Cracking the Code in California: Navigating State Compliance During Election Years

Five-part compliance training series for multi-entity social justice organizations.

We’re excited to bring the Bold & Safe training series to California! This new series helps organizations build the knowledge, confidence, and practical skills they need to navigate California’s compliance requirements while continuing to do bold, impactful work.

The series kicks off September 8th, is free to social justice organizations, and includes five live trainings through the election and workshops opportunities in October. Each training will be offered twice in the same week, on Tuesday and Wednesday, so you can attend whichever session works best for your schedule.

Registration is FREE and will remain open until each training begins, but we encourage you to register early so we know who’s joining us.

Explore the Trainings

Ready to see what’s in store? Explore the training descriptions below to learn more about each session, what you’ll take away, and how the series can support your organization.

Each training is designed to be practical and interactive, with opportunities to connect the concepts to the real-world work your organization is doing. You’ll also have the chance to workshop challenges with Bold & Safe coaches and colleagues from across California.

Read through the training descriptions below, choose the sessions that are most relevant to you, and get ready to crack the code on California compliance!

Training #1

Strategy & Compliance: Making an Impact While Managing Risk & Capacity

September 8 & 9 (Tues/Wed)
1-2pm PT (same session, two options)

Are you a nonprofit navigating California’s complex campaign finance and compliance rules this year? This training provides a California-tailored roadmap for making compliance- and strategic election-year decisions. We will cover what you need to know to compliantly manage ballot measures, GOTV and more. You will leave with a clear understanding of how strategy and structures work together and how to keep your entities protected through the cycle.

Understanding the compliance implications of key decision points will go a long way towards informing an overall strategy that is both impactful and feasible. If you want to balance your programmatic work with the realities of your operational capacity, join the Bold & Safe team for this conversation.

Training #2

Definitions Matter: What to Know When Engaging in Nonpartisan Electoral Work

September 22 & 23 (Tues/Wed)
1-2pm PT (same session, two options)

Are you working to support or oppose ballot measures in California this year? Are you confused about whether certain activities qualify as lobbying, public education, or electioneering? This training will help answer questions that 501(c)(3)s and multi-entity organizations in California should consider when engaging in ballot measures, voter registration, and voter education.

We will discuss the pros and cons of designing programs using different structures and provide a guide to compliance obligations. If you are considering nonpartisan activities and wondering if/how/when you might trigger reporting requirements, or how to strategically limit and manage compliance risk, join the Bold & Safe team for this discussion.

Training #3

Money In, Money Out: Raising, Spending, & Communicating Safely During Election Years

September 29 & 30 (Tues/Wed)
1-2pm PT (same session, two options)

What do multi-entity organizations need to know about raising and spending money during an election year in California? Resourcing bold work is a necessity, but fundraising without proper compliance know-how can lead to easy and visible compliance mistakes. This training will cover the basic rules around soliciting funds, triggering committees, donor disclosures, and communications disclaimers.

We’ll also discuss what to do if late money rolls in. If you want to ensure your fundraising, programmatic, and operations teams work together to raise funds while maintaining legal compliance across multiple entities, join the Bold & Safe team for this training.

Training #4

Track It!: Practical Tips for Reporting Time & Expenditures (plus other HR issues)

October 6 & 7 (Tues/Wed)
1-2pm PT (same session, two options)

Does tracking time and money in your nonprofit during election season keep you up at night? Are you curious about how to manage your nonprofit’s staff and funds compliantly during a busy election year to protect your 501(c)(3)? This training will provide an overview of what you must track and report in compliance with California's complex campaign finance rules.

Participants will learn how and when to calculate in-kind costs, track and pay for staff time appropriately across activities and entities, and manage deadlines. This session will also cover common HR mistakes and how to avoid them. To prepare for the rush of election-season reporting and avoid costly compliance errors, join the Bold & Safe team for this training.

Training #5

Pride & Pain: Election-Year Lessons Learned: Building a Culture of Compliance for the Future

December 1 & 2 (Tues/Wed)
1-2pm PT (same session, two options)

What can California nonprofit organizations learn from past election cycles to help build an organizational culture of compliance going forward? Elections are pressure tests that reveal cracks in even the best compliance system. In this session, we will talk about how to compliantly parlay your election-year learning and efforts into your off-cycle work.

Join the Bold & Safe team for a candid discussion about what went well, what could be improved, and how to build an internal culture of compliance that will prepare your multi-entity organization for bold and safe advocacy, organizing, and power in the future.

Cracking the Code October Workshops

October 13th and 14th (Tues/Wed) (time TBD)
October 20th and 21st (Tues/Wed) (time TBD)

Are you looking for a casual environment to connect with colleagues and experienced California operations practitioners to discuss compliance challenges and solutions?

Then these small-group workshops are for you! With Election Day looming, it can help to share the real-world challenges you’re facing and troubleshoot (or vent!) with others navigating the same California legal complexities.

In these interactive live workshops, we’ll pick a loose theme to discuss but leave plenty of flexibility for whatever folks bring to the table. Join this casual conversation with Bold & Safe coaches and other California social justice organizations doing bold work safely.

Ready to Join Us?

Now that you’ve explored the trainings and are excited to be part of the series, register using the button below!

Registration is free, and you can select the trainings you’d like to attend. Remember, registering for a training gives you the flexibility to attend either the Tuesday or Wednesday session that week.

Disclaimers

The Bold & Safe program is non-partisan public education. The information contained in this course and all attachments or materials is being provided for educational and informational purposes only. TCS and NLA do not serve as legal counsel to your organization, and the guidance set out in the course materials does not constitute legal advice. The guidance does not take into account the specific circumstances of your organization. And the relevant laws and regulations change regularly. For these reasons, you should consult an attorney or attorneys qualified to advise you on the applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and rulings.

The Bold & Safe program is a joint project of NLA and TCS and provides public education about how nonprofits can engage in compliant multi-entity work. The program and its contents are strictly nonpartisan, and any guidance with respect to electoral activity, including federal and California campaign finance regulations, is for educational purposes only and is applicable to all such activity regardless of any party, candidate, or ballot measure supported or opposed by any particular organization.

The Capacity Shop (TCS) is an educational organization exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. TCS is focused on building the operational capacity of 501(c)(3) organizations to engage in compliant multi-entity work. NLA is a social welfare organization under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code. NLA is focused on building the operational capacity of all legal structures used by multi-entity organizations.