Nonprofit Law Blog

By NEO Law Group

PRIVATE FOUNDATIONS / PHILANTHROPY

Private foundations face particular legal issues and challenges that must be managed by their executives and boards. Informed leaders can maximize the impact of their foundations in advancing their charitable missions. But they must carefully manage those issues and challenges that can expose the foundation and its leaders to penalties and damage to their public reputation, especially if the foundation is engaged in arrangements and transactions that involve potential or actual conflicts of interests. Careful planning is critical to building a strong and sound infrastructure to ensure the foundation’s ongoing effectiveness and legal compliance.

NEO Law Group’s Video on Tips for Nonprofits: Private Foundation or Public Charity?

Published on: March 17, 2015March 16, 2015 by Michele Berger

Yesterday, NEO Law Group released a new short video in its series of videos on tips for nonprofits, available on YouTube. This video focuses on the differences between private foundations and public charities. We hope that you enjoy it and please stay tuned for additional videos from NEO Law Group on tips for nonprofits.

Private Foundation Rules

Published on: March 10, 2015December 24, 2019 by Michele Berger 3 Comments

A Section 501(c)(3) exempt organization is presumed to be a private foundation unless it qualifies as a public charity. The distinction between the private foundation and public charity classification may be critical for organizational leaders to understand, as public charity status is generally far more advantageous when there is...

Best of the Nonprofit Law Blog 2014

Published on: December 18, 2014December 30, 2014 by Gene Takagi

Here are some selected highlights from NEO Law Group over the past year that we hope you’ll find helpful. 2014 was also highlighted by an addition to Erin’s family and Michele’s graduation and passage of the bar exam! Amazing year for all of us. Blog Posts Governance What Issues Should a...

Fiscal Sponsorship: A Valuable Option for Grantmakers and Grantees

Published on: October 14, 2014October 14, 2014 by Gene Takagi 2 Comments

Yesterday, I had the honor of participating on a panel discussing fiscal sponsorship at the 2014 Grantmakers in the Arts 2014 Conference in Houston. Frances Phillips (Walter and Elise Haas Fund), Melanie Beene (consultant, former CEO of Community Initiatives), and Ian David Moss (Fractured Atlas) were my co-panelists, and we were...

Council on Foundations 2014 Annual Conference

Published on: June 10, 2014June 13, 2014 by Gene Takagi

The Council on Foundations 2014 Annual Conference (Philanthropy Exchange) was held in Washington DC on June 8-10 with pre-conference sessions taking place on June 6 and 7. The Full Session Calendar shows the breadth of topics covered and is a wealth of resources. Here are some my favorites resources coming out of, or...

CalNonprofits Annual Convention

Published on: November 14, 2013February 25, 2014 by Gene Takagi

"The poor is not them, the poor is us." – Robert Reich Our friends at the California Association of Nonprofits held their Annual Convention this Thursday in San Francisco. The Convention featured former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich; Jeanne Bell, CEO of CompassPoint; Emmett Carson, CEO of the Silicon...

Independent Sector Public Policy Action Institute 2013: Key Issues in Tax Reform

Published on: September 29, 2013February 25, 2014 by Gene Takagi

Day Two of the Independent Sector Public Policy Action Institute kicked off with a session on tax reform moderated by Kyle Caldwell, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, and divided into five hot topics. Charitable Deduction. Richard Schmalbeck, Duke University School of Law, discussed the availability of a charitable contribution deduction...

2013 Annual Private Foundation National Conference – Day Two

Published on: May 24, 2013 by Gene Takagi

Highlights from the morning sessions of Day Two of the 2013 Private Foundation National Conference in Seattle below. BREAKING NEWS: Greg Colvin's Committee housed within Public Citizen drafted a proposal on clarifying IRS rules on political intervention. See Bright Lines Project (just published yesterday). Direct Charitable Activities –...

2013 Annual Private Foundation National Conference – Day One

Published on: May 23, 2013 by Gene Takagi

I'm in beautiful Seattle for the Fourth Annual Private Foundation National Conference. Day One highlights below: Primer on private foundations - Jody Blazek Motivation for starting a private foundation must be charitable Special rules and excise taxes apply to private foundations (n/a to public charities) Self-dealing penalties cannot be...

Council on Foundations 2013 Annual Conference

Published on: April 10, 2013February 25, 2014 by Gene Takagi

The Council on Foundations 2013 Annual Conference was held in Chicago on April 7-9. Here are some my favorites resources coming out of the conference: The Opening Plenary, A National Philanthropic Dialogue on Safe and Healthy Communities, was accompanied by the following Session Materials: The History of Violence as...