For more information and/or to register, send us an E-MAIL.

Through the pro bono services of volunteer attorneys and professionals, VLSH provides legal help to nonprofit organizations that are unable to pay for such help and training for both emerging and existing nonprofits. Pro bono legal assistance is offered to organizations that have a combined program and operating budget of less tan $1,000,000 and are involved in community-based economic development or are providing services to people who are low-income or "gap" group.

The training sessions are conducted by volunteer attorneys and professionals. The current workshops offered are:

• How to Incorporate offers an overview of the advantages and disadvantages, legal protections, liabilities, and responsibilities involved in incorpo¬rating and a review of the steps to take and the forms necessary to file for incorporation.
• How to Obtain Tax-Exempt Status looks at the pros and cons of applying for a 501(c)(3) tax exemption, including the legal protections, liabili¬ties, and responsibilities, and provides a review of the forms and steps necessary for filing as well as a look at how State tax laws apply to non¬profits.
• Employment Law for Nonprofits - Nonprofits cannot carry out their missions without the help of staff and/or volunteers, but the relationship between an organization and the people who work with it can sometimes give rise to misunderstandings, legal problems, and lawsuits. Discrimination, sexual harassment, independent contractors, and volunteer liability are some of the areas that can potentially cause difficulties for an organization. This workshop is for large and small organizations that want to learn how to avoid the problems that can arise when working with staff, vol¬unteers, and independent contractors.
• Nonprofit Accountability - In response to major corporate and accounting scan¬dals, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX), requiring publicly traded companies to follow new governance standards, became law in 2002. While only the SOX provisions regarding whistle-blower protection and document destruction apply to nonprofits, many feel the legislation also will affect the fiduciary responsibilities of nonprofits. This workshop is for large and small organizations that want to ensure they know their responsibilities. It will cover the new State law providing for Attorney General oversight of all 501(c)(3) organizations and how SOX will impact nonprofits as best practices and offer practical advice on how to implement internal controls and com¬pliance procedures.
• Basics of Accounting and Internal Controls focuses on the basic principles of accounting and the accounting and financial management stan¬dards, methods, and procedures required for nonprofit organizations.
• Fund Raising and Development Basics dis¬cusses the importance of developing a fund¬raising strategy, locating funding sources and the methods to use to pursue them, grant writing, and basic development techniques.
• Strategic Planning focuses on clarifying your organizations mission, vision, and objectives. The workshop also reviews are the steps involved in the strategic planning process and identifying stakeholders.
• Organizational Management and Responsibilities focuses on the functions and responsibilities of a nonprofit's board of directors and staff, the essentials of conducting board and membership meetings, conflicts of interest and how they impact board members, and the requirements for filing and maintaining corporate records
• Financial Management will provide a review of current laws, rules and regulations pertaining to non-profit management. The workshop will also cover a discussion of audits (e.g., options, practical and legal obligations, selecting an independent auditor, preparing for an audit, etc.), the importance of financial expertise within your organization, and the importance of accounting mechanisms and reporting. The workshop will be at an intermediate level and will be appropriate for executive directors, board members with fiscal background and financial management staff.

The workshops are open to any existing or emergent community-based organization that is serving or planning to serve low-income people in the State of Hawai‘i or forming an economic development project that will create jobs.

The Program provides pro bono legal services to nonprofit organizations that have a combined operating and management budget of less than $1,000,000 and are involved in community-based economic development or are serving low-income or gap groups residents of Hawai'i.

Both the training and the pro bono legal services offered by the Program address the needs of nonprofits in our state and complement their work by offering the information and assistance organizations need to effectively structure themselves and grow so that they are able to strengthen their communities and function successfully.

The Program has a far-reaching effect: by enabling the organizations participating in the training and/or receiving pro bono legal services to become stronger at what they do, be it social services, education, economic development, or something else, the Program ultimately also benefits the people those organizations serve.

If your organization would like more information about the services provided by the VLSH Nonprofit Program, please contact us.

Attorney volunteers with a background in business and/or corporate law are encouraged to get involved. Please contact us if you are interested.

Mahalo.