Gender Equality

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Consultation (4) Contracts (3) Data Privacy (2) Employment/Labor (1) Finance/Fundraising (1) Nonprofit Formation (2) Nonprofit Governance (3) Regulatory (3) Research (2) Tax (2) Tax Exempt/Nonprofit (8)

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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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The Felix Organization

Draft Nonprofit Plan of Merger

Summary:

Assist a nonprofit that supports youth in the foster care system by drafting a Merge Agreement/Plan of Merger for approval by the NY Attorney General.

Referred by:

Jurisdictions: NY
About the Organization: The Felix Organization was founded in 2006 by Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Famer, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels and Emmy Award-winning casting director, Sheila Jaffe. The organization’s mission is to provide inspiring opportunities and new experiences to enrich the lives of children who are growing up in the foster cares system. This incldes overnight summer camps that serve nearly 500 foster youth each summer.
Legal Entity Type: Nonprofit/Charity
SDG(s):Gender Equality, Good Health and Well Being, Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, Quality Education, Reduced Inequalities
Legal Issue(s):

The Felix Organization is in its second year of a strategic partnership with another nonprofit called A BroaderWay Foundation. Now, the organizations  plan to merge. The Felix Organization is incorporated in NY, while A BroaderWay Foundation is incorporated in DE. They have been working with a consultant for the past six months and many of the substantive terms have already been agreed to. They are now seeking assistance from an attorney to draft the Merge Agreement/Plan of Merger with the New York State Office of the Attorney General for approval.

There are attorneys on both boards that can assist as needed. However, this is not their area of legal expertise. Down the line, if possible, they would appreciate guidance with the merger itself. However, this is a secondary request.

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Echoing Green

Update Privacy Policy

Summary:

Assist an accelerator for social impact leaders by reviewing/updating their Privacy Policy and related consents to reflect current AI usage (must be GDPR compliant).

Referred by:

Jurisdictions: U.S. (GDPR)
About the Organization: Through Fellowships and other innovative leadership initiatives, Echoing Green spots emerging leaders and invests deeply in their success to accelerate their impact. They provide seed-funding and leadership development to a new class of Fellows every year and welcome them into a lifelong community of leaders.
Legal Entity Type: Nonprofit/Charity
SDG(s):Affordable and Clean Energy, Clean Water and Sanitation, Climate Action, Decent Work and Economic Growth, End Poverty, Gender Equality, Good Health and Well Being, Industry Innovation and Infrastructure, Life Below Water (conservation and sustainability), Life on Land (sustainability of ecosystems), Partnerships to achieve the Goals, Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, Quality Education, Reduced Inequalities, Responsible Consumption and Production, Sustainable Cities and Communities, Zero Hunger
Legal Issue(s):

The Echoing Green team is preparing to launch a new Fellow application process that incorporates AI-enabled tools. They access Anthropic’s models through a paid commercial agreement, with pre-screening running programmatically through the Claude Platform API. This system will be used to pre-screen applications, and Echoing Green will use the applicants’ data, as well as the reviewers’ data, to train their own models in the future. No award is made without human review, but applications will be rejected automatically without a human ever reviewing them.

The Echoing Green team is now seeking assistance reviewing and updating their Privacy Policy (and related consent language) to ensure that it captures their current practices and complies with applicable law. Echoing Green receives applications from all over the world (including Europe) and this Privacy Policy must comply with GDPR.

The application process will open in November. So, the Privacy Policy will need to be updated by the end of October.

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Sajhe Sapne Foundation

Incorporate and File for 501c3 Status

Summary:

Assist an Indian nonprofit that launches the careers of rural women by helping them to incorporate and file for 501(c)(3) status.

Referred by:

Jurisdictions: U.S.
About the Organization: Sajhe Sapne is an Indian nonprofit that launches careers of young rural women in the modern workforce. They run a year-long mini-MBA program to open formal work opportunities for 12th pass rural women in India.
Legal Entity Type: Nonprofit/Charity
SDG(s):Gender Equality, Quality Education
Legal Issue(s):

The Sajhe Sapne team is seeking assistance incorporating in the United States and filing for 501(c)(3) status. With this new nonprofit, they hope to facilitate fundraising in the United States. However, they will also be hiring staff in the United States after the first year who will be doing work beyond fundraising including mobilizing resources, partnerships, and allies. The Sajhe Sapne team is open to suggestions from the volunteer attorney on where best to incorporate.

 

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People’s Courage International Inc.

Answer Discrete Questions Around Making Mission Related Investments

Summary:

Assist a nonprofit strengthening the resilience of migrant workers in Asia by answering discrete questions related to making mission-related investments.

Referred by:

Jurisdictions: U.S.
About the Organization: Founded in 2020, People’s Courage International (PCI) is a US-based nonprofit working across South and Southeast Asia to strengthen the resilience of informal and migrant workers. PCI envisions a future where every informal worker has access to effective social protections not only to manage risks at different life-cycle events but also to mitigate emerging climate risks that impact their health, livelihood and assets.
Legal Entity Type: Nonprofit/Charity
SDG(s):Climate Action, Decent Work and Economic Growth, End Poverty, Gender Equality, Partnerships to achieve the Goals, Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, Reduced Inequalities
Legal Issue(s):

Courage International wants to branch out making mission-related investments in its areas of operations (primarily SE Asia). They are seeking assistance answering a set of discrete questions before moving forward (e.g., can they lend from the nonprofit without setting up a separate entity; what are the tax implications). The full list of questions can be provided upon request. They are incorporated in Washington, DC.

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doctHERS

Incorporate and File for 501(c)(3) Status

Summary:

Assist an organization connecting foreign healthcare workers with underserved American seniors by incorporating and filing for 501(c)(3) status.

Referred by:

Jurisdictions: U.S.
About the Organization: The founders of the social enterprise doctHERS are establishing a new nonprofit entity in the United States (the “Nonprofit”). The Nonprofit will close two gaps at once: the shortage of qualified women healthcare providers in the workforce, and the exclusion of underserved American seniors from the care they need. The goal is to identify top-screened women doctors, nurses, and therapists (often from South Asian countries) and to reintegrate/integrate them into the U.S. health workforce — upskilling them on AI-enabled digital tools, telemedicine, and culturally competent care delivery. The Nonprofit will then connect them to the communities best served by exactly what they offer: people who share their language, their culture, and their lived understanding of what care should feel like. More details about their work and mission can be provided upon request.
Legal Entity Type: Unregistered
SDG(s):Climate Action, Decent Work and Economic Growth, Gender Equality, Good Health and Well Being, Industry Innovation and Infrastructure, Partnerships to achieve the Goals, Reduced Inequalities
Legal Issue(s):

The Nonprofit will be connecting top screened health care professionals with underserved American seniors.

Because these healthcare providers will be coming from abroad, it is important that the Nonprofit is set up in a way that allows it to sponsor cohorts of healthcare providers on H-1B visas.

The doctHERS team is seeking assistance incorporating this nonprofit and filing for 501(c)(3) status with these goals and considerations in mind. They anticipate working primarily in TX, GA, FL CA, NC, NY and NJ but are open to suggestions from the attorney on where best to incorporate.

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FreeFrom

Research on State Lobbying Laws

Summary:

Assist a nonprofit supporting victims of gender based violence by conducting research on state lobbying laws.

Referred by:

  • Anonymous Collaborator
Jurisdictions: U.S.
About the Organization: FreeFrom is a nonprofit working to end gender-based violence with survivors by building safety and economic freedom. They innovate with survivors to create tools, resources and environments that offer support before, during, and beyond moments of crisis. Survivors can then build financial security to support their individual, intergenerational, and community healing.
Legal Entity Type: Nonprofit/Charity
SDG(s):End Poverty, Gender Equality, Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, Reduced Inequalities
Legal Issue(s):

As FreeFrom, a 501c3 nonprofit, continues to build their state policy strategy in advocating for survivor financial security centered policies, they need information on each state’s lobbyist requirements. This will ensure they are in compliance with each state’s law and lobbyist reporting requirements as they expand their work across the nation.

FreeFrom has a template of the information they need for each state along with 6 discrete questions (e.g., what are the requirements for registering as a lobbyist in the state). These can be provided upon request.

Any volunteer/firm can handle the research for as many or as few states as they are able to accommodate. A list of priority states can be provided upon request.

Ideally, they would love for the research to be completed by the end of November. However, this is not a hard deadline.

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Platform for Labour Action International

Draft Affiliation Agreement

Summary:

Assist an organization working to provide legal aid to marginalized workers in Uganda by drafting an affiliation agreement between their U.S. and Ugandan entities.

Referred by:

Jurisdictions: United States (Ugandan review will be addressed separately)
About the Organization: Platform for Labor Action (PLA) is a well-established Ugandan organization dedicated to providing legal aid to marginalized workers earning under $160/month and stopping child labour. In 2023, Platform for Labour Action International was established in the United States to support PLA’s mission through research, future fundraising, and expanded operations.
Legal Entity Type: Nonprofit/Charity
SDG(s):Decent Work and Economic Growth, End Poverty, Gender Equality, Partnerships to achieve the Goals, Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, Quality Education
Legal Issue(s):

Platform for Labor Action (PLA) is a well-established Ugandan organization dedicated to providing legal aid to marginalized workers earning under $160/month and stopping child labor. In 2023, PLA International was established in the United States to support PLA’s mission through research, future fundraising, and expanded operations, specifically as a U.S. 501(c)(3) entity.

The PLA team is seeking assistance drafting an affiliation agreement between the U.S. and Ugandan entities to formalize the relationship, clarify roles, and establish proper governance and funding protocols. This agreement is crucial for ensuring PLA International maintains its 501(c)(3) status, particularly regarding IRS compliance, fundraising regulations, international grantmaking protocols, and organizational governance, including proper documentation of fund transfers, OFAC compliance, and intellectual property provisions.

 

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