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Are the 501(c)(4) Rules Changing?

Rules of the Game: The Bolder Advocacy Podcast

Release Date: 12/25/2024

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On this episode of the Rules of the Game podcast (the first in an eight-part, issue-specific podcast series), we’ll discuss recent headlines impacting the LGBTQ+ community and explain how nonprofits can take action with legislative, executive branch, and judicial branch advocacy. From responding to executive orders to initiating litigation, nonprofits across the country are standing up to fight for our rights. This episode will highlight their work and provide information about the rules that apply when nonprofits engage in advocacy on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community.   Attorneys for...

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Ask Us Anything show art Ask Us Anything

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Every day we answer questions from nonprofits about how they can be the most effective advocates they can be while staying legal. On this edition, we answer some of your questions as we get ready for a big year of advocacy!   Attorneys for this Episode Brittany Hacker Monika Graham Tim Mooney   How can a grantmaking organization effectively fund advocacy efforts while adhering to IRS regulations and maximizing impact?      •           Transformative Impact of Advocacy Funding:...

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On this episode of the podcast, we will talk about the deluge of executive orders and a new memo freezing funding that has come in at the start of Trump’s new administration. How will they effect the work of non-profits and what can you do to support or oppose these and future executive orders.   Attorneys for this Episode Tim Mooney Brittany Hacker   Federal Funding Freeze Memo and Executive Orders • Memo issued by the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB). • Halt on grants and loans distributed by the federal government. • Implications for Medicaid, WIC, and...

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It’s officially 2025, and nonprofits across the country are diligently preparing for upcoming legislative sessions, a presidential transition, and other critical advocacy initiatives. The Alliance for Justice Bolder Advocacy team is here to help when questions arise about nonprofits’ ability to engage with government officials and pursue policy change. In the meantime, we’ve also compiled a list of our Top 10 nonprofit New Year’s resolutions to help your organization ready itself for 2025 and beyond.    Attorneys for this Episode  Monika Graham  Victor...

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Are the 501(c)(4) Rules Changing? show art Are the 501(c)(4) Rules Changing?

Rules of the Game: The Bolder Advocacy Podcast

A recent Fifth Circuit holding in Memorial Hermann has caught the attention of lawyers in our space, with some wondering if the tax law rules on how 501(c)(4)s operate may change. But what did the court really say, and how should 501(c)(4) advocacy organizations react? On this special holiday edition of the pod, we are joined by Larry Gold of Trister Ross Schadler and Gold to understand what this case says and what it means for (c)(4)s in 2025 and beyond.  Attorneys for this episode  Tim Mooney  Susan Finkle Sourlis  Larry Gold,   Show notes  ...

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More Episodes

A recent Fifth Circuit holding in Memorial Hermann has caught the attention of lawyers in our space, with some wondering if the tax law rules on how 501(c)(4)s operate may change. But what did the court really say, and how should 501(c)(4) advocacy organizations react? On this special holiday edition of the pod, we are joined by Larry Gold of Trister Ross Schadler and Gold to understand what this case says and what it means for (c)(4)s in 2025 and beyond. 

Attorneys for this episode 

Tim Mooney 

Susan Finkle Sourlis 

 

Show notes 

  • What is Memorial Hermann? 

  • Very basics of the case 

  • Basics of the holding 

  • Where does this court’s ruling apply? 

  • 501(c)(4) organizations must exclusively operate for the social welfare,  how is that interpreted to mean primarily, and the limit on items that do not as social welfare as secondary activity. We frequently talk about one of those secondary activities a lot – partisan political work. But this case focuses on another thing – can you explain why commercial activity does not promote social welfare?  

  • The concern raised by some is the court’s move to a smaller insubstantial standard for commercial activity may also apply to political activity, limiting the amount advocacy groups can engage in. How does the law treat commercial activity and political activity differently, and does that distinction matter here for other courts that may be addressing this? 

  • Do (c)(4)s in the Fifth Circuit that engage in partisan political advocacy need to change what they’re doing or how much they’re doing? What about (c)(4)s outside of the Fifth Circuit? 

  • There’s another layer to all of this with (c)(4)s that have filed Form 1024s accepted by the IRS – can you explain what that is and why filing a 1024 now may be a good idea for some (c)(4)s that haven’t yet? 

  • What’s happening next with this case? 

  • What’s your take on how various media outlets have presented this case – do you think they’ve helped or muddied the waters? 

  • On a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is a yawn and 10 is metaphysical crisis, where are we now with Memorial Hermann for (c)(4)s?  

 

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