Updates

March 19, 2025 Legal Update

DEI Update On February 25, we announced that a federal district court judge held the Trump administration’s executive orders regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) unconstitutionally vague and an overly broad regulation of speech. As a result, the court issued a pause on their enforcement, preventing the freeze or termination of any awards, contracts, or obligations pursuant to these directives while litigation was pending. On Friday, that block was lifted by an appeals court. The stay allows federal agencies to enforce the executive orders while the Trump administration’s appeal proceeds, a process that could take months. The three-judge [...]

By Melissa Scholz|2025-03-19T12:23:19-05:00March 19th, 2025|Compliance|Comments Off

Federal Judge Blocks Key Provisions of Trump’s Executive Orders on DEI

On Friday, a federal judge in Baltimore issued a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration from terminating or altering federal contracts deemed equity-related, citing potential constitutional violations, including infringements on free speech. Plaintiffs argued that two executive orders, Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing and Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity, exceeded presidential authority by attempting to override Congress’s exclusive power of the purse. They also contended that the orders unlawfully sought to silence those who disagreed with the administration by threatening loss of federal funding and other enforcement actions. The lawsuit specifically challenged the [...]

By Melissa Scholz|2025-02-25T17:39:06-06:00February 25th, 2025|501(c)(3), Compliance, Nonprofit|Comments Off

Webinar: Legal Updates for Nonprofits

Join us for legal updates on issues affecting nonprofits and the communities they serve. We will share what we know (and what we don't!), with a focus on how to keep moving forward. Webinar will not be recorded. Scholz Nonprofit Law Jeff Mandell from Law Forward Grant Sovern from Quarles & Brady / Community Immigration Law Center Thursday, February 6, 2025 11 - 12:30pm CST Registration required. Questions about the webinar? Email: [email protected] Substantive client questions? Email: [email protected]

By Melissa Scholz|2025-01-30T16:09:42-06:00January 30th, 2025|Compliance, Events, Nonprofit|Comments Off

REMINDER: IRS Reporting

Thank you for the opportunity to work with you. We greatly appreciate the contributions you make in the community and the trust you place in us to assist you. We look forward to being able to serve you in 2025. This is a reminder that all nonprofits have an obligation to submit various reports to the IRS and to the state each year. Below is an explanation of these key tax filings and their deadlines: 1) Form 1099 – You may be required to issue Form 1099-MISC for miscellaneous payments such as rent or Form 1099-NEC for payments to [...]

By Melissa Scholz|2025-01-15T01:32:04-06:00January 15th, 2025|501(c)(3), Nonprofit, Taxes|Comments Off

FLSA and Corporate Transparency Act

CHANGES TO FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT (FLSA)An update to our Announcement on June 5th, 2024Exempt Worker Salary Thresholds:In June, we announced updates to the Department of Labor’s (DOL) new rule increasing the minimum salary requirements for exempt employees under the FLSA. These changes aimed to extend overtime protections to more lower-paid salaried workers.White-Collar Exemption (such as administrators, managers, and teachers):July 1, 2024: Minimum salary increased to $844 per week ($43,888 annually).January 1, 2025: Minimum salary was set to increase to $1,128 per week ($58,656 annually).Highly Compensated Employee Exemption:July 1, 2024: Minimum salary increased to $132,964 per year, including [...]

By Melissa Scholz|2024-12-03T23:16:08-06:00December 3rd, 2024|501(c)(3), Compliance, Employment|Comments Off

Election 2024: 501(c)(3)s Can Help!

With Election Day approaching on November 5th, here are some ways 501c3 organizations can assist in ensuring a robust, fair election -- without engaging in political activity or lobbying. Through educational and charitable work, like helping people vote, 501c3s can play a vital role in making sure everyone has a voice in our democracy. 501c3s can educate and facilitate voter registration Ask your program participants if they’re registered to vote and provide information about how to register on Election Day (online voter registration ended October 17th) They can check here to see if they are registered at their current [...]

By Melissa Scholz|2024-10-18T03:00:37-05:00October 17th, 2024|501(c)(3), Employment, Voting|Comments Off

Employment Law Updates

EMPLOYMENT LAW UPDATES New Minimum Salaries for Exempt EmployeesUnder the Fair Labor Standards Act (SLFA), employees with sufficiently high salaries are categorized as “exempt,” meaning they are not entitled to overtime pay. On April 23, the US Department of Labor (DOL) finalized a rule that will increase the minimum salary required to categorize an employee as exempt. Currently, employees who fall under the white-collar exemption (such as administrators, managers, and teachers) must earn a salary of at least $684 per week or $35,568 annually to be considered exempt under the FLSA. Under DOL’s new rule, this minimum salary [...]

By Melissa Scholz|2024-11-21T16:14:51-06:00June 5th, 2024|501(c)(3), Compliance, Employment, Nonprofit|Comments Off

Key Tax Filings and Deadlines for 2024

Dear Scholz Nonprofit Law clients, current and past, and friends in the community: Thank you for the opportunity to work with you. We greatly appreciate the contributions you make in the community and the trust you place in us to assist you. We look forward to being able to serve you in 2024. This is a reminder that all nonprofits have an obligation to submit various reports to the IRS and to the state each year. Below is an explanation of these key tax filings and their deadlines: 1) Form 1099 – You may be required to issue Form [...]

By Melissa Scholz|2024-06-13T22:08:16-05:00January 24th, 2024|501(c)(3), Compliance, Nonprofit, Taxes|Comments Off

Meet our new associate attorney, West Foster

Dear clients, friends, and Wisconsin nonprofit community, We are excited to introduce our new associate attorney, West Foster. West joined us this May after graduating from the University of Wisconsin Law School. Prior to joining Scholz Nonprofit Law, he interned for Chief Judge Peterson at the Federal District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin and worked at UW’s Law and Entrepreneurship Clinic, where he provided free legal support to cooperatives, nonprofits, and small businesses. He brings to Scholz Nonprofit Law his passion for cooperatives and will expand the kinds of social enterprise that we support. On that [...]

By Melissa Scholz|2023-07-11T21:39:41-05:00July 11th, 2023|501(c)(3), Nonprofit|Comments Off

$1 Million Funding Opportunity from McKenzie Scott

March 22, 2023 Yield Giving, McKenzie Scott’s philanthropic organization, is now accepting applications for $1 million grants. This funding opportunity is for “community-led, community-focused organizations whose explicit purpose is to advance the voices and opportunities of individuals and families of meager or modest means, and groups who have met with discrimination and other systemic obstacles.” Any nonprofit in the United States that has had a $1 - $5 million operating budget for two of the last four fiscal years is eligible to apply. 250 nonprofits will be selected to receive one of the $1 million unrestricted awards, totaling to [...]

By Melissa Scholz|2023-03-24T00:31:10-05:00March 24th, 2023|501(c)(3), Grants|Comments Off