§ 5-9-109 — Charitable and civic organizations

(a) (1) The county legislative body or governing body of each county may appropriate funds for the financial aid of any nonprofit charitable organization, any chamber of commerce, exempt from taxation pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, § 501(c)(6) ( 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(6) ), or any nonprofit civic organization in accordance with the guidelines required by subsection (b). (2) For the purposes of this section: (A) A nonprofit charitable organization is one in which no part of the net earnings inures or may lawfully inure to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual and that provides services benefiting the general welfare of the residents of the county; and (B) A nonprofit civic organization means a civic organization exempt from taxation pursuant to § 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code ( 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(4) ), that operates primarily in the county for the purpose of bringing about civic betterments and social improvements through efforts to maintain and increase employment opportunities in the county by promoting industry, trade, commerce, tourism and recreation by inducing manufacturing, industrial, governmental, educational, financial, service, commercial, recreational and agricultural enterprises to locate in or remain in the county. (3) The statement of public policy set forth in Acts 1955, chapter 209, § 3 is hereby incorporated into and made a part of this section, and it is hereby determined and declared that appropriations authorized by this section are needed to relieve the emergency created by the continuing migration from Tennessee and its counties of a large number of its citizens in order to find employment elsewhere, and to enable the counties of the state to assist nonprofit organizations in furthering the economic development, social welfare and common good of its residents. (b) Each county legislative body shall devise guidelines directing for what purposes the appropriated money may be spent. These guidelines shall provide generally that any funds appropriated shall be used to promote the general welfare of the residents of the county. Any funds appropriated under this section shall be used and expended under the direction and control of the county legislative bodies. (c) (1) Any nonprofit organization that desires financial assistance from the county legislative body or the governing body of the county shall file with the county clerk a copy of an annual report of its business affairs and transactions, which includes, but is not limited to, a copy of an annual audit, a description of the program that serves the residents of the county, and the proposed use of the county assistance. (2) Such report will be open for public inspection during the regular business hours of the county clerk's office. (3) Any nonprofit organization that desires such financial assistance may file, in lieu of the annual audit, an annual report detailing all receipts and expenditures in a form prescribed by the comptroller of the treasury. (4) Such report shall be prepared and certified by the chief financial officer of such nonprofit organization. (5) Financial reports shall be available to fiscal officers of the county and shall be subject to audit under § 4-3-304 . (d) Appropriations to nonprofit organizations other than charitable organizations may be made only when notices have been published in a newspaper of general circulation in the county of the intent to make an appropriation to a nonprofit but not charitable organization, specifying the intended amount of the appropriation and the purposes for which the appropriation will be spent.

Legislative History

Amended by 2017 Tenn. Acts, ch. 123, s 1, eff. 4/12/2017. Acts 1976, ch. 696, § 1; 1977, ch. 120, § 1; impl. am. Acts 1978, ch. 934, §§ 7, 22, 36; Acts 1979, ch. 132, § 1; T.C.A., § 5-932; Acts 1984, ch. 820, §§ 1, 3; 1989, ch. 62, § 1; 1992, ch. 545, §§ 1, 2; 1995, ch. 106, § 1; 1999, ch. 38, § 1; 2010 , ch. 740, § 1.