Please welcome our latest Be Our Guest participant - Gene Takagi. Gene is a lawyer focused on nonprofit organizations and the man behind the Nonprofit Law Blog & @gtak. He is an alum of the University of British Columbia (B.Sc.), the University of San Francisco (Masters in Nonprofit Administration) and UCLA School of Law.Thank you Gene for taking part! Please add your thoughts and questions in the comment section below.
What is the biggest challenge your fundraising efforts (or those you consult) currently face – from a legal point-of-view?
Compliance with registration requirements, charitable trust laws, and substantiation and disclosure requirements (e.g., written receipts to donors).
What are you doing to overcome these challenges?
I provide counsel to managers and boards about their legal duties and responsibilities, certain “best practices” that may fit with their organizations, and how to implement policies and procedures to improve the way their organizations further their missions.
What is the most successful change/program implementation you have made in your current role (or as a consultant to others)?
Through a series of consultations and an on-site training session, I helped the directors of a nonprofit board understand their legal duties and responsibilities and catalyzed their increased support and participation in the organization. Their heightened involvement created additional connections and opportunities for the organization and helped them come out of a difficult financial situation with a set of solid policies and practices to further strengthen their organization. Unleashing an active, productive board that partners with its executive positively impacted its fundraising, supporter morale, and services.
Where do you see social-media’s best application for fundraising/legal advice for NPOs?
Sharing of valuable resources, best practices, and avoidable/correctable missteps. Educating the public about the NPO’s work, its solid infrastructure, and its commitment to making effective and efficient use of charitable resources.
What book / blog / twitter feed would you suggest fundraisers pay attention to in order to further develop their skills?
- IRS Charities & Non-Profits website (frequently updated) and State Attorney Generals websites devoted to charitable organizations.
- AFP Blog
What question would you find most useful for the readers to answer?
What resources have you allocated to legal compliance and risk management in your organizations, and do they adequately protect and strengthen your organization’s ability to do its valuable work and protect your directors and officers from personal liability?
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