A question on the meaning of 'non-profit' term

Hey all, on my new main general personal website Tadej Persic's website (on this one I display Google's AdSense ads) and Tadej Peršič stran (it's a sloveninan variant of the same site, and on this one I've implemented ToboAds ads)


So because I use the EditPad Lite program for editing my websites' documents, I am opening this thread just to ask you about what the "non-profit" term means in this particular case; you see, on EditPad's website is says, quoting:

So does displaying (and earning from) ads mean that the site is a "for-profit" one, and that I shouldn't use EditPad program for maintaining it??!


Oh and by the way, similarly on the Google's Custom Search Engine page (I am using this search engine on the sloveninan variant) where you set the settings, it says, quoting:

thanks in advance, tayiper

 

I am only familiar with US, so the following may not apply to other countries.

As far as the software goes, when they say it is free for non-commercial sites only, then you are not allowed to use it for any site where you expect to generate income. So if you have any type of advertising, or are offering your services for a fee, you are a commercial site, even if you are not making a profit.

That is correct! I am sure the Software has an option to pay for it and then you continue using it.

If a registered non-profit showed ads on their sites, they might have "unrelated business income" which creates all sorts of issues when tax time comes around. So Google is allowing them this option so they can offer Google search without having a conflict.

I hope that makes sense!

 

Just to add to the above, certainly in the UK it is all about "intention" rather than "actual" - a non-profit has no intention to make a profit at all and so basically cannot do so rather than being a company that happens not to be non-profitable but is attempting to do so.

Advertising on your site will most likely make the site not a non-profit. There are normally ways round things like this but the cost of doing it will well out stretch the cost of the software.

 

Thanks both for very helpful/informative replies!!


tayiper