THE NONPROFIT HANDBOOK
Everything You Need to Know to Start and Run Your Nonprofit Organization
Fourth Edition
by Gary M. Grobman
 The Nonprofit Handbook, Fourth Edition, is the definitive reference manual for starting up and running a nonprofit corporation in the United States. Information about how to incorporate, register to lobby, apply for tax exemptions, and comply with charitable solicitation laws is included for every state and the District of Columbia. Also included are the addresses and telephone numbers of the government contact offices in each state with jurisdiction over these issues.
The book’s 35 chapters provide all one needs to know to manage an effective nonprofit organization. The Handbook includes information about current federal laws, regulations and court decisions that apply to nonprofits, as well as practical advice on important organizational concerns such as fund-raising, grantsmanship, applying for tax-exempt status, setting up and dealing with boards of directors, obtaining liability insurance, hiring, firing and other personnel issues, office management, advocacy, strategic planning, volunteer management, involvement in political activities and lobbying, bookkeeping, organizational communication, use of the Internet, running coalitions, dealing with challenges to tax-exemptions, and much more.
"The Nonprofit Handbook is must reading. While it will have value as a reference tool to be consulted when needed, I highly recommend that you read the book cover-to-cover to familiarize yourself with the panoply of issues that face the modern nonprofit in every state of our United States."
Joe Geiger, Executive Director
Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations
"Grobman’s Handbook has been a treasure. I have passed along copies to those with no knowledge of nonprofit organizations as well as those with lots of hands-on experience. Its usefulness lies in its practicality and accessibility… a great resource to have on your bookshelf!"
Pam Leland, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Seton Hall University
About the Author: Gary Grobman is a Ph.D. candidate in public administration at The Pennsylvania State University. He received his Master of Public Administration at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. He is the author of The Pennsylvania Nonprofit Handbook, now in its 5th edition, Improving Quality and Performance in Your Non-Profit Organization, and The Nonprofit Organization's Guide to E-Commerce. He is co-author of The Non-Profit Internet Handbook. He served as the executive director of a tax-exempt, non-profit organization for more than 13 years, and served in Washington, D.C. as a reporter and as a senior Congressional staff member to two members of Congress. He currently is the Harrisburg Contributing Editor for the monthly newsletter Pennsylvania Nonprofit Report, was a paid consultant to the Pennsylvania General Assembly on non-profit issues, and was the founder and Chairman of the Non-Profit Advocacy Network, a coalition of more than 60 Pennsylvania state-wide charitable associations which was formed to advocate for the interests of the voluntary sector.
He lives in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Table of Contents
Foreword by Joe Geiger, Executive Director, PA Association of Nonprofit Organizations
Introduction
Part I: For Practitioners
Quick Start Guide to Forming a Nonprofit Organization
Chapter 1. The Decision to Incorporate
Introduction to Incorporation
Advantages and Disadvantages of Incorporation
Nonprofits and Private Benefit
Chapter 2. Steps to Incorporation
Introduction to Incorporation
Role of Incorporators
Choosing a Corporate Name
Choosing Corporate Purposes
Choosing to Have Members or No Members
Additional Provisions
Chapter 3. Bylaws
Introduction to Preparing Bylaws
Legal Requirements of Bylaws
Chapter 4. Nonprofit Boards of Directors
Board Formation
Organizational Officers
Getting Good Board Members
Keeping Good Board Members
Board Responsibilities
How Boards Function Effectively
Holding High-Quality Board Meetings
Relationship Between Board Members and Staff Members
Chapter 5. Mission and Vision Statements
The Mission Statement
The Vision Statement
Examples of Mission and Vision Statements
Chapter 6. Strategic Planning
Introduction
Purpose of Strategic Planning
Making the Decision to Develop a Strategic Plan
Benefits of Strategic Planning
Costs of Strategic Planning
A Sample Strategic Planning Model
Chapter 7. A Transforming Model for Nonprofit
Board Leadership
Overview
Current Board Functioning
A New System of Board Governance
Conclusion
Chapter 8. Nonprofit Organization Ethics
Introduction
Ethics in the Nonprofit Environment
Accountability
Conflict of Interest
Disclosures
Accumulation of Surplus
Outside Remuneration
Salaries, Benefits, and Perquisites
Taxpayer Bill of Rights II—Intermediate Sanctions
Codes of Ethics
Conclusion
Chapter 9. Section 501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt Status
Introduction
How to Apply for 501(c)(3) Status
Fees
Completing the Application
Differences Between Private Foundations and Public Charities
Timetable
A Short History of Tax-Exempt Status
Tax-Exempt Status Other Than 501(c)(3)
Chapter 10. Liability, Risk Management, and Insurance
General Liability Concerns of Nonprofit Organizations
Liability of Officers, Directors, and Other Volunteers
Civil and Criminal Liability
Strategies to Minimize Exposure to Lawsuits
Volunteer Protection Act
Insurance for Nonprofits and Nonprofit Personnel
Unemployment Compensation Insurance
Risk Management
Chapter 11. Fiscal Issues
Bookkeeping
Audits/Fiscal Accountability
Audit Report
Review
Compilation
Budgeting
Steps to Preparing a Budget
Line-Item Budget
Program Budget
Expense Reimbursement
Chapter 12. Personnel
Introduction
Major Federal Laws Affecting Employers
Sample State Laws Affecting Nonprofit Employers
Standard Paperwork for Corporations With Employees
Chapter 13. Hiring, Evaluation, and Firing
Introduction
Options— Advantages, Disadvantages, Legal Considerations
Process in Hiring
Evaluation
Firing
Discipline Short of Firing
Discipline Continuum
How to Fire
Chapter 14. Volunteers
Introduction
Benefits and Considerations of Volunteers
Nonprofit Organization Volunteer Policy
Volunteer Job Description
Volunteer Recruitment
Orientation
Rewards
Virtual Volunteering
Web Resources
Chapter 15. Charitable Solicitation Registration
Introduction
The Unified Registration Statement
State Regulation of Charitable Fundraising on the Internet
Chapter 16. Fundraising
How Much To Fundraise
IRS Substantiation Rules
Sources of Funding
Hiring a Consultant
Chapter 17. Writing Effective Grant Proposals
Introduction
Researching the Grantor
Sections of a Grant Application
Chapter 18. Lobbying
Legal Requirements for Lobbying
Effective Strategies for Lobbying and Advocacy
501(h) Election
IRS Regulations on Lobbying
Contacts With Legislators
Chapter 19. Political Activity by Nonprofits
Introduction
Individual Political Activities
Penalties
Quasi-Political Activities
Chapter 20. Communications and Public Relations
Introduction
Menu of Nonprofit Communications Tools
Chapter 21. The Internet for Nonprofits
Introduction
What is the Internet?
Equipment Needed to Connect to the Internet
Practical Applications of the Internet
The World Wide Web
Deciphering a Web Address
How to Find Resources on the Web
Directories
Web Rings
Domain Names
How to Register a Domain Name
Developing Your Own Web Page
Internet Etiquette (a.k.a. Netiquette)
Problems With the Internet
Useful Internet Resources for Nonprofits
Chapter 22. Fundraising on the Internet
Introduction
Using E-Mail to Communicate Organizational Needs
to Stakeholders
Electronic Newsletters
Web Sites That Encourage Fundraising
Encouraging First Time Visitors
How to Keep Visitors Returning to Your Web Site
How Fundraising Professionals are Harnessing the Internet
Conclusion
Chapter 23. Nonprofit E-Commerce
Introduction
Build, Buy, or Rent?
Payment Service Providers
Costs
Handling Online Financial Transactions
Customer Service
Receipts and Invoices
Collecting Taxes
Shipping and Handling
Security and Privacy
Charity Portals
Online Shopping Malls
Charity Auctions
Online Communities
Legal Issues
Chapter 24. Forming and Running a Coalition
Introduction
The Coalition
Structures of Coalitions
Advantages of Forming a Coalition
Disadvantages of Coalitions
To Form a Coalition or Not
How to Form a Coalition
Chapter 25. Miscellaneous Administrative Issues
Office Equipment
Staffing Patterns
Stationery/Logo
Filing Systems
Computer
Hardware/Software
Credit Card Sales
Computer Communications/Internet
Postal Service Issues
Chapter 26. Nonprofits and Small Business Competition
Introduction
Federal Unrelated Business Income Tax (UBIT)
Differences Between Nonprofits and For-Profits
Chapter 27. State and Local Tax Exemptions
Sales and Use Tax-Exemptions
Why User Charges May Not Be the Answer
Justification for the Charitable Tax Exemption
Chapter 28. Property Tax Challenges: How to Respond
Education
Planning
Documentation
Communication
Collaboration
Discussion
Chapter 29. Mergers and Consolidations
Factors That Trigger Merger Consideration
How to Begin
Steps to a Merger
Budgeting
Obstacles to Merger
Legal Requirements
Chapter 30. Quality Issues
Introduction
Why Quality is Important to Nonprofit Organizations
The Cost of Poor Quality
Quality in the Nonprofit Organizational Context
Chapter 31. Change Management
Total Quality Management
Business Process Reengineering
Benchmarking
Outcome-Based Management
Large Group Intervention
PART II: A Student Guide to Nonprofit Organizations
Chapter 32. Defining and Describing the Nonprofit Sector
Definition of Nonprofit Organization
Models of Nonprofit Organizations
Classification of Nonprofit Organizations
How Organizations are Funded
Legal Definition of Charitable Organization and Tax Exemption
Size and Growth of the Voluntary Nonprofit Sector
Nonprofit Taxonomies
Assets of the Sector
Boundaries of the Sector
Differences Among the Sectors
References
Chapter 33. A Brief History of the Nonprofit Sector
Introduction
Modern Roots of American Charitable Law and Organizations
References
Chapter 34. Theory of the Nonprofit Sector
Public Goods Theory
Market Failure Theory
Market Failure and High Transaction Costs
Pluralistic Theory
Externality Theory
Contract Failure Theory
Mediating Structures
Subsidy Theories
Consumer Control Theory
Theory of the Commons
Are Nonprofits Altruistic or Self-Maximizing?
References
Chapter 35. The Future of the Nonprofit Sector
Introduction
Trend 1: Terrorism and the Fear of Terrorism
Trend 2: The Demographics of the United States Population is Changing
Trend 3: Most Nonprofits are Taking Advantage of the Technological Revolution, but a Digital Divide Threatens to Divide the Sector into "Haves" and "Have Nots"
Trend 4: The Nonprofit Sector Should Expect Increased Government Scrutiny, as Well as More Regulation and Accountability Requirements
Trend 5: Government Funding is Drying Up at a Time When Demand for Services Will be Increasing
Trend 6: Donor Attitude Changes Will Profoundly Affect How Charities Raise Funds
Trend 7: The Nonprofit, For-Profit and Government Sectors Will Continue to Converge
Conclusion
References
Directory of State and National Organizations
State Directory
State Government Web Sites of Interest to Nonprofit Organizations
Appendix A—Sample Bylaws
Appendix B—New Year's Resolutions for Nonprofit Execs
Appendix C—About the Author
Appendix D—Reader Survey/Order Form
Bibliography
Index
ISBN: 1-929109-13-X
Publication Date: January 2005
Price: $29.95
469 pages
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