Legal Issues (Development)
The Alliance has compiled this set of legal issue resources from amongst its own offerings as well as those throughout the nonprofit and museum sector.
Alliance Resources
Museums depend on charitable gifts for more than one-third of their operating funds, and especially in this economy have seen a decline in contributions. The Alliance supports efforts to extend and expand incentives for charitable giving and are concerned about any proposed limitations because they would have a chilling effect on the ability of museums to attract donations and therefore serve their communities.
Other Resources
Legal Structures for Business Ventures: Finding the Right Legal Structure
The Grantsmanship Center discusses legal structures for business ventures and reviews the advantages and disadvantages of forming a subsidiary (PDF, 13 pages).
Major Gifts – Part II: Considerations for Legal Compliance and Avoiding Lawsuits
Nonprofit Law Blog provides considerations for preventing donor intent disputes and communication problems, advice for seeking the help of experts when appropriate, tips for documenting a gift acceptance policy, and guidance on precautions to take when hosting fundraising events.
Unified Registration Statement
The Unified Registration Statement provides a method for completing charitable solicitations registrations in multiple states. The URS effort is organized by the National Association of State Charities Officials and the National Association of Attorneys General.