Life on Land (sustainability of ecosystems)

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Consultation (6) Contracts (2) Data Privacy (2) Intellectual Property (1) Nonprofit Formation (1) Nonprofit Governance (1) Regulatory (2) Research (2) Tax (2) Tax Exempt/Nonprofit (6)

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WeRobotics, Inc.

Consultation on Public Support Thresholds

Summary:

Assist a 501(c)(3) public charity (incorporated in DE) working to equitably and inclusively apply emerging technologies by providing a consultation related to public support thresholds.

Referred by:

Jurisdictions: U.S.
About the Organization: WeRobotics is a social impact organization that brings together local experts, communities and activists across the globe to equitably and inclusively apply emerging technologies to achieve global aspirations, including the Sustainable Development Goals. They are committed to offering a practical alternative to systems dominated by foreign-led and top-down interventions.
Legal Entity Type: Nonprofit/Charity
SDG(s):Clean Water and Sanitation, Gender Equality, Industry Innovation and Infrastructure, Life Below Water (conservation and sustainability), Life on Land (sustainability of ecosystems), Partnerships to achieve the Goals, Sustainable Cities and Communities
Legal Issue(s):

WeRobotics is a 501(c)(3) public charity (incorporated in DE). Upon recent review, they have discovered that their revenue streams have not met qualifying public support thresholds over the past several years. These income streams are not set to change drastically over the years to come. Additional background, including details about their current percentages and funding/revenue streams can be provided upon request.

Now, the WeRobotics team is seeking a consultation with an attorney to discuss: (i) what options may be available to them to mitigate for not meeting the public-support percentage; (ii) any implications for their public charity status; and (iii) any alternatives that may be available to them (e.g., can they reclassify their organization? What would this entail?).

Ultimately, they would like to better understand how the 10% facts-and-circumstances test applies to their organization and current practices, whether an alternative classification more accurately reflects their mission-related revenue earned, and any long-term implications they should consider.

Down the line, should they need to reclassify the organization/make changes, they would appreciate assistance with the process. However, this is a secondary request.

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America Learns

Consultation on Template Licensing Agreement

Summary:

Assist a mission driven software company by providing a consultation on their template licensing agreement.

Referred by:

Jurisdictions: U.S. (governing law California)
About the Organization: America Learns is a mission-driven software company launched with seed funding from Echoing Green to help public agencies and nonprofits strengthen national service and community programs. Today, their platforms support more than 300 AmeriCorps programs and state service commissions across the country, helping them manage grants, compliance, participant records, outcomes, and communication. By replacing fragmented, labor-intensive processes with purpose-built technology, America Learns helps organizations devote more of their limited funding and staff time to serving communities. Although America Learns is structured as a for-profit company, their work operates within — and provides essential infrastructure for — the nonprofit and public-service ecosystem.
Legal Entity Type: For-profit
SDG(s):Affordable and Clean Energy, Clean Water and Sanitation, Climate Action, Decent Work and Economic Growth, Gender Equality, Life on Land (sustainability of ecosystems), Quality Education, Reduced Inequalities, Sustainable Cities and Communities
Legal Issue(s):

America Learns received pro bono legal support many years ago to draft a template licensing agreement for their platform at the time. Today, they have expanded their operations to include three software platforms: The Impact Suite, the Grant Gateway, and The Service Signal. Their primary clients are U.S. based nonprofits and government organizations (including public universities). Increasingly, many of their state government agency clients are seeking to negotiate the terms.

The America Learns team is seeking a pro bono consultation from an attorney to think through different scenarios and next steps (e.g., Should they have one template for all three platforms, or keep them separate? Should they have a separate template specifically for government agencies?).

Ultimately, they would appreciate assistance reviewing/updating the template and implementing any recommendations. Should the attorney have interest and capacity, the client might be able to pull together a limited budget for drafting the templates. The governing law of the current template is California.

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Land Use Atlas, Inc.

Research on Zoning Laws

Summary:

Assist a nonprofit democratizing information hidden within zoning codes by conducting research on zoning laws.

Referred by:

Jurisdictions: Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, New Jersey (official maps only), Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Washington State, and Wisconsin.
About the Organization: Land Use Atlas is a nonprofit working to digitize, demystify, and democratize information currently hidden within zoning codes. Their flagship project, the National Zoning Atlas (NZA), is a multi-institutional research collaboration centralizing data about zoning – the most important power of American local government, and the little-understood force shaping our lives. Their online interactive map exposes how thousands of communities use zoning – long a tool for racial and economic segregation – to shape housing choices, health outcomes, transportation patterns, environmental degradation, and climate response, among other things.
Legal Entity Type: Nonprofit/Charity
SDG(s):Climate Action, Life on Land (sustainability of ecosystems), Reduced Inequalities, Sustainable Cities and Communities
Legal Issue(s):

The Land Use Atlas team is seeking volunteers to research/contribute information about whether jurisdictions have zoning. The volunteers will review jurisdictions’ websites and ordinances, contact jurisdictions when needed (including submitting public information requests), identify the existence of zoning codes, and extract zoning codes. The President of Land Use Atlas is an attorney and a professor at Cornell Law School. The Land Use Atlas team will provide detailed written instructions and guidance. They are also available to facilitate webinar trainings for groups of volunteers.

 

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