Nonprofits in the News is a project of Professor Susan Gary’s Nonprofit Organizations class at the University of Oregon School of Law. Each student in the class writes a brief report on a legal issue affecting nonprofits, such as an investigation by the Attorney General, a question involving an exempt purpose, employee issues, embezzlement, or myriad other issues. Some topics are Oregon based and some are not, but all are interesting.

Each Nonprofits in the News article is listed below — download each one in pdf by clicking on the title.

Fall 2021

  1. Kourtney Brown,  Generation Now and FirstEnergy’s Dark Money Scandal
  2. Michael J. Romano, A Local News Savior? – Local Media Shifts to Nonprofitship
  3. Erin D. Strader, Mayor de Blasio Announces Nonprofit Oversight following Recent Scandal
  4. Divine Zheng, Project on Fair Representation and the Oregon Cares Fund

Spring 2019

  1. Lucy Boatwright,  Nonprofit Skimming Money in Arkansas
  2. Casey Drehers, Tax Changes May Result in Shift to 501(c)(4)s
  3. Cliff Gleaves, Charitable Giving and the 2018 Tax Act
  4. James McQuire, Non-Profits and Cryptocurrency
  5. Catharine Roner-Reiter, Donating versus Establishing a Charitable Nonprofit: The Example of the Make It Right Foundation
  6. Alexandria Roullier, The Ever-Changing Corporate Structure of Organically Grown Company
  7. Kaitlynn Schultz, Poor Board Governance Leads to a Sad Christmas for Tree Farmers

Spring 2018

  1. Chelle Haynes,  Newman’s Own and a New Excess Business Holdings Rule for Private Foundations
  2. Thomas Christopher Lewis, Nonprofit Grocery Store Models
  3. Matthew Maynard, Berkshire Museum Will Sell Artworks to Pay for Operating Expenses
  4. Matthew Maynard, Fundraising Idea – Host a Movie and then Sell Tours
  5. Cameron Sheridan, Puerto Rico Community Foundation
  6. Taylar Vajda, Effect of the 2018 Tax Act on Nonprofits

Spring 2014

  1. Sarah Abfalter, Curbing Political Spending by Tax-Exempt Social Welfare Organizations
  2. Sarah Abfalter, What’s Driving the Growth of the Non-Profit Sector?
  3. Mike Blankinship, Non-Profits in the News: 501(c)(6) Abuse in Political Fundraising
  4. Caitlin Cusimano, Ark Encounter!: How One Ministry is Using Nonprofit Law to Sell Junk Bonds, Protest Obamacare, and Build a Theme Park of Biblical Proportions
  5. Sam Dotters-Katz, IRS Rule Changes on ‘Candidate Related Political Activity’
  6. Kate Eitenmiller, Oregon Nonprofit Announces New For-Profit Venture: The “Hybridization” of the Nonprofit World
  7. Basil El-Ghazzawy, Non-profit Journalism
  8. Zachary Everman, Under Fire: The International Union of Police Associations and its Practices
  9. Sarah Garrott, The National Football League’s Tax-Exempt Status
  10. Sarah Gawne, ALEH Charity no Longer Affiliated with the Aleh Foundation
  11. Lauren Johansen, Pick, Click, Give. Fundraising and the Public-Private Partnership.
  12. Wes Knoll, Building Labeling: The LEED Standard
  13. Cheryl Papé, Peace Health Sacred Heart Hospitals Providing a Community Benefit
  14. Anna Russo, Assessing and Preventing Fraud Within a Nonprofit Organization
  15. Amanda Schuft, Government Funded Representation for Immigrants in Removal Proceedings
  16. Graeme Swainson, Legal Aid Response to Superstorm Sandy

Fall 2013

  1. William Carlon, Burning Man
  2. Anne Borton, New Oregon Law Targets Inefficient Charities
  3. Lauren Ice, The Impact of a Government Shut Down on Nonprofits
  4. Vanessa Rich, IRS Interactive Application Form
  5. Margaret Townsend, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
  6. Mathew Riberdy, The Bowl ‘Charity’ Series
  7. Brandon Gerstle, Chuck Hassebrook for Governor: How Former 501(c)(3) Colleagues Can Show Support
  8. Elizabeth Hope, Westboro Baptist Church: Tax-Exempt Hate Group?
  9. Nick Jordan, The Impact of a Scandal on a Nonprofit Organization
  10. Allison Knight, Modern Fundraising for Nonprofits
  11. Emily Knobbe, PETA: The 501(c)(3) Debate
  12. Kayleigh Lindemuth, Goodwill: Providing Opportunities or Exploiting the System
  13. Chris Livingston, Focus on the Family
  14. Matthew McCathran, OUR Walmart and the Worker Center
  15. Jackie Mitchson, Deductibility of Technology Services Provided to Charitable Organizations
  16. Andrew Nonnennmacher, National Arts Clubs: Should their 501(c(3) Status be Revoked?
  17. Sonnet Robinson, The U.N. Nonprofit Handbook Project
  18. Nate Bellinger, Greenpeace: Reconceptializing our Notions of ‘Illegal” activities.
  19. Walker Clark, The Vidocq Society

Fall 2012

  1. Chelsea Ray, What it Takes to be a “Church”
  2. Kasia Mlynski, California Senate to Debate Tax-Exempt Status of Nonprofit Hospitals
  3. Aileen Carlos, Possible State Challenges to University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s Exempt Status
  4. Matthew Cline, Move to Amend’s Political Message
  5. Andrea Bibee, Medical Marijuana Dispensary Denied Exempt Status
  6. Jennifer Stallkamp, Oregon Department of Justice Investigates Autism Awareness United
  7. Jonathan Hood, The B612 Foundation – A Nonprofit to Protect the Earth from Asteroids
  8. Jason Nelson-Elting, Nonprofit Fitness Facilities
  9. Kelsey Meredith, Religious Institutions and Politics
  10. Sara Chinske, Serenity Lane Not Exempt from Lane Co. Property Taxes
  11. Apollonia Goeckner, Earthjustice: Following the Guidelines for a Public Interest Law Firm in Revenue Procedure 92-59
  12. Matthew Hodges, National Nonprofits and State Dealership Laws After Manitou Council v. Girl Scouts of the United States: Implications for Organizational Structure
  13. Stephanie Hyatt, The Oregon Public House: A new way to fundraise
  14. Laura Fishman, The Church of Jesus Christ and the Latter-Day Saints Criticized for Its Political Activities
  15. Devin Kenney, Material Support of Terrorism: An Uncertain Threat to International Nonprofits
  16. Dustin Littrell, University Endowments University endowments
  17. Kenneth Safley, Fiscal Sponsors and the Occupy Wall Street Movement
  18. Britt Birkenbuel, Challenging the Johnson Amendment: Pulpit Freedom Sundays
  19. Jing Chuang, Amitofo Care Center – International Humanitarian Relief Amitofo Care Center – International Humanitarian Relief
  20. Sam Dupree, The Nonprofit Finance Fund
  21. Grant Hartley, Social Welfare = Political Welfare
  22. Kenneth Wherry, Threats to Planed Parenthood’s Medicaid Funding
  23. Zach Baker, Gleaning Lessons from a Dissolution Announcement
  24. Matthew Heintz, Politics of the Charitable Deduction
  25. Ryan Tarter, The Nonprofit Sector’s Influence on Client Voting Behavior: Detroit, Michigan Voter Mobilization Experiment
  26. Monica Hanna, A U.S. Nonprofit Creating Smiles Around the World
  27. Inder Datta, SALDEF: Educating, Defending and Fostering Sikh Communities
  28. Emily Peyton, SuperPACs and 501(c)(4)s: How the Two Entitites Can Work Together for Personal Enrichment
  29. Kyler Danielson, Benefit Corporations: Are They Worth It?
  30. Martie L. McQuain, Yéle Haiti and Celebrity Charities
  31. Alyssa Englebrecht, Public Advocate of the U.S.: Controversial Anti-Gay-Marriage Campaign Mailers
  32. Nicole Clowdsley, Will Livestrong Stay Strong
  33. Ryan Merchant, First Tee of Central Valley
  34. Taylor Engers, Grinding Out Social Change with a “Nonprofit” LLC
  35. Lee Ewing, Nonprofits as a Compliment to Government Services: ASPCA’s Response to Hurricane Sandy
  36. Bay Toft-Dupuy, Green Bay Packers, Inc.: The NFL’s Only Nonprofit, Profit Corporation
  37. Jon Frohnmayer, 501c4s, State Law, and “Campaign Money Laundering”: One Case Study