NONPROFIT LAW
Legal counsel for organizations built to do good.
Nonprofits face the same governance and compliance demands as businesses, without the resources businesses have to manage them. Chrystal Law provides practical, plain-English legal counsel for 501(c)(3) organizations, foundations, community organizations, and other nonprofits throughout California.
Schedule Your Free 30-Minute ConsultationBuilt for California nonprofits of all sizes.
We work with executive directors, board chairs, and founding teams of established and emerging nonprofits, community foundations, educational organizations, social service agencies, arts organizations, and other 501(c)(3) entities throughout California.
What we handle
Formation & status
- 501(c)(3) formation – articles, bylaws, and IRS application
- State registration and charitable solicitation compliance
- Conversion from for-profit to nonprofit
- Fiscal sponsorship agreements
Governance
- Bylaw drafting and amendment
- Board governance policies
- Conflict-of-interest policies
- Board composition and succession planning
- Executive compensation review and documentation
Annual compliance
- 990 review coordination (with your CPA)
- California charitable registration renewals
- State compliance maintenance
- Board resolutions and minutes
Contracts & agreements
- Grant agreements – review and negotiation
- Vendor and service contracts
- Facility use and licensing agreements
- MOUs with partner organizations
Questions nonprofit leaders ask
What is a 501(c)(3) and how does an organization qualify?
A 501(c)(3) is a federal tax-exempt status granted by the IRS to organizations that operate for religious, charitable, scientific, educational, or other qualifying public purposes.
We have a volunteer board. Are they personally liable?
In most cases, California law provides significant protection for volunteer board members acting in good faith, with limits for self-dealing or failure to file required reports.