APPLICATION FOR LEGAL ASSISTANCE

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "APPLICATION FOR LEGAL ASSISTANCE"

Florence Powers
6 years ago
Views:

1 Connecticut Urban Legal Initiative, Inc. Nonprofit Pro Bono Initiative University of Connecticut School of Law 35 Elizabeth Street Room K-202 Hartford, CT Ph: (860) Fax: (860) APPLICATION FOR LEGAL ASSISTANCE THIS FORM WILL HELP CULI AND NPBI TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR ORGANIZATION AND ITS LEGAL NEEDS, IN ORDER TO DETERMINE WHETHER WE CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH ASSISTANCE. PLEASE INCLUDE ANY OTHER INFORMATION THAT YOU THINK MIGHT BE HELPFUL, USING ADDITIONAL SHEETS IF NECESSARY. PLEASE SEE DISCLAIMER AT END OF APPLICATION. Date: EIN#: Organization Name: Address: City: State: Zip Code: Contact: Title: Phone: Fax: Website: ORGANIZATION S MISSION 1. Describe the purpose or mission of your organization: 2. Please check the box that applies: The organization serves primarily low-income individuals or communities The organization's statement of purpose includes activities to benefit low-income, disadvantaged and/or distressed communities The matter on which legal assistance is sought raises issues of significant legal consequence to low-income, disadvantaged and/or distressed communities. The organization serves another important public interest Page 1

2 3. Which category best describes your organization? Arts and Culture Education Health Housing and Shelter Community Development/Organizing Social Services Other - Please specify: LEGAL PROJECT 4. Please describe in detail the type of legal assistance you are requesting: 5. Do you need assistance starting a nonprofit? Yes No If yes: a) Have you attended the NPBI seminar entitled Myths and Realities of Nonprofits Yes No (call us to learn of the next seminar) b) Please read the attached Requirements for Start-up Nonprofit Organizations and provide the information requested. 6. Are there other individuals or organizations directly involved in the legal matter with which you are requesting assistance (e.g., other parties to a contract)? If so, please list (Use a separate page, if necessary) ABOUT YOUR ORGANIZATION 7. How many years has your organization existed? 8. Is your organization incorporated? No Yes If yes, Year: Name as it appears on file with the Secretary of State (if different from above): 9. Is your organization tax-exempt? No Yes If yes: 501(c)(3) 501(c)(4) Other: Date of Determination Letter: Date of end of Advanced Ruling Period: 10. How many people are involved in running the organization? Number of Board Members: Staff: Volunteers: Other: 11. About how many people does your organization currently serve? 12. Where does it provide services? 13. What is the organization s annual budget? $ 14. Is there a line item for legal fees? Yes No If yes, how much? $ Page 2

3 15. Please provide the name, phone number and affiliation of any lawyer who is now helping or has helped your organization. Briefly describe the service provided and the dates of service during the last three (3) years. Please advise whether the services were provided pro bono. Use a separate page, if necessary 16. If your organization paid standard legal fees for the project requested in this application, would such payment significantly deplete the organization s resources or otherwise be inappropriate? 17. Does your organization currently use a fiscal sponsor? No Yes If yes, please name organization: 18. Please provide the name, telephone number and position held for each attorney who sits on your organization s board of directors: Use a separate page, if necessary HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT US? 19. Please tell us how you heard about CULI or NPBI: Seminar Current or former CULI/NPBI Client Other Nonprofit Organization Internet Search An Attorney Other Professional (accountants, consultants, etc.) Other: CLIENT CENSUS (NOT REQUIRED) Our organization primarily serves the following populations: Asian Hispanic African-American Native American Indian Other (please describe) Our organization primarily serves the following age group(s): Children Youth/Teens Elderly All ages Continue Next Page Page 3

4 Additional Information Please provide the following information with this application: 1. A copy of the organization s certificate of incorporation and bylaws, including any amendments 2. A list of directors and officers, including titles and affiliations 3. Organization brochures or other marketing materials 4. Organization s Determination Letter from the IRS, if tax-exempt 5. For start-ups, the information requested in the attachment to this Application CULI and NPBI will review all requests for legal assistance in order to determine whether assistance can be provided to your organization. Please send this form either of the following: Priya S. Morganstern, Director Nonprofit Pro Bono Initiative Connecticut Urban Legal Initiative, Inc. University of Connecticut School of Law 35 Elizabeth Street, Knight Hall Hartford, CT priya.morganstern@law.uconn.edu tel: (860) fax: (860) Barbara McGrath, Assistant Director Connecticut Urban Legal Initiative, Inc. University of Connecticut School of Law 35 Elizabeth Street, Knight Hall Hartford, CT barbara.mcgrath@law.uconn.edu tel: (860) fax: (860) Disclaimer: Providing the requested information does not create an attorney-client relationship between the applicant and CULI, NPBI or any other party. No attorney-client relationship exists until the applicant and CULI have executed a formal engagement letter. Continue Next Page Page 4

5 Connecticut Urban Legal Initiative, Inc. Nonprofit Pro Bono Initiative Requirements for Start-Up Nonprofit Organizations CULI and/or NPBI will occasionally assist with the establishment of new nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations. However, before we consider assisting with a start-up, we ask you to take several important steps. Apart from serving as a threshold to receiving assistance from CULI, the following tasks are critical to establishing a successful nonprofit organization. 1. Do your Market Research Identify other organizations in your area, if any, that provide services similar to the ones you intend to provide; determine whether (how) your proposed organization is different. Explore the possibility of working with one of the existing organizations rather than starting a new nonprofit, perhaps as a new program of the nonprofit. Remember, nonprofits compete for funding, volunteers and other resources, so you do not want to duplicate the activities of another group. Based on the above, provide CULI/NPBI with the reasons Connecticut needs a new nonprofit organization to serve this particular need. 2. Establish a Board of Directors Contact individuals who share your vision and ask them to be a part of your Board of Directors. Three (3) is the legal minimum number of directors, although typically you want at least five (5). Make a list of the name, address, and phone number of all Board members. Provide CULI/NPBI with this list of Board members and with evidence that the Board has met at least once (such as minutes of the meeting). 3. Create a Business Plan of Activities The business plan of activities is more than just your organization s mission statement. Think about the goals of your organization. What are the long-term goals? What are the shortterm goals? How you will go about meeting those goals? Establish whether the activities will be carried out by staff members or by volunteers; where you plan to do them; and when. Use a timeline to set benchmarks for achieving your goals. As part of the business plan, prepare a 2-4 page narrative describing your organization, its mission (which generally should be consistent with serving low-income individuals or lowincome communities), its programs and its goals. Please submit this narrative to CULI/ NPBI. Note: CULI does not assist with drafting business plans. Please see CULI s website for information and resources on business planning. 4. Generate a 2-3 Year Projected Budget Determine how much money you are going to need to meet the goals set out in your business plan. Page 5

6 Keep in mind overhead costs such as rent, supplies, and staff as well as program-specific costs such as food or construction costs. Provide CULI/NPBI with this budget. 5. Prepare a Fundraising Plan Think about the sources you will be using to fund your organization and create a plan for obtaining funding from those sources. Look for diversity in funding sources. In order to qualify for tax-exempt status, you will need to show that you have several different sources of funding. These various sources of funding should be identified in your proposed budget. Page 6

NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW BUSINESS LAW TRANSACTIONS CLINIC. Request for Legal Assistance

NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW BUSINESS LAW TRANSACTIONS CLINIC Request for Legal Assistance Our Services The Business Law Transactions Clinic of the New York University School of Law (the Clinic )