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This template is designed to help Pennsylvania nonprofit startups that want to obtain 501(c)(3) status avoid one of the most common mistakes during the formation process. This document contains IRS-required language along with other provisions to help protect your organization. To help you save time and money, this version is annotated with explanations and finer points for your consideration and for your discussion with your organization’s legal counsel. -
The IRS asks tax-exempt organizations on the IRS Form 990 if they have a written conflict of interest policy – and it’s never a good sign when organizations can’t answer ‘yes’ to this question. Pennsylvania’s charity regulators care, too. Even if an organization is not a charitable organization, Pennsylvania law only allows for related-party transactions in certain circumstances. This template policy is designed to help nonprofit leaders fulfill their fiduciary duties and keep their organizations in compliance. This version is a good starting point for boards that take conflicts of interest seriously and that want something more robust for identifying and screening conflicts of interest. It includes an annual disclosure form and provides a roadmap for screening and vetting conflicts.
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Keeping good meeting minutes is an art and not a science, but this template and its tips provide a framework for consistently keeping good records for your nonprofit organization.
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Starting a nonprofit in Pennsylvania can be a simple process, and one you can do on your own – if you have the time and patience. Designed to accompany our How-to Guide on Starting a Nonprofit, this kit packages up the startup resources that are for sale on PAnonprofitlaw.com, offering them in one convenient download for a discounted price. -
Use this simple, time-saving template to authorize an organization’s Executive Director (or CEO) to make payments and approve transactions. Set thresholds for when additional approvals or signatures are needed.
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Quality bylaws that reflect contemporary best practices help keep nonprofit organizations healthy. This is our basic tried-and-true template, which provides a great start for most startup organizations that have two founders. (See our sample Bylaws - One Founder as the Sole Member if the organization has only one founder.)
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Nonprofits come in many different shapes and sizes, and they are more effective if their governing instruments reflect the constituencies that must be represented to make them work. Nonprofit consultants and “best practices” commentators often seem to assume that there is an ideal structure for nonprofit organizations that is embodied in a standardized set of bylaws taken off the shelf. But nonprofits are not all alike.
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Loans made to a nonprofit organization must be documented contemporaneously in writing. This sample loan agreement is useful for short-term, zero-interest loans made to the organization.
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An organization that has 501(c)(3) status and needs to communicate with donors about its tax status can use this letter to recognize donor contributions. This letter also includes language organizations can post on their websites about their exempt status. (If your organization’s exemption ruling is pending, see also our Donor Acknowledgement Letter – Pre-501(c)(3) Status.)
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On the IRS Form 990, the IRS asks tax-exempt organizations if they have a written whistleblower policy, and it’s a red flag when organizations can’t answer this question in the affirmative. This time-saving template helps organizations meet the legal requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) and provides a roadmap for handling any whistleblower complaints if they arise.
