Non-Profit Organizations Research Guide

This guide is for students conducting introductory research in the area of non-profit organizations in the United States.

Major Treatises and Secondary Sources

The Bruce R. Hopkins Nonprofit Law Dictionary by Bruce R. Hopkins (available in print and online) is a thorough professional reference for the terminology and definitions surrounding the law of tax-exempt organizations. 

  • Call Number KF1388.A68 H665 2015

Nonprofit Law Made Easy by Bruce R. Hopkins (available in print and online) presents in-depth discussions on such hot topics as acquiring and maintaining tax-exempt status, reporting requirements, charitable giving, disclosure requirements, unrelated business activities, fundraising, corporate governance principles, and board members.

  • Call Number KF1388.Z9 H673 2005

Nonprofit Law: A Practical Guide to Legal Issues for Non Profit Organizations,  (available in print) edited by Boyd, Willard L. (Willard Lee), 1927- editor.; American Bar Association. Committee on Nonprofit Organizations, issuing body.

Nonprofit Law is a practical and quick reference for those who need answers to basic questions on nonprofit issues. 

  • Call Number KF1388.N67 2017

Research Handbook for Not for Profit Law, (available online) by Matthew Harding

This Research Handbook takes account of current trends and challenges developments in the field of not for profit law. 

Nonprofit Enterprises: Corporations, Trusts, and Associations, by Marilyn E. Phelan

  • Call Number: KF1388 .P47 2000

Nonprofit Organizations Law: A Legal Research Guide, by Christopher Aglim 

  • Call Number KF1388. A1 A954 2018

Nonprofit Organizations: Law and Taxation provides detailed coverage of the effect of tax acts on nonprofit entities. The author discusses:

  • Accounting methods for reporting financial activities
  • Use of tax-exempt bonds for financing
  • Consequences of a private foundation's status
  • Tax consequences of donors
  • The concept of unrelated business taxable income for hospitals, colleges, museums, and other nonprofit organizations
  • In addition, you'll find all necessary forms for obtaining tax-exempt status, and tax return forms for annual reporting purposes for several different types of exempt organizations.

Law of Tax-Exempt Organizations (available online), by Bruce Hopkins

  • Supplemented Annually

The Law of Tax Exempt Organizations in a Nutshell, by Scott Taylor

Nonprofit Handbook: Management, edited by Tracy Daniel Connors

  • Call Number: HD62.6 .N662 1997a
  • No electronic copy available

Planning Tax-Exempt Organizations

Representing Nonprofit Organizations, by Marilyn A. Phelan

  • " Examines the nonprofit organization versus the profit form of organization. Covers organizing and operating a nonprofit entity, including how charitable organizations may obtain and maintain public charity status; the consequences of private foundation status, and how to avoid prohibited activities and their associated penalty taxes; the extent to which nonprofit organizations may engage in lobbying activities or political campaigns without jeopardizing their status; potential liability of directors of nonprofit organizations, and how to avoid it; accounting principles applicable to nonprofit organizations; practical approaches to handling unrelated business taxable income; and details on many specific types of nonprofit entities." (From Westlaw Description)

Nonprofit Enterprises : Law and Taxation, by Marilyn E. Phelan

More on Nonprofit Organizations

More books on nonprofit law topics can be found in the Law Library's catalog or you can contact a Reference Librarian.

For more books about nonprofits generally, consult the Lauinger Library Nonprofit Research Guide and consider searching HoyaSearch, the main campus library catalog.