“This track is an absolute “must-do” for any 501c3 executive director, officer or board member.”
“Detailed information on nearly everything involved in running a nonprofit.”

 --comments from participants, 2009 Annual Institute

Track Description

Legal Issues for Nonprofit Organizations
Or
How to Know a Lot before You Call Your Lawyer

Limited to 12 Participants

Bring Your Questions!

After attending this extremely interactive track, you will walk away with a solid understanding of some higher level concepts for nonprofit organizational management:

• How to engage in “for profit” activities without having the profits taxed
• How to avoid activities resulting in revocation of exempt status – learn from the mistakes of others
• How to promote political candidates and issues without getting dinged
• How to lobby and help your members lobby - legally
• How to raise funds legally in every state

And get answers to all your other pressing questions. Amazing? Truly! Come have fun and learn a lot! Promise.

 --Conley Salyer

Legal Issues for Nonprofit Organizations with Conley Salyer

1. Profit-oriented activities
Attendees will explore the legal climate surrounding strategies for earning income both “related to” their tax-exempt functions and “unrelated to” those functions. There are many strategies for generating income, which might ordinarily be seen as “for-profit” and therefore inappropriate for nonprofit organizations. However, in order to survive many nonprofits have generated income from seemingly profit-oriented activities for a long time and are well-respected in their fields. This session will also explore the world of joint ventures as a method for generating additional income for the nonprofit.
 
2. Fundraising
 Attendees will learn how to avoid the legal pitfalls that accompany fundraising activities. While other training events focus on the techniques of effective fundraising, this session addresses the legal issues inherent in fundraising within a single state, across multiple states, and by using the Internet. Attendees will learn when they may begin fundraising, how to complete the Unified Registration Statement, what states require registration prior to fundraising, and how to legally use the Internet for fundraising.  Appropriate take away materials include written guidelines addressing fundraising and notes of procedures to comply with IRS-mandated recognition of gifts to the nonprofit.
 
3. What is Done Wrong Everyday
By examining matters decided by the IRS, attendees will learn to avoid common pitfalls when creating and changing missions, reporting income, delegating authority, setting compensation, undertaking bingo activities, and other common pitfalls.
 
4. Lobbying – How to do it Aggressively but Legally.
Attendees will learn how to lobby federal, state, and local legislative bodies in a legal manner. Most workshops addressing lobbying activities focus solely on the IRS aspects; this event goes beyond the IRS guidelines to encompass OMB Circular rules, the Byrd Amendment, Federal Agency Grant Regulations regarding lobbying, and state lobbying rules. Lobbyist registration and reporting are considered at both the Federal and State levels. Attendees will take away a written set of lobbying guideline reference materials for application within their own nonprofit’s efforts to “educate and inform” legislators and executive branch officials about needed public actions and funding for the nonprofit sector.

About Conley Salyer
Conley Salyer is an organizational management consultant and attorney whose practice is limited to nonprofit organizations, including standalone nonprofits, foundations, and government agencies. In May 2009, he completed a consulting assignment with the City of Washington, D.C. setting up a procurement technical assistance center to help companies learn to contract with the federal government. Conley is an Examiner, Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Program. He teaches Grant & Cooperative Agreement Management to Federal Agencies under contract with NPI (Northwest Procurement Institute). He has developed the Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Management System©, allowing nonprofit organizations to manage all aspects of the grant process from application through reporting and closeout. He has taught nonprofit organization law at the University of Kentucky’s College of Law and at Northern Kentucky University’s Masters of Public Administration Program. During 2009-early 2011, Conley was an area grant manager for Polycom, Inc. helping large nonprofits obtain grant funding for telecommunications projects. Conley is corporate counsel for The Kentucky Center for Performance Excellence, Partners for Entrepreneurial Advancement in Kentucky, and numerous other nonprofit organizations. Conley has a long history as manager of various government and nonprofit small business assistance programs and is an entrepreneur himself. He lives in Lexington, Kentucky.