Politically Active Nonprofits We Serve

Attorneys in the firm advise charities, social welfare organizations, labor and agricultural organizations, and business leagues that engage in advocacy, lobbying, and election related activity. Work covers tax law limits, state and federal disclosure requirements, entity structure, and the transactions that support campaigns and long term advocacy programs.

Advocacy And Political Law Needs

Advocacy organizations face detailed rules that differ by tax status and type of activity. Legal needs often include:

Selection of tax exempt structure under sections 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), 501(c)(5), or 501(c)(6)
Bylaw and policy language that describes advocacy, lobbying, and public education work
Analysis of what qualifies as lobbying versus general advocacy
Application of 501(h) expenditure test or insubstantial part test for 501(c)(3) lobbying
Guidance on campaign intervention limits for 501(c)(3) organizations and nonpartisan standards
Rules for partisan activity that a 501(c)(4) or 501(c)(6) may conduct without endangering exemption
Advice on voter registration, voter guides, candidate forums, and get out the vote efforts
Record keeping systems for tracking lobbying and political expenditures and staff time
Coordination with state and local campaign finance and lobbying registration requirements

Compliance And Risk Management For Political Activity

Compliance work aims to protect tax status, donor trust, and reputation while advocacy continues. Attorneys support organizations through:

Written advocacy and political activity policies for staff, leadership, and volunteers
Review of public communications, digital campaigns, and event plans near elections
Board education on the difference between lobbying, issue advocacy, and campaign activity
Guidelines for personal political speech by staff and board members
Processes for approving scripts, mailers, social media content, and ads that touch public policy
Systems for allocating expenditures among lobbying, non lobbying advocacy, and program work
Responses to IRS inquiries, state attorney general questions, and campaign finance agency contacts
Periodic compliance reviews before major election cycles or new legislative sessions

Transactional Support For Advocacy And Political Projects

Advocacy and political work frequently involves complex relationships and funding structures. The firm provides transactional support for:

Formation of new 501(c)(4) or 501(c)(6) entities that complement an existing 501(c)(3)
Design of related entity structures so activities and finances stay properly separated
Fiscal sponsorship arrangements for emerging campaigns and coalitions
Coalition agreements for joint campaigns, shared branding, or pooled resources
Service agreements with consultants, lobbyists, media buyers, and digital vendors
Grant and sponsorship agreements that fund advocacy while respecting donor and tax limits
Policies and agreements for data sharing, lists, and technology platforms across related entities
Wind down or transition of entities and campaigns after major initiatives end

Transactional advocacy work focuses on structures and contracts that support clear boundaries, transparent reporting, and durable compliance as campaigns evolve.

Why Advocacy Organizations Work With Our Firm

Politically active nonprofits look for legal counsel that understands both technical rules and the pace of campaigns. Advantages of working with the firm include:

Concentration on nonprofit and tax exempt clients rather than general corporate practice
Experience with charities, social welfare organizations, labor groups, and business leagues that engage in advocacy
Attention to coordination among related 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), and 501(c)(6) entities
Plain language explanations for boards, senior staff, and communications teams
Availability for rapid consultation when campaigns move quickly or election dates approach
Willingness to serve as outside general counsel for recurring advocacy related legal work

Request A Consultation

For new advocacy initiatives, structural questions about 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) relationships, lobbying and disclosure concerns, or review of high profile campaigns, use the contact form on this page or call the office to request a consultation with a nonprofit political law attorney. Focused legal guidance supports strong advocacy while protecting tax status and public trust.