ELC Clients - Social Entrepreneurs & Non-Profits
Individuals or groups who wish to build a non-profit business or charitable services organization, as well as those pursuing social entrepreneurship objectives, fit into this category. Most of these ventures will be generally eligible for ELC services. Well established non-profits with substantial endowments, as well as private foundations, will likely not be eligible for ELC services. Because of the emerging trend in social entrepreneurship for new ventures to demonstrate both low cost access strategies and profitable market strategies, ELC will consider providing services to founders who are not exclusively committed to forming a non-profit. In fact, ELC can help such founders think through the pros and cons of establishing non-profit vs. for profit organizations.
Accepted clients will be assigned a team tailored to the needs of the proposed venture. In some cases this will be a full team consisting of different students and attorneys for review of: business planning, structure, and governance; intellectual property, particularly trademarks, trade secrets, copyright, and, if applicable, patents; employment law; business licensing; and tax planning and compliance. In other cases, a non-profit or social entrepreneurship venture will be assigned a team with a single student and supervising attorney. For example, a small co-op that needs to focus solely on governance and co-op organization law, or obtaining tax exempt status can benefit from the efficiencies of a single business and tax law trained student and supervising attorney team.
The initial confidential legal and business audit report will assess the following areas, as applicable; additional legal services in these areas may also be offered upon mutual written agreement of the venture and ELC:
- Business planning
- Entity selection and registration
- Differences between non-profit governance (including co-ops) and for profit governance
- State and local business licenses
- Federal, state and local tax issues, including tax exempt status
- Credit facilities
- Leases and other commercial contracts
- Employment agreements
- Trademark and copyright registration, provisional patent applications, and licensing agreements
- IP counseling regarding branding, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, freedom to operate, fair use, publicity rights, and privacy rights
- Industry/technology specific legal issues such as
- FDA and state regulatory issues for life sciences products or services
- Privacy, information security, and cross border commercial & tax law issues for information technology products or services
Prospective clients should also read the section on General Overview of Services.
How to apply
- Download our Non-Profit Client Application
- Send completed application form along with business plan to .
- The ELC will review your application and notify you as to whether you are accepted in 3-4 weeks.
Please note: If you do qualify for assistance, we will do our best to serve you promptly; however, we cannot guarantee every eligible entrepreneur a spot in the Clinic. There may be a waiting list to receive services from the ELC, so please take this into account when you apply.
For more information, please contact the ELC at 206-336-5616 or email .