Practical resources on the rules nonprofits operate under. Governance and fiduciary duties. Tax-exempt status and public-support tests. Lobbying and advocacy rules. Employment and volunteer compliance. Fiscal sponsorship.
Written for executive directors, board members, and senior leadership who want to understand the frameworks shaping their work.
The Nonprofit Law Primer.
Special Education Reimbursement Reform in Connecticut: The Legal and Policy Case
Connecticut law requires a student’s resident district to reimburse charter schools for special education. But one phrase—“reasonable cost”—allowed two districts to pay only a fraction of the bill, until a state ruling and 2026 appeal confirmed that reasonable means actual.
The Other Lobbying Rules: State Registration and Reporting Requirements for Nonprofits
Federal 501(h) election covers your IRS exposure, but every state has its own lobbying registration regime, and once your advocacy crosses the state-defined threshold, missing the registration is a strict-liability problem that can shut a campaign down.
The Lobbying Rules Nonprofits Get Wrong — and the Power They're Leaving on the Table
Most 501(c)(3) leaders avoid lobbying entirely because they think the rules are restrictive, but the 501(h) election actually quantifies what's allowed, and the limits are higher than most boards realize, leaving real influence on the table.
Three publications. One convenient monthly update.
Topical legal news from The Beacon. Resources from the Nonprofit Law Primer. Commonlight Legal news when it happens From the Hearth.
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