I have my own tent we set up with, arive at the site, set up, tear down
afterward each time. I used a banner at one site and it was all we needed at
this last event. We did not advertise. Nothing is rented.
Thank you for your input.

I am not quite sure I understand what your product is. Do you have a mobile
tent that you rent or a mobile spotlight you use to draw attention to events,
or both? Have you written a business plan yet? If not, you may want to visit
with a counselor at a small business development center or a SCORE office in
your area. Their services are free and they can help you set up the business
properly. You definitely need to register your business name and entity type
(LLC, corporation, etc.). Business licenses are issued by communities. Some
communities license all businesses; others license only select business
activities. A quick call to your city clerk's office will provide the
information you need. You will probably need an EIN (tax ID number) to open a
business bank account. Most banks today will no longer use your SS# as the
identifying number on a business bank account. The insurance company that
provides your homeowner's or renter's insurance can tell you whether they can
cover your business or if you will need a separate business insurance policy,
and, yes, you do need business liability insurance.

You mention trying to figure out how to split your revenue between your
cost/company/charity. You have two choices - you can create the business as a
for-profit one or you can form a non-profit. If the business is for-profit,
you would use income to cover your expenses and then make a donation to
charity from your profit. If you decide to form a non-profit business, you
will need to first obtain approval from the IRS, which is expensive and can
be time-consuming. Once you have non-profit approval, all your income after
expenses would go to your charity.