Jasquanique "Jazz" Walker
469-975-2997
jmwalk3@yahoo.com
[In Development]
Engagement Phases
1
of 3
Phase One
Formation & Governance
Active
Spring 2025 – Summer 2026
Deliverables
- ✓Texas Certificate of Formation filed and approved
- ✓Employer Identification Number (EIN) obtained
- ✓Discovery consultation completed (August 13, 2025)
- ✓Nonprofit Launch Lab engagement contract executed
- ✓Retainer settled
- ✓Classification path locked: 509(a)(1) public charity, full Form 1023 with Schedule H
- ✓Founding board confirmed: Jazz, Jeremiah, Shanella, Shameka
- ✓Officer roles assigned: President, Secretary, Treasurer
- ✓Inaugural Bylaws drafted, reviewed, and finalized
- ✓Bylaw Adoption Memo & Meeting Guide delivered
- →Board organizational meeting held and bylaws formally adopted in minutes
- ○Officers seated in minutes; first Conflict of Interest statements signed
- ○Banking resolution approved; corporate bank account opened
- ○Form 1023 with Schedule H prepared and submitted ($600 IRS user fee)
2
of 3
Phase Two
Operational Infrastructure & Program Architecture
Upcoming
Summer – Fall 2026
Deliverables
- ○Scholarship application designed [eligibility criteria, evaluation rubric, deadlines]
- ○Scholarship Committee structured per Article VIII; published criteria document adopted
- ○Scholarship Policy formalized [disbursement framework, recordkeeping, donor-preference handling]
- ○Workshops and training program architected [structure, curriculum, fees, schedule]
- ○Case-study competition framework designed
- ○Mentorship program structure built
- ○Goodstack verification completed (unlocks Google for Nonprofits, Canva, Candid)
- ○Google Workspace for Nonprofits configured
- ○Candid (GuideStar) profile created and populated
- ○Cloud-based file structure and record retention system established
- ○IRS-compliant donor acknowledgment letter template created
- ○Donation tracking and donor management platform (Givebutter) set up
- ○Foundation website launched
3
of 3
Phase Three
Strategic Positioning & Funding Readiness
Upcoming
Late 2026 – Early 2027
Deliverables
- ○IRS determination letter received (501(c)(3) recognition confirmed)
- ○Public-charity positioning strategy documented
- ○Diversified donor cultivation plan built
- ○First scholarship cycle executed
- ○First program cycle executed [workshops, competition, mentorship]
- ○Impact metrics framework established
- ○Grant readiness package built [database, narratives, data positioning]
- ○Year-end classification reassessment [509(a)(1) vs 509(a)(2) decision]
- ○Annual financial review pathway clarified
- ○Engagement wrap-up session and handoff documentation
Advisory Flags & Notes
Public Charity Status Depends on Broad Fundraising
509(a)(1) requires more than one-third of support from many sources; each individual donor counts only up to 2% of total. Founder-only or single-checkbook funding risks failing the public support test at year five. Donor diversification from launch is essential.
Critical — Address from Launch
Family-Founded Board — Optics & Safeguards
Three of four founding directors share the Walker name on a Foundation that carries the family name. Safeguards in place: non-Walker Treasurer (Shameka Edwards), Section 8.03 family-ineligibility, COI policy with annual statements. Board diversification recommended over time.
Critical — Address in Phase 2
Scholarship Displacement Concern
Founder prefers direct-to-student payment because some institutions reduce a student's existing aid when outside scholarship funds arrive. Section 8.04 leaves disbursement flexible; Scholarship Policy must document the case-by-case framework.
Caution — Address in Phase 2
Year-End Classification Reassessment
Foundation starts as 509(a)(1) based on planned broad fundraising. Actual revenue mix, donations vs. earned program revenue from paid workshops and competitions, may make 509(a)(2) the better long-term home. Decision deferred to year-end.
Caution — Phase 3
Narrow Charitable Scope
Section 2.02 limits the Foundation's purpose to accounting and business industries. This is a defensible focused charitable class, not a private-benefit issue. Every scholarship and program decision must remain within this scope.
Caution — Ongoing
Donor Preference Framework Built In
Section 8.02 makes donor preferences advisory only and non-binding. A donor may name a preferred field; committee selects on published criteria; if no match, the award goes to the next most qualified applicant. Keeps grants charitable rather than donor-directed.
Info — Design Choice
Board of Directors — Current Roster
JW
Jasquanique "Jazz" Walker
President · Founder · Authorized Contact
Carries the vision
JW
Jeremiah Walker
Secretary
Custodian of corporate records and minutes
SE
Shameka Edwards
Treasurer
Keeper of financial positioning
SW
Shanella Walker
Director
Voting director without officer title
+
Board Seat — Open
Recommended Phase 2: recruit one or more unrelated directors to strengthen the public-charity character.