Assistance for Non-Profits
IRS Update: Issue Number 2010-3
Most tax-exempt organizations, other than churches, must file an annual Form 990 series return with the IRS. It is important to file a timely return because an organization that does not file a required Form 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF or 990-N ("e-Postcard") for three consecutive years will automatically lose its Federal tax-exempt status. Non-filers will be subject to automatic revocation for the first time beginning in 2010. See IR-2010-10 for further information.
Organizations, practitioners and others should feel free to use our useful fact sheet and drop-in media in newsletters or on their Web sites to communicate the importance of filing timely returns to avoid the automatic revocation of tax-exempt status.
Bay Area Legal Services provides legal and technical assistance to community groups and non-profit organizations that provide services to low-income individuals and families or that serve low-income communities. For more information about eligibility and access to services see the links and article below.
Community Counsel Brochure.pdf
Judge Don Castor Community Law Center
The Judge Don Castor Community Law Center provides legal and technical assistance to local non-profit and community-based organizations that are working to improve the lives of low-income individuals and revitalize poor communities.
The Community Law Center acts as a centralized link between needy groups and capable attorneys who want to give back to their communities. In addition to advice and direct legal services to our clients, the Community Law Center also coordinates training events to assist non-profit clients and potential clients with recurring issues that arise in their daily operations. During its years of operation, the Community Law Center has had a positive impact in community-based housing initiatives such as Self-Reliance, Inc., Good Samaritan Mission - a migrant housing initiative, CDC of Tampa, and Homes for Hillsborough among many others. The Center has also benefited domestic violence victims by assisting in their effort to gain transitional housing. Another segment of the Center coordinated assistance to Faith-Based Organizations such as Metropolitan Ministries, Tampa Habitat for Humanity, and others. Most often, it assisted newly formed non-profits with tax matters, organizational issues and risk management concerns.
The Community Law Center partners with neighboring legal aid providers to broaden their capacity for services to non-profit groups fitting within the programs' priorities. This regionalization includes the Judge Don Castor Community Law Center of Bay Area Legal Services, in Hillsborough and Pasco counties, the Community Law Program in St. Petersburg, Gulf Coast Legal Services in Pinellas County and Legal Aid of Manasota in Manatee and Sarasota Counties. Together, these organizations coordinate pro bono legal services to groups in those counties. The Community Law Center shares its experience in community economic development with its partners to maximize pro bono assistance to eligible non-profits.
Susan Steinberg Sandler is the Program Director of the Community Law Center. As a former state assistant general counsel, her legal practice areas include consumer protection, business law, financial fraud, and governmental regulation. She will continue to promote the projects of the Community Law Center, which include advice and direct legal services to the Center's clients, recruiting volunteer lawyers, matching eligible groups with willing volunteer lawyers and coordination of training events for non-profits.
The Judge Don Castor Community Law Center needs the support of volunteer attorneys. If you have experience in corporate, real estate tax, land use, zoning, insurance, employment, or non-profit matters, please consider adding your name to the list of willing volunteers
Author -
Susan Steinberg Sandler
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