September 16-October 15, 2010

September 16, 2010 - October 15, 2010

Lead Stories

Donor Can’t Waive Interest Of Contingent Beneficiary of Gift

UMIFA does not permit donor to eliminate right of town to receive land if not used for scouting purposes

Club’s Bylaw Limiting Liability Prevents Suit for Loss by Members

Claim of negligence in yacht club fire is precluded by bylaw approved by members

Court Refuses to Consider Start-up As Successor to Hearing Dog Program

Trust fund given to SPCA for substantially reduced effort even though staff left to begin full-service program based on old model

Nonprofit Law YOU Want to Know

Issue Notes

To the Point

Could photos of campaign event jeopardize (c)(6) status?

Our 501(c)(6) veterans business organization recently attended, along with other veterans organizations, a "meet and greet" with a mayoral candidate. We paid one of our members to photograph our attendance at the event. Is there any way this could be considered political activity that could cost us our exemption if these photos are just going into our archives, might someday appear in our newsletter, but are not being used except for souvenirs for the veterans in our organization?

Lessons from Litigation

Directors can’t remove members’ right to vote

Lawyer suspended for advising on clinic takeover

Tax Matters

Court refuses to decide tax status

Payment of cash with historic easement not deductible

Employment Law

Employee predicting end of the world loses religious discrimination case

Payment of cash with historic easement not deductible

May Webinar

Getting Beyond a
Semi-Functional Board
Wednesday, May 14, 2025
1:30-3:00 PM ET

Do you have a rockstar board?

Or does it limp along listlessly performing the minimum necessary to keep the organization going? Pushed by the CEO because no one on the board wants to be responsible for leadership.

Most boards are somewhere in between. Functional perhaps, but not fully functional. More like what you would call semi-functional.

This webinar will help you get beyond a semi-functional board. By acting intentionally at every step of the governance process, you can improve your organization’s capacity, resilience and effectiveness.

Learn more and register

Nonprofit bylaw review

Don Kramer will review and comment on your own current or proposed bylaws

Do your Bylaws reflect the way you actually operate? Do they protect the interests of those who should be protected? Do they spell out clearly how to deal with governance issues? Or do they create uncertainty for those who have to implement them?

Most nonprofits don't spend a lot of time looking at their Bylaws until there is a question or a dispute. That's when you need bylaws that are clear and unambiguous, so your questions on how to proceed are already answered. That's when bad bylaws can lead to unnecessary controversies or even costly litigation. Nonprofit Issues editor Don Kramer will review your current or proposed Bylaws to see if they work for you.

Learn more

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SAY THAT AGAIN?

April 21, 2025

Those old enough to remember what it meant to say a story appeared “above the fold” on the front page of a newspaper may appreciate this story. People used to want to place stories above the fold because readers would at least glance at the story in the top half of the page that was visible when they picked up the paper before they looked at stuff that was below the fold and not immediately visible.

The printed version of the Philadelphia Inquirer had a four column picture and article about Pope Francis on the day after Easter that was written and printed before the Pope had died but seen by morning readers after his death had been widely reported. The fold divided the two-line headline so only the top line was visible. The top line said: “Pope meets Vance, then”

We can only imagine what readers were thinking before they flipped the page to read: “decries ‘the logic of fear’”

See our "Say That Again" collection

Special Report Available

Increasing Gender Diversity on the Boards of Nonprofit Eds and Meds: Why and How to Do It

This report provides a rare inside view on barriers women face to selection and success that are particular to nonprofit organizations and makes specific recommendations on how to improve the gender ratio.
Download the full report free

YOUR ONE-STOP PLACE FOR NONPROFIT LAW YOU NEED TO KNOW

September 16-October 15, 2010