It’s Just a Little Raffle: What’s the Big Deal?
At a conference table somewhere in California, yet another group of charity trustees is stepping, blindly, into a pile of trouble. The topic: Fundraising. The
Sweet Briar College: Saved – At Least For Now
Deciding to shut down a long-standing nonprofit institution is perhaps the most gut-wrenching decision a board of directors may face. But – once made –
What Could Possibly Be Worse than Poverty Porn?
What could be worse? “Poverty porn” that isn’t even true, that’s what. What, Exactly, is “Poverty Porn”? It’s a term that has
“Ex-Officio Director”: What Does That Mean?
In “Bylaws are Sometimes Like a Decades-Old Hairstyle,” we pointed out that many nonprofits continue to operate, year after year, under the same bylaws that
Payroll Taxes: The One Payment a Nonprofit Should NEVER Skip
It happened to the Alliance of AIDS Services-Carolina. The 25-year-old organization had a long-standing contract with Wade County, North Carolina. But in 2012 and 2013,
Appreciating Volunteers: How Much is Too Much?
At a recent presentation we gave to nonprofit practitioners, the topic of providing gift cards to say “thank you!” to volunteers arose. Most attendees were
A Second Way to Get Noticed by the California Attorney General
Great news! You’ve formed your nonprofit organization in California and you’ve just sent in your application for federal tax exemption. So you rush right out
A Recipe for How To Get Noticed by the California Attorney General
Recently, two fellows in Napa, California, have been cooking up a hearty feast of trouble. But the saga began in 2004 when an elderly gentleman
Attorneys on Nonprofit Boards
Sometimes, it boils down to a question of hats. Two hats, to be exact. And understanding that wearing both of those hats at once can lead
The Charity Oversight Role of the California Attorney General: An Introduction
California charities and trustees know that there are multiple government agencies poking around in their affairs. We explained in “Say What? We’re Monitored by How
The Fourth Way to Sink Your Tax Exemption: Too Much Unrelated Business Income
In “5 Ways to Sink Your Tax Exemption,” we listed the sure-fire ways to jeopardize your 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. We’ve already introduced four of them:
What Happens When a Charitable Gift Begins to Smell?
The money doesn’t actually acquire a bad odor. But a charitable gift that starts out smelling like a rose may sometime later wilt from a