Inside This Issue
01. Recognizing and Navigating Conflicts of Interest
02. Accepting Loans from a Board Member or Other Insider
03. Quick Tip: Youth Serving on a Board
04. Upcoming Webcasts
05. PBPA Upcoming Events
05. Community Resource
06. Recently Added
Many nonprofit leaders are familiar with the idea of a conflict of interest, but recognizing one in the moment is another matter. These situations don't always come with a warning label, and even if the transaction is well-intentioned, a potential conflict that is not adequately reviewed by a board can expose your organization to legal risk, including IRS penalties. In this episode of the PBPA Podcast, Ben Barkley of Kilpatrick will answer our questions about conflicts of interest including how to recognize them and what to do once one arises, and he'll share real world examples that show how these situations actually play out.
At some point, nonprofits may face financial strain and seek emergency funding to help sustain their missions. In some cases, board members, officers, or nonprofit staff may wish to help support the nonprofit’s activities by loaning money to the organization. While this may seem like a simple solution, nonprofits should proceed with caution. This article lays out state and federal legal obligations of a Georgia nonprofit organization that accepts a loan from a board member, officer, or employee.
Are you interested in having youth serve on your board? Under Georgia law, nonprofit board members must be 18 years and over. For organizations that want minors to contribute at a high level, they may create a separate advisory board, such as a junior board, or invite youth to attend (but not vote at) board meetings.
Providing Emergency Funds to Participants and Employees: What Nonprofits Need to Know
When a participant or employee faces a crisis, many nonprofits want to help, but doing so raises real legal questions. Whether your organization already provides emergency financial assistance or is considering it, join us for a practical discussion of the legal considerations involved. Our speaker will offer guidance on how nonprofits can continue supporting the people they serve while protecting the organization, ensuring fairness, and giving staff the confidence to make sound decisions about if and how much assistance to provide.
Speaker: Ann Murray, Partner, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough
Date & Time: Tuesday, October 13 at 12pm
Legal & Practical Considerations for Nonprofits Buying Real Estate
Whether your nonprofit is considering purchasing its first permanent home, expanding into a larger facility, or selling property that no longer meets its needs, a real estate transaction can be one of the most significant financial and operational decisions your organization will make. In this webcast, we will explore the key legal and practical considerations involved in buying or selling commercial property, including:
- How can a nonprofit determine whether buying or selling is the right move?
- What due diligence issues should be considered before entering into a transaction?
- What should nonprofit leaders expect during contract negotiations and at closing?
Speaker: Megan Naoti, Associate at Parker Poe
Date & Time: Thursday, December 10 at 12pm
Every year, we gather for our annual fundraiser, Brews & Clues! Join us and meet with professionals from Atlanta's law firms, corporate legal departments, and fellow nonprofits to celebrate and support the work we do for the nonprofits we serve. This Fundraiser helps us do even more, and we'd love to see you there!
We're less than a week away from Brews & Clues on October 7th at Monday Night Brewing - West Midtown. Grab your tickets now and join us for a memorable evening!
The Coaches’ Gift is a network of 33 experienced executive coaches who, along with their paid work, offer pro bono coaching to nonprofit leaders. Eligible participants currently lead nonprofit organizations or are individuals identified as succession candidates for that role. Applications are open now through November 15 for coaching engagements starting in January. Want to learn more or apply? Visit The Coaches’ Gift.
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As a client of Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta, you know we provide free legal assistance to community-based nonprofits that serve low-income or disadvantaged individuals. We match eligible organizations with volunteer attorneys from the leading corporations and law firms in Atlanta who can assist nonprofits with business law matters. We want to know what’s going on with you. Let us know if you are facing a legal problem or if you have a new project for us. Please don’t contact the volunteer from your last project – please contact your PBPA attorney. We love our volunteers, but all legal requests need to go through PBPA.
Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta always welcomes new legal matters from our clients.
If you have a legal matter that you need assistance with, please contact your PBPA attorney.
Please feel free to forward this email to other nonprofits who may be interested in our services.
