Nonprofit employees are not employees of FEMA

Employees of a nonprofit organization who were paid from a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency were not employees of FEMA and could not sue FEMA for violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act when not paid by the nonprofit, the First Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed.

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Understanding Private Foundations, DAFs and Other Forms of Philanthropy
Wednesday, June 10, 2026
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Are you a donor, a grant-seeker, a philanthropic manager, or a professional adviser to any of them? If so, you need to know the rules that distinguish various philanthropic structures. Knowing what rules apply — and how to apply them — can make the difference between success and failure of your projects.

This webinar will focus on private foundations and their special requirements, but will compare private foundations with donor advised funds, supporting organizations, and other forms of charitable activity. We will discuss when you might want to form a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization as a “foundation” that isn’t a private foundation.

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Do your Bylaws reflect the way you actually operate? Do they protect the interests of those who should be protected? Do they spell out clearly how to deal with governance issues? Or do they create uncertainty for those who have to implement them?

Most nonprofits don't spend a lot of time looking at their Bylaws until there is a question or a dispute. That's when you need bylaws that are clear and unambiguous, so your questions on how to proceed are already answered. That's when bad bylaws can lead to unnecessary controversies or even costly litigation. Nonprofit Issues editor Don Kramer will review your current or proposed Bylaws to see if they work for you.

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SAY THAT AGAIN?

February 16, 2026

I am always amazed at the ambiguity of the English language and how the same words can have different meanings to different people. It is important to realize in writing bylaws and other contracts.

I was reminded of that the other day when I wanted to get some money from the bank. I wanted enough actual currency that it would come in one of those pre-counted packages held together by a paper wrapping strip. I almost never go into a bank these days, and nobody there knows me personally.

I asked the teller for “a package of one hundred dollar bills.”

How much money had I asked for? What I could easily withdraw from my account with a tap of my bankcard on their little machine? Or an amount that might cause the teller to hit the silent hold-up alarm?

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This report provides a rare inside view on barriers women face to selection and success that are particular to nonprofit organizations and makes specific recommendations on how to improve the gender ratio.
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Nonprofit employees are not employees of FEMA

Nonprofit employees are not employees of FEMA