When people hear that the Idaho Professional Beauty & Barber Association is a nonprofit, many picture a charity. That's a fair guess, but it isn't quite right. Knowing the difference explains a lot about what we do and why we're able to do it.
Two kinds of nonprofits
The IRS has several categories of tax-exempt organizations. The best known is the 501(c)(3): charities, schools, and foundations that serve the general public. Gifts to them are usually tax-deductible.
IPBBA is a 501(c)(6), which the IRS calls a business league. Most people know it as a trade association. A chamber of commerce and a state realtors' association are both 501(c)(6)s. Our purpose isn't charity. It's to strengthen one industry and protect the people who work in it. For us, that's Idaho's licensed barbers, cosmetologists, estheticians, nail technicians, schools, and the businesses that support them.
Why this matters: a voice at the Capitol
The biggest difference between the two is advocacy. A charity can do only a small amount of lobbying before it risks its tax-exempt status. A trade association can make advocacy its main work, as long as it serves the industry it represents.
That's why IPBBA is set up this way. When lawmakers or the licensing board take up licensure standards, apprenticeships, consumer safety, or scope of practice, we can show up and speak for our profession.
What it means for members and supporters
Dues and donations aren't charitable gifts. Payments to IPBBA aren't tax-deductible the way gifts to a charity are. Dues may count as a business expense, except the share used for lobbying. We'll tell members what that share is each year. Your tax professional can tell you how this applies to you.
We keep politics and association money separate. Our bylaws say IPBBA funds never go directly to political candidates. Any support for candidates has to go through a separate political committee.
How we keep ourselves accountable
A volunteer board of directors governs IPBBA under bylaws adopted in March 2026. Those bylaws build in protections so we always work for the whole industry, not a few people in it:
Every part of the profession has a seat at the table. The board is built to include barbering, cosmetology, esthetics, nails, schools, and industry partners.
Directors serve IPBBA, not themselves. A board member represents the association as a whole, not their own shop, school, or region.
Conflicts of interest are disclosed. Each director files a disclosure every year and steps back from any decision they have a personal stake in.
Our positions are on the record. Before IPBBA takes a stand on a bill or rule, the board holds a recorded vote and writes down its reasons.
How decisions get made
Board meetings follow Robert's Rules of Order, the standard rulebook used by city councils, school boards, and associations across the country. In plain terms, someone proposes an idea (a "motion"), the board discusses it, and the board votes. The result goes into the minutes. Everyone gets a chance to be heard, and every decision is documented.
Get involved
IPBBA is only as strong as the professionals behind it. If you're licensed in Idaho, work in the industry, or simply care about it, we'd love to have you. Join our email list, share this post with a colleague, and reach out any time you have something the board should hear.
