Nonprofits and the Draft Tax Bill: Lobbying & Advocacy

Charities – If the status quo is harming your ability to advance your mission consistent with your values, what can you do? What should you do? The first question is a little easier to answer from a legal perspective. But I’ll try to provide a tiny amount of personal insights on the second question at […]

Highlights from 2025 Georgetown Conference on Representing & Managing Tax-Exempt Organizations

The following are just some of the many highlights from the 2025 Conference on Representing & Managing Tax-Exempt Organizations (the “Georgetown Conference”). Not surprisingly, the current hostile political climate towards the nonprofit sector was a pervasive theme. As with all of our posts capturing highlights of events, my interpretations, opinions, and suggestions of additional resources may […]

WCTEO 2025: Highlights – Day Two

The following are just some of the many highlights from day two of the 2025 Western Conference on Tax Exempt Organizations (WCTEO), not including the breakout sessions. Day one highlights can be found here. As with all of our posts capturing highlights of events, my interpretations, opinions, and suggestions of additional resources may be sprinkled in with […]

WCTEO 2025 Highlights – Day One

The following are just some of the many highlights from day one of the 2025 Western Conference on Tax Exempt Organizations (WCTEO). As with all of our posts capturing highlights of events, my interpretations and opinions may be sprinkled with the general information provided by the presenters. Power Hour Plus Ofer Lion, Seyfarth Shaw LLP; Jean Tom, […]

Charitable: Defending Human and Civil Rights

Charitable purposes under IRC Section 501(c)(3) include the the promotion of social welfare by organizations designed to defend human and civil rights secured by law. The IRS Exempt Organizations Technical Guide: TG 3-3 Exempt Purpose, Charitable IRC 501(c)(3) (rev. 3/20/23) provides the following description: “(1) Treas. Reg. 1.501(c)(3)-1(d)(2)(iii) includes defending human and civil rights secured by law under the […]

Treasury and IRS 2023-2024 Priority Guidance Plan

The joint Treasury and IRS Initial 2023-2024 Priority Guidance Plan was released on October 3, 2024. The Plan contains 231 guidance projects that are priorities for allocating Treasury Department and IRS resources during the 12-month period from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. The following are the projects listed for exempt organizations with some additional commentary […]

Spending from an Endowment

We have previously written about prudent investment rules that apply to charities with respect to their institutional funds (including endowment funds) under the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act (UPMIFA), including here. One of the important factors in selecting and managing investments is the amount that is intended to be expended and the frequency […]

Prudent Investments: UPMIFA and Climate Change

Charitable nonprofits organizations (“charities”) are subject to state prudent investment laws as we have previously written about here. The most important of these laws is the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act (UPMIFA) applicable in 49 states (all except Pennsylvania) and DC. UPMIFA and Management and Investment Factors UPMIFA describes eight factors that must […]

Nonprofit and Exempt Organizations Law Practice

Many attorneys who work in the nonprofit and exempt organizations (“NEO”) practice area never knew this was a distinct area of law around which they could build a practice. I published a post 12 years ago about my journey and work as an attorney for nonprofits (now in need of a refresh) which included some […]

Nonprofits and 12 Current Trends

Nonprofit leaders can and do react to current conditions in developing their plans and advancing their organizations’ missions. Effective leaders also proactively prepare for the future while looking back for lessons and context. Among the many trends and forces for the future worthy of consideration: Many nonprofits have adopted devices and strategies incorporating their thinking […]