Legal Alerts
Occasionally, CEDLP will issue legal alerts on topics of interest to our clients. If you have topics you would like us to address, contact us at cedlp@cedlp.org.
Trademark Protection for Nonprofit Organizations (Apr 2009 - published with permission from DC Bar Pro Bono Program)
IRS Form 990 - Preparation Checklist (Apr 2009 - published with permission from Quarles & Brady)
Elimination of Advance Ruling (Sep 2008)
Governance Policies the IRS Thinks Your Organization Should Have (Sep 2008 - published with permission from Quarles & Brady)
IRS Form 990 – New Questions, New Requirements (Aug 2008)
Newsletters
August 2009
Greetings!
With summer in full swing, we would like to take a moment to reconnect with you and keep you informed about our activities. Over the next several months, we will be holding many useful workshops for nonprofits regarding tax exemption and other issues. All are welcome to attend!
Also, we have included an article about Chicago Youth Boxing Club, one of our nonprofit clients. Chicago Youth Boxing Club is a truly inspiring organization that is really making a difference in the Little Village and North Lawndale communities in Chicago!
SAVE THE DATE!
Please mark your calendars for Thursday, November 19, 2009 for our 4th Annual Sawbridge Studios Holiday Party! More information will follow.
Chicago Youth Boxing Club
Chicago Youth Boxing Club ("CYBC") is a nonprofit organization committed to helping Chicago's inner-city youth learn and develop discipline, dedication and self-respect through training and participation in amateur boxing within the rules of USA Boxing. Under the direction of Robert Ramos, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of CYBC, the organization has been mentoring Chicago's inner-city youth since December 4, 2001. As Mr. Ramos enthusiastically explains, by teaching good sportsmanship through its boxing program and providing positive role models and coaches, CYBC affords youngsters with alternatives to violence, gang involvement and drug and alcohol use. CYBC participates in many championship boxing tournaments, including the Jr. Olympics, PAL, Silver, and Golden Gloves tournaments.
Not only does the organization provide a recreational haven for inner-city youth, CYBC also emphasizes the importance of academics and a strong work ethic. This summer, CYBC is participating in a summer intern program sponsored by the City of Chicago. Under the program guidleines, 8 public high school students are learning both the operations and business aspects, as well as the coaching and mentoring side, of CYBC. In the near future,CYBC also plans to house an educational tutoring program within the boxing facility.
At its inception in 2001, CYBC offered its boxing program within a few of the Chicago Park District's recreational centers. The need for a more comprehensive and structured environment quickly became apparent, as Mr. Ramos explains, in order to serve the increasing needs of those inner-city youth participating in the boxing program. As a result, CYBC became determined to find a space in which it could establish its own boxing facility. The costs of operating its own boxing facility, however, were beyond the limited resources of CYBC and funding opportunities for an organization that lacked 501(c)(3) status was inadequate. In order to obtain the financial resources needed to open a boxing facility, Mr. Ramos resolved to obtain 501(c)(3) status for CYBC. To assist with that process, Mr. Ramos contacted CED Law Project in 2005. To that end, Jody Adler, Staff Attorney at CED Law Project, worked with Mr. Ramos to, among other things, apply for and obtain 501(c)(3) status on behalf of CYBC. Their efforts were rewarded on July 27, 2006, when CYBC gained official 501(c)(3) status. Triumphantly, on November 17, 2007, CYBC opened the doors to its own boxing facility located at 2300 S. Millard, near Chicago's Little Village and North Lawndale communities. To celebrate its two year anniversary, CYBC will be hosting a fundraiser boxing show and banquet on October 24, 2009. For more information on this event, please visit www.cybcboxer.com or contact Mr. Ramos at 773-383-0166.
Mr. Ramos could not have been more pleased with CEDLP's services during the process. Once CYBC obtained 501(c)(3) status, CYBC began receiving funding through fundraisers and monetary donations, both private and public through grants. These funds are currently used to subsidize the cost of youth memberships, the purchase of gym maintenance and equipment, protective gear and uniforms, as well as paying for coaching staff. Mr. Ramos indicates that without CED Law Project and Ms. Adler's assistance, CYBC would not be operating its own facility today or making a positive difference in the lives of the 50 to 60 youngsters currently engaged in CYBC's boxing program. CYBC expects to continue to utilize its newfound 501(c)(3) status to expand and improve its programs so that it can continue to emphasize the importance of physical fitness and academics to Chicago's inner-city youth.
stayexempt.org
CEDLP would like to encourage all of our start-up clients to visit www.stayexempt.org. This website is provided by the Exempt Organizations Office of the IRS and offers useful educational resources that can help tax-exempt organizations maintain their exempt status and meet filing requirements.
We Need Your Help!
CEDLP is very grateful to have the assistance of paralegal volunteers from the law firm of Kirkland & Ellis LLP to follow-up with and obtain feedback from many of our current and former clients. Please don't be alarmed if you receive a call. These individuals are just gathering some basic information that will enable CEDLP to keep track of people working with our volunteer attorneys and offer you an opportunity to talk about the wonderful work you do.
Thank you for taking the time to read this edition of our newsletter. Have suggestions for future articles or requests for general nonprofit legal information? Need legal services for your business or organization? Contact us at cedlp@cedlp.org.
We look forward to seeing you at one of our events over the next few months!
Sincerely,
CEDLP Staff