Nonprofit Compliance Series

Zoom & In-Person Registration available for ALL dates as listed below:

Join Lawyers for the Creative Arts for a monthly learning and networking space focused on arts nonprofit laws and best practices.

Throughout the series, we will demystify the operating and reporting requirements for nonprofit organizations; discuss local, state, and federal laws governing nonprofits; and dive into important topics for nonprofit leaders including fundraising laws, governance, and unrelated business income tax. Each event will include an educational presentation, group discussion, Q&A, and networking time in-person. Participants may also attend the presentation via Zoom.

This space is ideal for those interested in or currently managing an arts nonprofit in Illinois as staff or board. All are welcome and encouraged to drop in to one program, attend the full series, or anything in between. Those who attend all 7 programs in the series (either in-person or online) will be eligible to earn a certificate of completion for the Nonprofit Compliance Series.

This program is in partnership with the League of Chicago Theatres.

Register for each program in the series either in-person (including networking and a cup of coffee or tea) at the LCA offices at 161 N Clark, or on Zoom! We will take questions from the audience in both formats.

April 2: IRS Compliance for Nonprofits

Is your nonprofit in compliance with IRS requirements? Not sure? Join us for an educational session on IRS restrictions on operating 501(c)(3) nonprofits, conflicts of interest, 990 filings, and other reporting for nonprofits.

May 7: Nonprofit Reporting Requirements

Make sure your nonprofit never misses a report by learning about filing requirements for the Illinois Attorney General’s office, Secretary of State, and IRS. And, learn the consequences and what to do if your nonprofit has fallen out of compliance.

June 4: Earned Revenue & Unrelated Business Income for Arts Nonprofits

Not all earned revenue is tax exempt for nonprofits. Learn the important ins and outs of Unrelated Business Income Tax in this informative session.

July 2: Fundraising Options and Donation Acknowledgement

Join us for a deep dive on fundraising law for nonprofits. We’ll cover quid pro quo, qualified sponsorship, IRS donation acknowledgment requirements, and if your fundraiser requires a license to proceed.

August 6: Nonprofit Governance - Boards & Staff

Get confident about nonprofit governance! This session will cover best practices, requirements for nonprofit board of directors, and engagement with staff.

September 3: Political Activity & Lobbying as a Nonprofit

Where does advocacy cross over into lobbying and what are the limitations and implications for nonprofits that want to communicate with the government, directly or indirectly? Want to host a candidate forum or have a candidate speak at your event? Learn what the IRS considers political activity and what it allows. Join us for a session on how to navigate lobbying and campaign rules for 501(c)(3) nonprofits.