Lead Stories

Private Club Is Not Subject To Title VII Discrimination Law

Court finds that golf club meets the definition of “bona fide membership club” exempt from rules

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibiting workplace discrimination specifically exempts a “bona fide membership club” that is federally tax-exempt under section 501(c).

A federal District Court in Pennsylvania has recently decided that the Centre Hills Country Club in State College PA meets the definition and is exempt from the rules. It has dismissed on summary judgment a claim brought by a female former employee.

Appropriations Act Expands IRA Distributions, Curbs Conservation Easements, And Prohibits Definition for 501(c)(4) Groups

And Prohibits Definition for 501(c)(4) Groups Congress does not want IRS to define how much electioneering is permissible for social welfare organizations

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 passed at the end of the last session of Congress includes three provisions that are of specific importance to charities and other nonprofits.

Estate Planner Did Not Breach Duty By Failing to Disclose Basis of Fees

Court affirms plan that reduced bequests to daughters of couple who established charitable remainder trusts

A charitable estate planning firm did not breach a fiduciary duty to a married couple by failing to disclose the full basis of their fee arrangement with charitable beneficiaries of the plan, a California Court of Appeal has affirmed. Two daughters who sought to overturn the estate plan that reduced bequests to them have been rebuffed in a family fight over the estate.

NY Attorney General Sanctions CEO of DAF Sponsor for Breach of Fiduciary Duty

AG permanently bars CEO from serving as fiduciary of a charity for misusing funds for personal benefit for himself and others

The Attorney General of New York has permanently barred the former CEO of the Foundation for Jewish Philanthropies in the Buffalo area from serving in a fiduciary capacity for any charity active in New York state after finding that the CEO misused approximately $3.1 million in donor advised and other funds held by the organization.

DAF Assets Top $234 Billion While Controversy Continues

Total distributions exceed 27% of fund value, while critics seek to delay tax breaks

Total assets held by donor advised funds across the country rose to $234.06 billion in 2021, an increase of 39.5% over the prior year, and continuing a steady annual increase in values from a total of $112.8 billion in 2017, according to the latest annual report from the National Philanthropic Trust issued in late November.

Gender and Race Gaps Narrow Slightly On Boards of Philadelphia Area Meds and Eds

While many have made significant progress since 2019, many still fail to reflect the diversity of constituents and communities

The Women’s Nonprofit Leadership Initiative and the Nonprofit Center of La Salle University have published an updated report focused on the boardrooms of the Philadelphia area’s largest nonprofit medical and educational institutions (“meds” and “eds”). The report reveals that many have made significant progress in the last three years in increasing the gender and racial diversity of their governing bodies.

January Webinar

Bylaws: The "Constitution" of Nonprofits - The Art and Science of Making Them Work
Wednesday, January 14, 2026
1:30-3:00 PM ET

Can Donald Trump serve a third term as President? A lot of commentators say the answer is clearly “No.” Steve Bannon says they have “a plan.”

If the bylaws of a nonprofit function as the “Constitution” of the corporation, and the Constitution of the United States functions as the bylaws of the nation, learn why the term limit provision of the Constitution is not so clear and how it would undoubtedly lead to litigation if Trump seeks to serve a third term.

If you want bylaws that don’t lead to litigation, join us for tips on how to write them so that they say what you mean and mean what you say.

Do you have nonprofit bylaws that work?
Not bylaws that are open to several interpretations.
Not bylaws that describe the way things used to be done.
Not bylaws that fail to cover key power issues.

But bylaws that set out clear roles and responsibilities so that people can understand how to proceed, without litigation.

Learn more and register

Nonprofit bylaw review

Don Kramer will review and comment on your own current or proposed bylaws

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.

Learn more

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SAY THAT AGAIN?

May 30, 2025

The loan agreement says: “All contractual rates of interest chargeable on the outstanding Term Loans shall continue to accrue and be paid even after default, maturity, acceleration, judgment, bankruptcy, insolvency proceedings of any kind or the happening of any event or occurrence similar or dissimilar.”

A former banker friend says that “any event or occurrence similar or dissimilar” is some lawyer “fancy talk” for “the kitchen sink!”

See our "Say That Again" collection

Special Report Available

Increasing Gender Diversity on the Boards of Nonprofit Eds and Meds: Why and How to Do It

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.
Download the full report free

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