Nonprofit groups raising money in New York are required by new rules to report nationwide spending on communications that support or oppose candidates and ballot initiatives, or that simply refer to candidates within certain periods before an election. When a group spends more than $10,000 on such communications in regard to New York state or local elections, it must also itemize these expenditures and disclose donors of $1,000 or more.

The new disclosure obligations apply to nonprofits that raise funds from New York residents and thus were already required to register and file annual reports with the New York Attorney General’s Charities Bureau. According to New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, the rules principally target 501(c)(4) organizations that use so-called “dark money,” a term that describes political spending that is not publicly disclosed under federal or state election laws, or federal tax laws. 

Section 501(c)(3) organizations are exempt from the new disclosure requirements even if otherwise required to register and file annual reports. Membership organizations that only solicit their own members are exempt from the annual reporting requirements, and therefore are also exempt from the new disclosure obligations.


These new rules pose significant
fundraising and compliance challenges for nonprofits because of their nationwide reach, applicability to grassroots lobbying communications, and requirements for donor disclosure. 

We have prepared a client alert that addresses the new rules more fully and offers tips for compliance. See more here.