Nonprofit Law Blog


Information to empower and protect California nonprofit organizations.

Author: Gene Takagi is an exempt organizations attorney based in San Francisco. He currently serves on the boards of Net Impact, an international organization of more than 10,000 MBAs and professionals using the power of business to improve the world, and Japanese Community Youth Council, a local charity serving more than 5,000 young people annually.

Blawg Related Categories: Corporate Law • States • California • Solo / Small Firm • Business Law • Legal Information

Recent Posts from Nonprofit Law Blog


  • More on Charity Boards and Tough Times

    Yesterday's post, Are Charity Boards Ready for Tough Times Ahead?, covered in broad terms a board member's duties to lead an organization during challenging periods. Here are some specific matters demanding a board's attention: Insolvency.…

  • Are Charity Boards Ready for Tough Times Ahead?

    The headline of the November 12, 2009 edition of The Chronicle of Philanthropy ("The Chronicle") asks "Are Charities Ready for Tough Times Ahead?" The article answers the question as follows: While opinions are mixed, many…

  • Increasing Payment Charitable Lead Annuity Trust

    A charitable lead annuity trust (CLAT) is an irrevocable split-interest trust in which the income interest is to be paid over to one or more charitable organizations, in the form of an annuity, and the…

  • Charitable Planning Today: Legislative Update Plus - Jerry McCoy

    On October 21, 2009, I attended a program of the Northern California Planned Giving Council titled Charitable Planning Today: Recent Developments, Pending and Proposed Legislation, and Other Things You Should Keep in Mind presented by…

  • Fiscal Sponsorship Revisited

    On October 1, 2009, I joined two esteemed exempt organization attorneys, Greg Colvin and Jill Dodd, in a panel discussion on fiscal sponsorship for the National Network of Fiscal Sponsors (NNFS) Annual Gathering. This is…

  • Top 5 Compliance Problems for 501(c)(3) Organizations

    IRS exempt organizations audit manager Joe Kroll spoke at a program for the Bar Association of San Francisco yesterday and discussed five common ways charitable organizations jeopardize their 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. Private inurement / private…

  • IRS Exempt Organizations Audit Manager To Speak in SF on October 1

    The Pro Bono Issues Committee, Barrister Club of the Bar Association of San Francisco is presenting a program on Tax Issues Affecting Nonprofits and the IRS on Thursday, October 1 from noon to 1:30 p.m.…

  • Ellis Carter's Top 10 Non-profit Governance Mistakes (And 5 More)

    Arizona exempt organizations attorney Ellis Carter kicked off her new blog, CharityLawyer, with a great post on nonprofit governance mistakes (from a lawyer's perspective). Here's her list: Failing to understand fiduciary duties. Failing to provide…

  • Nonprofit Bylaws - Common Issues

    I just completed the first part of my new Bylaws Review website (still under construction). Here are some excerpts: Basics About Bylaws Bylaws may contain any provision, not in conflict with law or the corporation's…

  • B Corporation > Nonprofit: Tactical Philanthropy Advisors

    One of most well-known and respected bloggers on philanthropy, Sean Stannard-Stockton, launched a new venture on August 31: Tactical Philanthropy Advisors. Sean intends to operate as a B Corporation, but his site shows that he…