The VLSP Story
These organizations and agencies work to help individuals better manage and form nonprofit organizations.
Please email us at corp@sfbar.org if you have resources that should be added to this list.
General Resources *
CompassPoint Nonprofit Services: A nonprofit training, consulting and research organization with offices in San Francisco and Silicon Valley that provides nonprofits with the management tools, concepts and strategies necessary to shape change in their communities.
Web site: http://www.compasspoint.org
NoLo Press: Works to help organizations handle their own everyday legal matters -- or learn enough about them to make working with a lawyer a more satisfying experience -- publish reliable, plain-English books, software, forms and a web site.
Of particular interest is their book How to Form a Nonprofit Corporation in California.
Web site: http://www.nolopress.org
National Economic Development and Law Center: Works to contribute to the abilities of low-income persons and communities to realize their full potential by collaborating with community organizations to develop integrated community-building skills, indigenous leadership, and community building creativity in order to build local capacity and achieve greater economic, social, cultural and human development.
Web site: http://www.nedlc.org
Practicing Law Institute (PLI)
Founded in 1933, PLI is a nonprofit continuing legal education organization chartered by the Regents of the University of the State of New York . PLI is dedicated to providing the legal community and allied professionals with the most up-to-date, relevant information and techniques which are critical to the development of a professional, competitive edge.
Web site: http://www.pli.edu
West Point Business Solutions (WPBS)
WPBS provides legal assistance and business support for nonprofits and small businesses equipping them with tools needed to build and maintain the infrastructure of their organization. WPBS specializes in essential but non-core business tasks, such as entity formation, business development, human resources and fund development, enabling organizations to focus on delivering quality products and services for the communities they serve. For more information, contact Deborah Moss-West, Esq. at 510-205-9400 or moss-west@westpointbiz.com.
Web site: www.westpointbiz.com
Legal Aid and Assistance
California Lawyers for the Arts: California Lawyers for the Arts is a non-profit service organization which provides lawyer referrals, dispute resolution services, educational programs, publications and a resource library to people in the creative arts and arts organizations.
Web site: www.calawyersforthearts.org
Public Counsel (Southern California): Public Counsel is the largest pro bono public interest law firm in the world. Founded in 1970, Public Counsel is dedicated to advancing equal justice under law by delivering free legal and social services to the most vulnerable members of our community, including abused and abandoned children, homeless families and veterans, senior citizens, victims of consumer fraud and nonprofit organizations serving low-income communities.
Web site: www.publiccounsel.org
Legal Aid Foundation Los Angeles: As Los Angeles' frontline law firm for low-income people, it promotes access to justice, strengthens communities, combats discrimination, and effects systemic change through representation, advocacy, and community education.
Web site: www.lafla.org
Additional Transactional Pro Bono Programs
Power of Attorney:
Power of Attorney was founded in 1999 to encourage the development and expansion of pro bono legal services to nonprofit organizations in the U.S. The below link provides links to local and national pro bono business law intermediaries.
Web site: http://www.powerofattorney.org/POA%20Map%200304.pdf
Legal assistance for groups outside California
American Bar Association: ABA provides a national list of lawyer referral services.
Web site: www.abanet.org/legalservices/lris/directory.html#
Legal assistance for international groups
www.lawyerswithoutborders.org
Alliance for Justice: This project works to strengthen the voice of the nonprofit sector in important public policy debates by giving tax-exempt organizations a better understanding of the laws that govern their participation in the policy process.
Web site: www.allianceforjustice.org
Public Interest Intellectual Property Advisors: An international non-profit organization that makes intellectual property counsel available for developing countries and public interest organizations that seek to promote health, agriculture, biodiversity, science, culture, and the environment.
Web site: www.piipa.org
Self Help Resources for Incorporating
Nolo Press: Works to help organizations handle their own everyday legal matters -- or learn enough about them to make working with a lawyer a more satisfying experience -- publish reliable, plain-English books, software, forms and a web site.
Web site: www.nolopress.org
New Nonprofit Nexus: The New Nonprofit Nexus assists, supports and strengthens the development of new and emerging nonprofits, especially those founded by people of color. We seek to empower such nonprofits to operate in appropriate, effective and healthy ways.
Web site: http://www.nonprofitnexus.org/links.html
Chat group: http://yahoogroups.com/group/starting-nonprofit/
Nonprofit Genie: The Nonprofit Genie can provide some of the answers you need with her nonprofit FAQ's (Frequently Asked Questions) in nonprofit topics such as fundraising, boards, technology, and finance.
Web site:www.genie.org
Form 1023 Self-Help Site
Web site: http://www.form1023help.com/
Free Management Library: Guide to planning and starting nonprofit (with checklists)
Web site: http://www.managementhelp.org/strt_org/prep.htm
Classes and Workshops
CompassPoint Nonprofit Services: A nonprofit training, consulting and research organization with offices in San Francisco and Silicon Valley that provides nonprofits with the management tools, concepts and strategies necessary to shape change in their communities.
Web site: www.compasspoint.org
Center for Excellence in Nonprofits: The Center for Excellence in Nonprofits (CEN) provides the nonprofit community of Silicon Valley and the Peninsula with in-depth leadership development and continuous improvement programs through an innovative learning community model pioneered by CEN.
Web site: www.cen.org
The Nonprofit Roundtable: Burr, Pilger & Mayer LLP and their co-sponsors, offers free seminars to assist nonprofits in a variety of topics, such as finding major donors and purchasing insurance.
Web site: http://www.bpmllp.com/industries/non_profits.asp
Free Management Library: The Library provides easy-to-access, clutter-free, comprehensive resources regarding the leadership and management of yourself, other individuals, groups and organizations. Content is relevant to the vast majority of people, whether they are in large or small for-profit or nonprofit organizations. Over the past 10 years, the Library has grown to be one of the world's largest well-organized collections of these types of resources.
Web site: http://www.managementhelp.org/np_progs/org_dev.htm
Fiscal Sponsorship Information
The Tides Center: Tides Center partners with individuals, groups and funders to implement programs that accelerate positive social change. Note: Currently they are only considering applicants that have annual budgets of $200,000 with confirmed funds
Web site: www.tidescenter.org
San Francisco Foundation Community Initiatives Fund: CIF of The San Francisco Foundation (CIF) was established in November 1996 to provide fiscal services for agencies and organizations that have not yet received nonprofit designation from the IRS.
Web site:
http://www.sff.org/grantmaking/sponsors.html
Health Insurance Questions
The California HealthCare Foundation (CHCF): CHFC's Web site is designed to help California business owners with 50 or fewer employees make informed decisions about offering health benefits.
Web site: http://www.chcf.org
HealthCoverageGuide.org: This Web site is a comprehensive one-stop source for unbiased health coverage information. Site visitors are guided through a series of considerations to help them decide whether health insurance is right for their business, and then offered step-by-step support for choosing and implementing a coverage plan.
Web site: www.HealthCoverageGuide.org
Insurance Questions
Nonprofits' Insurance Alliance of California: Liability insurance pool for 501(c)(3) organizations, provides a stable source of reasonably priced liability insurance coverages tailored to nonprofits. NIAC also helps organization develop risk management programs.
Web site: www.niac.org
Risk Management Questions
The Nonprofit Risk Management Center:
A source for tools, advice and training to control risks...so you can focus on your nonprofit's mission.
Web site: http://www.nonprofitrisk.org
Board of Director Resources
Boardnet USA: This site is designed to be a common technological platform for a national collaborative network of communities working locally to enhance nonprofit board governance. This growing network of community partners work together on common themes of populating board rooms as well as individually developing services tailored to their local market.
Web site: www.boardnetusa.org
Craigslist Foundation's Volunteer Center's Board Match:
The Volunteer Center Serving San Francisco and San Mateo Counties plays a critical role in fostering a strong network among nonprofit, public, and business sector organizations and ordinary citizens, united by the overarching goal of improving local communities.
Web site:
http://www.thevolunteercenter.net/volunteers_boardmatch.php
State and Federal Agencies
Office of the Attorney General: Regulates charitable activities-refer for questions regarding regulations and possible violation of law
Telephone: Public Inquiry Unit: (800) 952-5225
Web site: http://caag.state.ca.us/charities/index.htm
Franchise Tax Board: Form 3500 state tax exemption application and other information
Web site: www.ftb.ca.gov/forms/02_forms/02_3500.pdf?371
Internal Revenue Service: Form 1023 federal tax exemption application
Web site: www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/k1023.pdf
Resources for New Foundations
The Council on Foundations: The Council on Foundations is a membership organization of more than 2,000 grantmaking foundations and giving programs worldwide. It provides leadership expertise, legal services and networking opportunities - among other services - to its members and to the general public.
Web site: http://www.cof.org
Northern California Grantmakers (NGC): NCG is an association of foundations, corporate contributions programs and other public and private grantmakers. NCG's work is focused in two broad arenas: enhancing the effectiveness of philanthropy, and strengthening the ties between philanthropy and its many stakeholders in nonprofit organizations, government, business, media, academia, and the public at large.
Web site: http://www.ncg.org
The Philanthropy Incubator: A program of the Center, the Philanthropy Incubator (PI) provides an interactive learning experience for philanthropists - new, emerging and experienced - as well as professional advisors, wealth managers, and foundation professionals.
Web site: http://www.philanthropy.iupui.edu/PhilanthropicServices/PhilanthropyIncubator/
Salary Information
Center for Nonprofit Management: 2004 California nonprofit salary survey
Web site: http://www.cnmsocal.org/downloads/StatewideComparison_web.pdf
JobStar Central: National salary surveys and information for the nonprofit sector
Web site: http://jobstar.org/tools/salary/sal-prof.cfm#NonProfit
Funding Resources
Foundation Center:
The Foundation Center's mission is to strengthen the nonprofit sector by advancing knowledge about U.S. philanthropy.
Web site: http://www.foundationcenter.org
Taproot Foundation: The Taproot Foundation strengthens nonprofits by engaging business professionals in service.
Web site: http://www.taprootfoundation.org
SRA International Grants: A great tool and overview of government and private funders.
Web site: http://www.srainternational.org/newweb/grantsweb/index.cfm
Excess Access: Excess Access links donations of business and household items / materials with the wish-lists of nearby nonprofits that can provide pick-ups or accept drop-offs.
Web site: http://www.excessaccess.org
Gifts In Kind International: Gifts in Kind International's mission is to link donor resources to enhance, empower, and restore communities and people in need.
Web site:
http://www.giftsinkind.org/
Volunteers
Clearinghouse for Volunteer Accounting Services: Service for organizations with annual administrative budgets of under $500,000.
Web site: http://www.cvas-usa.org
Volunteer Match: A national online service that connects volunteers with local nonprofit and sector organizations.
Web site: http://www.volunteermatch.org
OneBrick Volunteer Center:
One Brick is a 501(c)3 non-profit volunteer organization that brings volunteers together to support other local non-profit organizations. Through their volunteer projects, they provide non-profits with the much-needed labor to carry out their visions. At the same time they also foster an environment in which to meet new people, both socially and professionally.
Web site: http://www.onebrick.org
Resources for Individuals Needing Legal Assistance
American Bar Association: The ABA provides a national list of lawyer referral services.
Web site: www.abanet.org/legalservices/lris/directory.html#
Lawyer Referral and Information Service (LRIS) of The Bar Association of San Francisco: LRIS offers legal assistance from its panel of experienced lawyers.
Telephone: 415.989.1616
Web site: www.sfbar.org/lris
* Note: This information is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by the Volunteer Legal Services Program and whilst we endeavor to keep the information up-to-date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
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