Nonprofit and charity law, written plainly. Before law school I founded an environmental nonprofit in Shanghai and ran it for thirteen years as it grew across China, and in summer 2026 I am serving as a legal intern in the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Non-Profit Organizations / Public Charities Division. These explainers cover the rules that govern boards, donors, and charitable money.
Start here
- What Is a Public Charity?: 501(c)(3) status and who keeps nonprofits accountable
- Who Oversees Nonprofits? State Attorneys General, Plainly: the least understood structure in charity law
- 501(c)(3) vs 501(c)(4): deductibility, lobbying limits, and political activity
- Nonprofit Board Fiduciary Duties: what care, loyalty, and obedience actually require
- How to Read a Form 990: where a nonprofit’s real finances live
- Donor-Advised Fund vs Private Foundation: which giving vehicle fits which donor
- What Is Fiscal Sponsorship?: running a charitable project without forming a nonprofit
- When a Nonprofit Closes: Where the Money Goes: dissolution clauses and cy pres, plainly
New posts land in this section as I write them. Subscribe to get them by email, or browse all topics.
I write these pages as a law student, for general education. Nothing here is legal advice. If you are dealing with a real dispute, talk to a licensed attorney in your state.