I'm a member of a committee of fans for a television show who want to hold a 3-day fan convention at a hotel. The committee is in the process of incorporating as a FOR-profit llc. We COULD incorporate as a non-profit 501c7 but we don't want the work of organizing a club with members, dues, newsletter, chapter meetings, etc. ON TOP of organizing the convention.
We need to raise startup funds for legal fees, accountant, website set-up/hosting, ticket-selling platform and Hotel/F&B meeting room deposits. THEN we can start selling tickets, booking talent, paying for liability and event insurance, hiring security, etc.
If anyone has experience in raising money to fund a start-up FOR profit business, can you tell me what kind of laws you had to work within? Can a potential donor just gift funds without being investors expecting a profit and a cut of the gate? How do you propose that to potential donors?