Legal
Article: Form 990 or 990-EZ and other FAQs: Explains which form to file with the IRS, and answers other general questions about form schedules.
30-minute video detailing the most important parts of the form 990 and addresses common issues. Guidestar's 30-minute Form 990 tutorial:
Article: Nonprofit Laws Primer/Checklist for Board Members: Overview of main legal responsibilities that board members should be familiar with, including duties of care, loyalty, and obedience.
Copyright & Intellectual Property
An informational guide to faculty-related copyright issues. It focuses on two important issues: faculty ownership of faculty work and faculty use of other’s copyrighted work.
Intellectual Property Issues for Faculty and Faculty Unions - PDF Attached
This article provides guidance on how to manage copyright issues for the work of volunteers:
Nonprofits, Volunteers and Copyright - Clarifying Ownership and Usage Rights - PDF Attached
This sample license demonstrates the legal language used, and can act as a kind of checklist for all scenarios to consider:
Nonprofit-School Curriculum License (Ignite) (1) - PDF Attached
This article lists examples of common conflicts for nonprofits regarding copyright and private inurement:
On Nonprofits and Copyrights Part I - PDF Attached
Part II offers a different scenario, where a nonprofit commissions work, and the author still wants rights to the work:
On Nonprofits and Copyrights Part II - PDF Attached
This article discusses whether religious organizations or pastors have the rights to creative work:
Who Owns The Pastors Sermons Blogs and Books - PDF Attached
Financial Structure
Here’s what responsible nonprofit leaders need to know about fiscal sponsorships, if their organization will serve as a fiscal sponsor or if they are the beneficiary recipients of such arrangements:
Helping Others Grow - The Nuts and Bolts of Fiscal Sponsorships (1) - PDF Attached
Georgetown Law Clinic
The Social Enterprise & Nonprofit Law Clinic offers free corporate and transactional legal services to social enterprises, nonprofit organizations, and select small businesses in Washington, D.C.
Application for Legal Services (1) - DOC Attached
This provides more info on the types of clients and services provided by the law clinic:
SocEnt Clinic Flyer Updated 2020 (1) - PDF Attached
Legal Protections
How your church, school, or ministry may be vulnerable to religious freedom threats; and what you can do to secure crucial legal protections to help enable you to weather the legal storms:
Protecting Your Ministry (1) - PDF Attached
Guides nonprofits through the 3 fundamental steps that an organization should take to create a risk management plan & obtain insurance:
A Nonprofit's Guide to Risk Management and Insurance (1) - PDF Attached
What 501(c)(3)s can do to be prepared for heightened scrutiny due to taking positions at odds with policies of the government in power:
Hardening the Target - Nonprofits Under Fire (1) - PDF Attached
Sample Policies
Sanctity of Human Life (1) - PDF Attached
Job Description (1) - PDF Attached
Final Authority (1) - PDF Attached
Marriage (1) - PDF Attached
Startup
Important questions to consider before beginning the process of forming a 501(c)(3):
Startup Checklist (1) - PDF Attached
Intro to the following articles, which includes some of the questions to ask before starting a nonprofit, filings you’ll need to complete at the federal and state level, and the standard policies and procedures that your new nonprofit will want to have in place:
Startup 1 (1) - PDF Attached
Questions to help you determine if starting a nonprofit is right for you, or if an alternate solution would better benefit you and your community:
Startup 2 (1) - PDF Attached
This article includes the most basic jumping off points for starting a nonprofit: who, what, when, where, why, and how:
Startup 3 (1) - PDF Attached
This article outlines the articles of incorporation and other government documents that you will need to complete:
Startup 4 (1) - PDF Attached
This article explains how to file for tax-exempt status:
Startup 5 (1) - PDF Attached
This article explains ongoing compliance work and provides information on how often to report:
Startup 6 (1) - PDF Attached
This guide gives an in-depth explanation of how to form the nonprofit, the board, and other requirements:
Thinking of Forming a Non Profit_ What to Consider Before You Begin (1) - PDF Attached
This article explains the pros and cons of using a Form 1023-EZ to start a nonprofit versus a Form 1023:
Choosing Which 1023 (1) - PDF Attached
This five-part series explains the legal essentials, board governance, mission definition, program development, and fundraising strategies for nonprofits. The average length of each video is 45 minutes:
Foundation Center Webinar Series (1) - DOC Attached
Provides guidance for forming 501(c)(3) in D.C.:
Starting a Non-Profit in DC_ A Guide (1) - PDF Attached
This article gives a brief overview of the legal requirements/registration for states in which your organization might want to fundraise from:
Charitable Solicitation (1) - PDF Attached