In practice, a NGO is an organization that is neither a part of a government nor a conventional for-profit business. Therefore, NGO is a broad term that encompasses traditional private nonprofits as well as many other forms of mission-based organizations.
The recently enacted Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act (PATH Act) imposes a new requirement for Code Section 501(c)(4) social welfare organizations to notify the IRS of their existence within sixty (60) days of their incorporation.
The groundbreaking Facebook founder has once again broken with tradition and formed his philanthropy as an LLC. Clients have questioned the benefits of choosing to forgoe the traditional private foundation in favor of an LLC. We are here to break it down.
The Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) has modified the rules that apply to requests for additional information from the IRS Exempt Organizations Determinations unit (“EO
Exempt organizations that wish to change their name often secure a trade name or do business under a fictitious name. Presumably they opt to use a fictitious name rather than formally change their name because they believe a legal name change is too much trouble or they don’t know how to accomplish it. . . . A better approach is to change the organization’s legal name with both state and federal authorities to present a unified and cohesive brand to donors and supporters.
Foundations are required to expend approximately 5% of their assets for charitable purposes each year. The other 95% is invested to generate distributable income for future years. Historically, foundations have struggled with the idea of making riskier investments that further their charitable purposes, but do not qualify as a PRI because a significant purpose of the investment is the production of income or the appreciation of property.
One of the fastest ways to destroy a nonprofit is for board members and staff members to start confusing their roles and stepping on one another’s toes.
Nonprofits have a compelling negotiating tool that pairs employee debt relief with long-term employee commitment (at least to the sector) and doesn’t cost the nonprofit anything.
Donors wishing to help the victims of a tragedy, a serious illness, or other major hardship are often surprised to learn that gifts earmarked for specific individuals are not tax deductible as charitable contributions. This rule catches many donors off guard as it is not intuitive that gifts made to individuals who are clearly in need would not be considered charitable.
The Form 990 filing deadline is coming up May 15 for tax-exempt organizations filing taxes on a calendar year basis.
Most states require you to register your organization if you solicit donations from their residents. Many states also require registration if your organization collects substantial or ongoing donations from their residents, even if you aren’t specifically targeting donors in that state. Download our comprehensive list of each state’s requirements.
Download our free guide to learn about the many elements needed to run a successful nonprofit organization, as well as how to avoid common pitfalls and mistakes.