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Are members of a nonprofit entitled to a receive a listing of all members?

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Are members of a nonprofit entitled to a receive a listing of all members?

Under New Jersey Law, are members of a nonprofit organization entitled to a listing of its members with names, addresses, phone numbers and email information?

Under the New Jersey nonprofit corporation law, like most state nonprofit laws, a nonprofit corporation must allow a member to inspect and copy membership records containing "the names and addresses" of all members so long as the review is not for an improper purpose. I have not researched to see if there is any case which specifically determines whether e-mail addresses and phone numbers are included in the concept of "address." But since the purpose of the rule is in part to allow members to communicate with each other on membership issues, recognition of modern means of communication would seem to require the release of phone numbers and e-mail addresses where available.  An appellate court in Utah recently ruled that a nonprofit homeowners' association had to give physical addresses to a member, but not an email address.  (See Nonprofit Issues, 9/15.)

Monday, February 27, 2006

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