Nonprofit Crisis Management


The economic downturn has battered many nonprofits: funding is dwindling, endowments have lost value, and the need for services is increasing. The Partnership can assist your organization with some of the tough decisions you may have to make as a result of the recession. We can advise on:
  • Strategic alliances and mergers with other nonprofits;
  • Workforce reductions, alternatives to layoffs and other employment-related matters;
  • Satisfying or modifying leases and other contractual obligations;
  • Understanding Board members' fiduciary obligations and liabilities;
  • Restructuring debt;
  • Understanding restrictions on use of grant and endowment monies, including underwater endowments;
  • Fulfilling terms of government contracts; and
  • Deciding whether to file for bankruptcy or to dissolve.

Our attorneys can also provide advice on corporate structure and governance, real estate, employment law, environmental law, compliance with government regulations, fundraising, lobbying, intellectual property and other more routine business legal matters. Contact Us

The Partnership also has several publications for nonprofits considering reductions in staff. Please click below to read.
D.C. Pro Bono Bar
(Jan. 2009)

What to Do When You Have to Lay Off an Employee v What Every Nonprofit Should Know

Avoiding Potential Employment Pitfalls in Tough Economic Times

Checklist for Reduction in Force in Troubled Times

Using Shared Work Plans as an Alternative to Layoffs

Articles posted with permission of the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Program are provided by the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Program and the authors as a public service solely for informational purposes, without any representation that they are accurate or complete. These articles do not constitute legal advice and should not be construed as such. These articles do not create an attorney-client relationship between the reader and any other person, or an offer to create such a relationship. These articles contain information that is based, in whole or in part, on the laws of the District of Columbia and are current as of the date written. However laws vary from state to state and may change from time to time. As a result, the information may not be appropriate for anyone operating outside the District of Columbia and may no longer be timely. Consult an attorney if you have questions regarding the contents of these articles.

Pro Bono Partnership (Sept. 2009)

Please note: These publications are provided for informational purposes only, without any representation that they are accurate or complete. These publications do not constitute legal advice and should not be construed as such. These publications do not create an attorney-client relationship between the reader and any other person, nor are they an offer to create such a relationship. These publications are current as of the date written, but laws change over time and vary from state to state. As a result, the information presented here may not be timely and/or appropriate for any state not specifically addressed in a publication. Consult an attorney if you have questions regarding the content of any publication.
Timothy D. Speedy, Esq. and Nancy J. Arencibia, Esq., of Jackson Lewis LLP
(Feb. 2009)

Conducting an Employee Termination Meeting
Pro Bono Partnership
(June 2009)
D.C. Pro Bono Bar
(Feb. 2009)



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