Helping a friend start a non-profit - any advice on The Foundation Group or other

[Flaxbee]

entities like LegalZoom that help walk people through the application process?

I have done a fair amount of research, but my friend would like to hire a group to manage the application ... does anyone have experience with any of the various groups out there that offer to assist?

Thanks for any input.

(Cross-posted in the Lounge)

[Liberal_in_LA]

1. Kicking for morning crew

[Flaxbee]

2. thanks for the kick, Liberal_in_LA

Appreciate it.

Is LA Los Angeles or Louisiana? Or somewhere else?

[Liberal_in_LA]

3. Los angeles

[Flaxbee]

5. I'm a SoCal native ...

grew up all over SoCal, went to UCSD undergrad / UCLA grad. While at UCLA I lived in Westwood and Brentwood and west of Sepulveda, I think off Wilshire (I don't remember, to be perfectly honest)

I miss LA; I loved living there.

[Lee-Lee]

4. Find a good local lawyer with experience in nonprofits

And get them to do it. It may cost a bit more, but they will know all the nuances for your locality and you will have established a relationship with a local attorney- and that can be very important down the road because even the most well meaning and innocent of organizations can find themselves with legal problems, and when you do is not the time to be trying first start that relationship.

Virtually all attorneys are active political donors, so part of choosing one should be looking at thier history of donations to ensure they are like minded.

[Flaxbee]

6. Thanks, Lee-Lee

I"m not sure if my friend will want to do that at first --- we're in a smallish town and the nearest big city is Washington, DC, with lawyers that cost a fortune. I'll bring the idea up, though, and see what he says.

[Lee-Lee]

7. You may be surprised how many will do it at reduced cost for a good cause