HQ and State Chapter(s).

Example:

A $20 sale on the OCB website minus $0.92 approximate PayPal fee = $19.08
$19.08 minus the shirt cost of approximate $9.00 = $10.08
$10.08 in proceeds will be split evenly between the State Chapter and National Headquarters.
Prices and proceeds may vary depending on product type, varying PayPal fees when purchasing multiple items, and product cost inflections.

100% of proceeds on any items to be sold in person that the State Chapter(s) purchase(s) from National HQ go to the State Chapter(s). National HQ does not take a percentage on items the State Chapter(s) purchase(s).
Merchandise is not the State Chapter(s) primary focus on fundraising for their operation. Merchandise is an advertising expense that the State Chapter will raise a small profit on.
Hosting fundraisers, working local events selling OCB gear, applying for grants, and seeking out donations are the primary focus to fund the State Chapter(s) operation.

E-mail:

Professional e-mail hosting through Gmail and Google Nonprofits

Creation and management of “ChapterState”@combatbikesaver.org
Moderator of spam reports for “ChapterState”@combatbikesaver.org
Creation and moderation of signature blocks

National Fundraising events:

These events are fundraising events that include proceeds to go to the National Fund. Funds disbursement will be decided upon by the National Board of Directors based on State Chapter’s demand for the program.

Programs / Veteran Services:

National HQ helps to promote and develop multiple programs that support and maintain longevity of the entire organization and every other expansion chapter across the country.
Eligibility for all programs:

Veteran must be a current participant in the OCB program regularly participating in therapy. Veteran must attend Sunday Shop Days at minimum 16 total hours per month for a span of 90 days (12 Sunday Shop Days) with the rest of the veterans (solo time in the shop not included) to qualify for OCB programs.

Gear Head Bike Build Program
Blaster Program
Vehicle Loaner Program
Details for these programs are located on our OCB Veteran Services page located at: https://www.combatbikesaver.org/admin.html
New Programs TBA

Program Development

National Research and Development

Educational and financial benefits of this labor is passed along to other State Chapters.

National University Studies

Educational and financial benefits of this labor is passed along to other State Chapters.

Legal forms and state laws may vary. These forms will be provided upon request.

Section 10. Donations

Anyone receiving a street legal vehicle / motor bike donation that requires a license and registration (has a VIN / title):

Before accepting any vehicle donation, photos and VIN information must be shared with the State Chapter BOD to verify that the donation is first something that we want to accept. Have the donor fill out this form - Form Location: https://www.combatbikesaver.org/donation.html
If the State Chapter(s) BOD approves, the donation may be accepted, and VIN check may be completed. It is preferred that the State Chapter(s) not accept a vehicle that does not have a title.
If the donation vehicle’s VIN check proves legal, the contact information for the donor will then be passed on to the OCB representative(s) who handle(s) donations.
Designated OCB representative(s) will contact the donor to schedule a pickup or delivery time, date, and location, giving all contact information to the donor of the OCB representative(s) picking up item(s).
Once item(s) have been received at the OCB facility, an inspection of the item(s) will be conducted in order to assess a fair market value to be turned into the Treasurer.
The T1 Department will ensure that the Donor has all proper tax documents mailed to them once the item(s) are secured at our location and an inspection is completed to verify quality of items for fair market value. No one will give the tax form to the Donor unless the item(s) have/has been verified as received as promised. All information to fill out the tax form can be received from the National Treasurer.
*Optional / Suggested: Take a photo with donor and item(s) and send to the State Chapter Director of Marketing or designated individual(s) that handle(s) marketing / social media projects.
The donated item is to be for immediate use or stored for future use.
Designated Chapter Marketing Director conducts public thank you if warranted.
Chapter Thank You Dept. or designated team member will send out the appropriate thank you based on the value of the donation no later than 30 days after item/s have been received.

Donations are only to be used for OCB projects, fundraising, and veteran builds. Donations will not be for personal use unless approved by the Chapter BOD.
At no time are donations to be given, sold, or traded to anyone other than what the donations are intended for without State Chapter Board approval.
The same procedure shall be used with parts, tools, and other physical donations.
An annual itemized report on all incoming and outgoing donations will be required by each State Chapter receiving donations.

Section 11. Communication

Spelling and grammar in social media posts and/or email correspondence must be correct. If the person managing social media cannot spell Operation Combat Bikesaver correctly, they do not need to be representing OCB. Each State Chapter must find someone on their team that can maintain a professional social media presence and communicate effectively.
The social media State Chapter representative(s) must always speak as if they are “OCB” as an organization in social media instead of an individual unless they would like the communication to be personalized.
Religious, political, profane, or highly opinionated topics are prohibited. Regardless of one’s personal beliefs, Operation Combat Bikesaver must remain impartial.
The social media State Chapter representative(s) must keep posts fun, factual, and on topic. OCB is a program doing something about a problem, not spreading awareness or making false promises. OCB’s main Facebook page has examples for State Chapters to use as a template for posting. OCB encourages the State Chapter Representative to review previous posts in order to learn the methods in which OCB communicates.
Chapter Presidents are to ensure that all individuals communicating on behalf of OCB are using correct signature blocks.
Chapter Presidents are responsible for Team Communication professionalism.
Communication is to be done internally as a group so that everyone has the same information at the same time. Communicating as a team can solve issues faster when working together to stay organized. If someone should know the information, they must be included in the communications.
Tagging businesses and individuals that donate to OCB is crucial. Donors must be tagged in a public post on the OCB main page. Tagged links are necessary and allow the public to easily find an accurate link to the donors so they may seek out services or know who specifically was thanked. Examples can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/CombatBikesaver/.

Section 12. Events and Fundraising

The State Chapter(s) must host at least 2 fundraisers for the State Chapter(s) per year

Named: “OCB (Chapter Name) Kick Starter (1st, 2nd, etc.) Annual”

Ex: “OCB Alabama Kick Starter 2nd Annual”

Named: “Bikesaver Roll Out (aka The BRO Ride) (Chapter)

Ex: “OCB Bikesaver Roll Out (aka The BRO Ride) Alabama

Any other events are optional and recommended.
Team / Volunteer building is key to successful fundraising and operations.

All marketing materials / designs must be approved by the National Marketing Director.
Additional events that the State Chapter(s) would like to host are to be approved by the State Chapter(s) President(s).
Represent OCB in a professional manor.

Dress in OCB attire.

OCB work shirt, polo, t-shirt, or any other OCB apparel is acceptable.
Holey, dirty work jeans are acceptable because it is true to what OCB does. In more professional settings, OCB members are to dress accordingly to the best of their judgments.

Consumption of drugs and/or alcohol is prohibited when representing OCB at an event.

Individuals working / representing OCB should never be inebriated. OCB does not want individuals to potentially embarrass the organization due to the inability to handle alcohol and causing unneeded distaste for what OCB does as an organization.
The State Chapter(s) President(s) is responsible for maintaining this level of professionalism and responding swiftly in the event another OCB Representative is out of hand.

All events the State Chapter(s) is/are attending must be added to the OCB main Facebook section “Events.” This keeps the public in the loop and helps increase attendance to the event.
OCB National HQ is always available to help coordinate and manage these events.
The State Chapter(s) may attend any local event that may help promote OCB’s mission or to fundraise for the State Chapter(s). Try to attend events that are related to our cause. Veterans improved quality of life.
No more than 2 Volunteers working / representing the organization with an OCB vendor table set up at any one event qualify for per diem per day. These personnel are to be approved by the Chapter President(s). State Chapters are welcome to have more than 2 volunteers, but only two may be paid per diem. Indiana has a $25 per day per diem cap. The State Chapter(s) may vote on a reasonable amount based on area pricing.
Reimbursement for gas used in personal vehicle for these events and other OCB related expenses is acceptable and approved by the State Chapter President(s).

Section 13. Sponsors and Partnerships

Spread the charity

Operation Combat Bikesaver does not exclusively use one particular business for donations at this time. It is encouraged to spread out the charity.
For example, OCB does not want to pit one motorcycle shop against the other by only working with one. Remember this should be a community team effort where everyone gets along helping the same causes.
The State Chapter(s) can accept donations and thank donors but cannot overwhelm the same donors with constant needs. Appreciation and thanks go a long way.

Report all sponsor and partnership details to National HQ so that HQ can add the sponsors to the National website and properly thank the donor accordingly on a National level.

Section 14. Forms

Forms including: chapter services, The OCB Oath, Franchise Agreement, Chapter Guidelines Agreement, and any other general forms will be uploaded on social media admin page or through email correspondence.

Any other questions can be directed to the Executive Director at:

JasonZ@ocbravo.org