Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta
Keeping the Record Straight: Best Practices for Nonprofit Board Minutes Board minutes are more than a formality—they’re a vital part of a nonprofit’s legal and governance record. In this webinar, we will walk through the dos and don’ts of documenting board meetings, from what to include (and what to leave out) to how long to …
Building a strong board is essential for any nonprofit—and integrating an ex officio director offers both promise and complexity. This article by Alex Godwin with Novelis North America explores what it means to appoint an ex officio director under Georgia law and provides a practical roadmap to ensure ex officio appointments enhance, rather than hinder, …
Providers of alcohol, even as a nonprofit hosting a special event, may need to apply for an alcohol license. Before you pour at your next event, make sure you understand Georgia’s alcohol laws and what they mean for your nonprofit. In this episode of the PBPA Podcast, Rich Glaze breaks down the alcohol licensing process, caterer …
Now there is one more wrinkle for federal contractors and grant recipients to navigate in 2025: the federal government shutdown. If your nonprofit is uncertain about its rights and responsibilities during this government shutdown, this article from Kilpatrick provides some helpful guidance for federal contractors and grant recipients.
Is your nonprofit considering the purchase of a brownfield site (a property that may have environmental contamination from past industrial or commercial use)? Whether you’re drawn by the potential for mission-driven community impact, a prime location, or an attractive price, it’s essential to understand the legal and practical implications before moving forward. Join us as we …
Managing employee medical information can be tricky—and for small nonprofits with limited staff and resources, it can feel overwhelming. Employers need to navigate complex legal requirements around collecting, storing, and sharing medical data. This article breaks down the key legal risks and offers practical tips to help nonprofits create clear, compliant policies for handling employee …
As technology evolves, so do the risks facing today’s workplace. Deepfakes and AI-generated media are being used to harass, impersonate, and intimidate employees, creating new challenges for employers. For nonprofits with limited resources, understanding these threats and updating policies accordingly is essential to protect staff and maintain trust. This article by Littler outlines the legal …
Nonprofits are often drawn to the idea of being ‘self-sustaining.’ Alternative revenue streams—like charging fees for services or partnering with for-profits—can sound appealing as ways to diversify income. But public charities must maintain broad donor support, and too much revenue from non-donation sources could even put their tax-exempt status at risk. In this episode of …
So a donor has offered to donate land to your organization! Great! Or is it? While these gifts can be incredibly valuable, they also come with a unique set of legal and financial considerations. To help us unpack the complexities, attorneys Scott Laseter with Kazmarek Mowrey Cloud and Laseter and William Stone with Kostelanetz will …
On July 30, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice issued new guidance on how diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs intersect with federal anti-discrimination laws. The guidance outlines examples of potentially unlawful practices that could jeopardize an organization’s eligibility for federal grants and provides clarity for any employer to better understand what could be “Illegal …
You’ve gone through the process, secured your trademark, and now you’ve got that official ® next to your name—but what comes next? What do you need to do to keep your trademark active and protected? In this episode of the PBPA Podcast, Vijay Nenmeni with Cox Enterprises will talk about the key deadlines you can’t …
In a notable policy shift, the IRS has announced a narrow exception to the Johnson Amendment, allowing houses of worship to speak about political candidates during religious services without risking their tax-exempt status. However, the broader prohibition on political endorsements remains fully in effect for all other 501(c)(3) nonprofits, including faith-based organizations that are not …
Every nonprofit fundraiser wants to land that transformational gift, but some major gifts come with major complexity. For example, your donor might propose a substantial gift but want your nonprofit to use it to establish an endowment. If you accept that gift, your staff and board might be thrilled, but what have you just signed …
Georgia is eliminating the subminimum wage for employees with disabilities, meaning employers will no longer be permitted to pay these workers less than the federal minimum wage. To learn more about the Dignity and Pay Act and the timeline for nonprofit employers to comply, read this article from our friends at Reed Smith.
HR-1, signed into law on July 4, 2025, contains several provisions that are particularly relevant to the nonprofit sector. This article by Dean Dorton reviews some of the general changes, such as how the new deadline for the Employee Retention Credit has been moved back to January 31, 2024 and the reporting threshold for Form 1099 …
Launching a charitable program can be an exciting endeavor—but navigating the legal and administrative requirements of forming a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation can be daunting. If the charitable initiative is modest in scale or still in the early planning stages, a fiscal sponsorship can offer a practical alternative. By partnering with an existing nonprofit, an individual …
For organizations whose missions are rooted in uplifting marginalized communities, the language of DEI isn’t just branding. It’s a reflection of their values and history. But as recent executive orders from the federal government explicitly target DEI language, some nonprofits are wondering, should we revise our messaging? Could certain language expose us to legal or …
The term “furlough” often pops up in the news during times of economic uncertainty—but what does it actually mean, and how does it differ from a layoff? In this episode of the PBPA Podcast, we explore the key distinctions between furloughs, layoffs and reductions in force to help nonprofit organizations understand some of the options …
Recent discussions within the federal government have raised concerns in the nonprofit sector about expanding executive authority to revoke 501(c)(3) status. Proposals have ranged from targeting organizations suspected of promoting terrorism to nonprofits misaligned with an administration’s political priorities. These conversations have understandably sparked anxiety among some nonprofit leaders. However, it’s important to clarify that …
Many nonprofits want to scale their impact beyond the “home office”. Is expansion a good idea for the organization? And which mode of expansion would work best for the nonprofit? During this one-hour webcast, learn about effective and responsible expansion as our speaker discusses options for expansion, the pros and cons of each option and …
Responding to Unemployment Claims As a nonprofit, understanding how to respond to an unemployment claim is crucial not only to protect your organization’s finances but also to ensure you are in compliance with Georgia law. In this episode of the PBPA Podcast, Wayne Cartwright with Hall, Gilligan, Roberts & Shanlever walks you through the steps to …
A 3-part PBPA Podcast Series Nonprofit board members and the executive director may sometimes have a tricky relationship, but they are always looking to further their nonprofit’s mission. In this PBPA Podcast series, we explore best practices for nonprofit board management of their executive director (“ED”), at every stage of the relationship. Whether you are …
In this two-part update on DEI practices, we first examine the recent federal requirement for recipients of federal funding to certify compliance with executive orders and anti-discrimination laws. This legal alert from our friends at Lawyers Alliance, discusses the current litigation surrounding these certification mandates and offers practical steps for nonprofits to mitigate organizational risk when considering whether …
With the constant stream of news coming out of Washington, it can feel overwhelming to keep up with all the changes. From major universities to small community-based organizations, nonprofits are being impacted by these new federal government initiatives. In this episode of the PBPA Podcast, Rachel Spears and Eadaoin Walsh bring board members up to speed …