Nonprofit Issues, Inc.

10/20/2026

We are a small group who would like to work with a fiscal sponsor to help us raise money for a specific charitable program. Although we call ourselves a Foundation, we have not incorporated or obtained a recognition of charitable exemption from the IRS. Therefore, to give deductibility for gifts from our donors, we need to deal with a fiscal sponsor. We only want to raise about $90,000 a year, but the fiscal sponsor wants to charge us $2500 a month. They say they will help us raise the contributions. Should we do it? Our answer:

Nonprofit Issues® has been a leading provider of news, programming and insight on nonprofit law and governance for more than 30 years."

10/13/2026

Q: Our is expanding and looking for new office space. Our founder and current president owns an office building and is willing to lease us space for a good price if we make some serious tenant improvements. Should we do it? Our answer:

Nonprofit Issues® has been a leading provider of news, programming and insight on nonprofit law and governance for more than 30 years."

09/29/2026

Tuesday Question: How should we deal with a nonprofit thrift shop that trashed all our stuff? See the answer on our website, along with over 1300 questions from our readers.

09/24/2026

Q: Our 501(c)(3) museum is leasing shop space to a for-profit business. Can the for-profit business make donations of money or time to our nonprofit in addition to the rental payments? Could these activities be seen as business income? Our answer: https://www.nonprofitissues.com/to-the-point/may-profit-tenant-make-gifts-501c3-museum

09/22/2026

Q: Our small holds a fundraiser each year. Proceeds from the event are distributed to high school graduates and those enrolled in technical colleges. We're thinking we will require recipients to work the fundraiser. Is this advisable? Our answer:

Nonprofit Issues® has been a leading provider of news, programming and insight on nonprofit law and governance for more than 30 years."

09/17/2026

Q: A installed pink flamingos on our lawn. We have an unstable person in our lives, we're concerned that she might have ordered them to show she “knows where we live.” The org. won't divulge the donor’s name. Can we demand disclosure? Our answer: https://www.nonprofitissues.com/to-the-point/must-charity-disclose-who-ordered-pink-flamingos-our-lawn

09/16/2026

Q: We are a Veterans Group that plans the Veterans Day Parade each year. On the night of our lineup meeting we buy food for the committee of 6 people. On parade day we buy lunch for up to 15 volunteers. Is this in line with our 501(c)(3) status? Our answer: https://www.nonprofitissues.com/to-the-point/may-vets-group-buy-lunch-parade-volunteers

09/15/2026

Q: Can this afford new hires? Our answer:

Nonprofit Issues® has been a leading provider of news, programming and insight on nonprofit law and governance for more than 30 years."

09/08/2026

Q: Our is close to the 33.3% public support threshold on our Form 990 tax return. We don't want to fail this test 2 years in a row. What are the practical issues that a charity must face if it is reclassified as a private foundation? Our answer:

Nonprofit Issues® has been a leading provider of news, programming and insight on nonprofit law and governance for more than 30 years."

09/01/2026

Question of the week: Can an accounting firm be a nonprofit treasurer?
Our answer:

Nonprofit Issues® has been a leading provider of news, programming and insight on nonprofit law and governance for more than 30 years."