The Nonprofit Compliance Brief

Growth is a positive milestone for nonprofits, but expanding fundraising activity often introduces new compliance risks that organizations do not immediately recognize. As donor reach increases and operations expand across jurisdictions, registration obligations, reporting requirements, and regulatory expectations can change — sometimes without any intentional shift in strategy. In this episode of The Nonprofit Compliance Brief, we explore how compliance risk evolves as nonprofits grow. The d...

How Mature Nonprofits Manage Compliance Differently — Episode Description As nonprofits grow, their approach to compliance often changes from managing individual filings as they arise to operating structured systems that support ongoing regulatory oversight. Mature organizations tend to treat compliance as a continuous operational function rather than a series of isolated administrative tasks. In this episode of The Nonprofit Compliance Brief, we explore how experienced nonprofits manage char...

Successful fundraising is often measured by campaigns launched and donations received, but behind every fundraising effort is a significant amount of administrative and compliance work that makes those activities possible. Registrations, renewals, disclosures, reporting requirements, and regulator correspondence all form part of the infrastructure that supports ongoing solicitation. In this episode of The Nonprofit Compliance Brief, we explore the operational responsibilities that exist behin...

Many nonprofits find that compliance suddenly becomes more complex as annual contributions approach or exceed $500,000. In this episode, we explore why this growth point often introduces new regulatory expectations, including expanded charitable solicitation requirements, higher financial reporting standards, and increased governance oversight. We discuss how audit and review thresholds, multi-state fundraising exposure, and more formalized reporting obligations begin to converge at this stag...

The IRS Form 990 is often viewed as a tax filing, but regulators, donors, and watchdog organizations use it as much more than that. In this episode, we explore what the Form 990 actually signals to state charity regulators and why it plays a central role in how nonprofits are evaluated for compliance and oversight risk. We discuss how regulators compare Form 990 disclosures with charitable registration filings, fundraising activity, and public representations, as well as the types of inconsis...

Many nonprofit leaders assume that corporate annual reports and charitable solicitation registrations serve the same purpose — but they are separate filings governed by different agencies, timelines, and legal requirements. In this episode, we explain the key differences between maintaining corporate good standing with a state and maintaining compliance with state charity regulators. We discuss why filing a corporate annual report does not satisfy charitable registration obligations, how nonp...

Online fundraising allows nonprofits to reach supporters anywhere, but it also raises an important compliance question: when does internet fundraising trigger charitable solicitation registration in multiple states? In this episode of The Nonprofit Compliance Brief, we explain the Charleston Principles in plain language and how regulators use them to evaluate online fundraising activity. The discussion focuses on the difference between passive online presence and active solicitation, why repe...

Many nonprofits assume charitable solicitation registration can be addressed later if necessary, especially when fundraising begins informally or online. In reality, most states regulate the act of solicitation itself, meaning organizations can create compliance risk before realizing registration requirements apply. In this episode of The Nonprofit Compliance Brief, we explain what typically happens when nonprofits solicit donations before registering, how state regulators identify unregister...

Many nonprofits assume registration requirements begin only after fundraising grows — but in most states, compliance obligations start much earlier. In this episode, we explain when charitable solicitation registration is required, how online fundraising and donation buttons can trigger state obligations, and why organizations are often surprised by multi-state compliance rules. You’ll learn how regulators interpret “solicitation,” how the Charleston Principles apply, and what nonprofits shou...