With the publication of Revenue Procedure 2014-4 on January 2, 2014, the IRS announced that determination letter requests (which includes requests included with Forms 1023 or 1024) are not eligible for expedited handling. UPDATE (2/19/14): It turns out that Rev. Proc. 2014-4 was not accurate on this point. The...
STARTING A NONPROFIT
Although the vast majority of individuals who set out to start a nonprofit do so with the best of intentions, starting a nonprofit requires much more than just good intentions.
Founders should invest meaningful time and thought in determining whether they can access the human, financial and other resources necessary to create a sustainable organization that will effectively and efficiently bring value to the public. And they should understand the various considerations and issues involved with starting and operating a nonprofit. For a Step-by-Step Guide for Starting a California Nonprofit, check out our article for CalNonprofits here.
Popular Posts from 2013
To close the year, here are links to some of the most popular posts from 2013 (in chronological order): CalNonprofits: Step by Step Guide for Starting a Nonprofit 10 Issues to Address in Your Nonprofit's Social Media Policy Starting a Nonprofit: 10 Considerations in Electing the Initial...
Starting a Nonprofit: The Value of Making the 501(h) Lobbying Election
Lobbying is one of the most underutilized tools available to a charity to advance its mission. Making the very simple 501(h) election is a painless way for most charities to increase their lobbying activities for stronger environmental protections, education reforms, access to health care, and a variety of other...
Drinking for a Cause
A San Francisco group, United Libations, recently announced that it was looking to create the city’s first nonprofit bar. It sounds like such a great idea – who wouldn’t want a portion of the price of their cocktail going to a charitable cause? But before you rush out to...
Legal Issues Facing Nonprofit Start-up Organizations – Foundation Center, San Mateo
Our Senior Counsel Erin Bradrick will be speaking on Legal Issues Facing Nonprofit Start-up Organizations today from 4 – 5 p.m. at the San Mateo Public Library. Register here. Topics will include: Considerations before starting a nonprofit Incorporating with the state Applyiing for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status Typical legal issues...
Treasury Inspector General Report on IRS “Scandal”
On May 14, 2013, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration released its report on the IRS targeting of conservative groups in reviewing applications for exemption under Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code. The report, Inappropriate Criteria Were Used to Identify Tax-Exemption Applications for Review, and problems will...
Starting a Nonprofit: 10 Considerations in Electing the Initial Board
The board is ultimately in control of the nonprofit corporation and responsible for its actions. So, you want to be careful in determining the composition of your charitable nonprofit's initial board. Here are 10 considerations: The prospective board members should be aware and and prepared to accept the...
CalNonprofits: Step by Step Guide for Starting a Nonprofit
Emily and I wrote the Step by Step Guide for Starting a Nonprofit for our good friends at CalNonprofits. Check it out here. If you're an executive or board member of a nonprofit and not familiar with CalNonprofits, you should be. Here's a short excerpt from their website:...
Applying for Tax-Exemption Retroactive to the Date of Formation
Generally, an organization applying to the IRS for recognition of 501(c)(3) status retroactive to the date of its formation must file a properly completed and executed (signed) Form 1023 within 27 months after the end of the month in which it was formed. So, an organization formed on January...
Starting a Nonprofit: Articles of Incorporation and Specific Purpose Statements
It is generally required that a nonprofit’s Articles of Incorporation or other organizing document state the general purpose(s) of the corporation. For example, the Articles of a California nonprofit public benefit corporation must include the following statements verbatim: “This corporation is a nonprofit public benefit corporation and is not...