Frequently Asked Questions

Charitable Allies is a nonprofit legal aid law firm, meaning we are a nonprofit corporation recognized as a charity under section 501(c)(3). Our attorneys are nonprofit lawyers in the sense that they exclusively represent nonprofit organizations and their stakeholders.

Although we do provide some pro bono (free) services, we do generally charge “low bono” rates, which means that we charge below  50% of fair market value for our services. We also offer one free 30 minute initial consultation for new clients, which we are able to provide through the generous support of our donors. 

Yes! We currently have clients in more than 35 states, Washington D.C., and Canada. To learn more about how we’re able to help nonprofits in other states, visit our multijurisdictional practice of law page.

Yes! We’ve helped hundreds of nonprofit organizations get up and running legally. We help through the entire process from incorporating the organization with your state, to gaining tax exempt status with the IRS. We also create bylaws and other important corporate documents for nonprofit organizations who are getting started. You can learn more, including what’s included and pricing here.

501(c)(3) is an IRS term that describes organizations that have been approved by the IRS as a tax exempt, charitable organization. The term “501(c)(3) letter” is often used to describe the letter the IRS sends when an organization is approved, also referred to as a determination letter.

A legal document filed with the state the organization is based in to create your nonprofit corporation. Each state charges a different filing fee when incorporating a nonprofit. State fees usually run between $30 and $125, and take differing amounts of time to approve. Articles of Incorporation must be filed prior to an application to the IRS for tax exempt status.

A Fiscal Sponsorship is a formal arrangement where a current nonprofit agrees to serve as an incubator of sorts for a charitable program that was created by other persons. You can read more about what it is here.

We provide fiscal sponsorship through Fiscal Sponsorship Allies. You can apply for the program here.

Yes we can. We represent nonprofit organizations and their stakeholders in court regularly in a wide range of capacities from defending attorney general investigations to litigating on behalf of partners in a housing partnership to protecting donor intent.

We provide a wide array of services for nonprofit organizations, including mergers, litigation, dissolutions, bankruptcy, and fiscal sponsorship. To learn more, visit our services page.