Legal Webinar: State Charitable Solicitation Statutes: Everything You Wanted to Know (2026)

Legal Webinar: State Charitable Solicitation Statutes: Everything You Wanted to Know But Were Afraid to Ask

Wednesday, October 14, 2026 | 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM | Webinar

Presented by: Don Kramer, Esq. and Karl Emerson, Esq. of Montgomery McCracken

Offered in Partnership with: Nonprofit Issues

*CPE & CLE credits are available for this program for accountants and lawyers; to receive credit you must register through Nonprofit Issues.

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Tuesday, October 13, 11:59 PM

Most charities that seek contributions nationally are required to register in 38 states and the District of Columbia that require registration before starting to solicit. 

Since many states are increasing their enforcement efforts to ensure that charities and fundraisers are complying with initial and annual registration requirements, it's important that charities and fundraisers abide by these statutes—especially since noncompliance can result in the imposition of significant fines and penalties.

Whether you are a nonprofit executive, board member, lawyer or accountant, knowing the intricacies of state charitable solicitation registration statutes are relevant to everyone. Led by two attorneys, one of whom was the former director of the PA Bureau of Charitable Organizations (who was responsible for administering and enforcing PA’s Charitable Solicitation Law!), this webinar will answer questions like:

• Do for-profit fundraisers need to register and file their contracts and other documentation in some states?
• Does your charity have a “Donate Now” button on its website?
• Does that mean that you have to register solicit charitable contributions in all 38 states and the District of Columbia that have charitable solicitation registration requirements?
• What are the regulators saying about that now?
• Who is excluded or exempted from registration requirements?
• What does registration involve? A complete Schedule B to your Form 990?
• What is California doing about registration for crowdfunding?
• How much trouble can you get in if you don’t follow the rules?

*CPE & CLE credits are available for this program for accountants and lawyers; to receive credit you must register through Nonprofit Issues.

REGISTRATION FEES

Single Login Cost:
$45 per person for PANO Members | $100 per person for Not-Yet Members

Terms of Participation
Your purchase entitles you to a single login. Please do not share the login information with others, as it may interfere with your ability to join. If multiple individuals from your organization would like to attend the webinar, please purchase separate tickets for each person or consider a group ticket (below).

Group Ticket Cost (4-10 individuals):
$150 per group for PANO Members | $333 per group for Not-Yet Members

Terms of Participation
If you have 4-10 individuals interested in attending the webinar, please have one person register selecting the group ticket. You can then enter the names and email addresses of up to 10 individuals to add to your group ticket. Each person registered will receive their own unique login instructions and may join from wherever is most convenient for them.

This option makes the most sense when you have 4-10 individuals interested in attending. For fewer than 4 attendees, a single login ticket for each person is the most cost-effective option. For more than 10 attendees, please email Christina at christina@pano.org to discuss options.

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Tuesday, October 13, 11:59 PM

MATERIALS
If applicable, any materials (e.g., PowerPoint and other handouts), will be shared with registrants either the day of or within a few days following the webinar.

LOGIN INSTRUCTIONS
PANO uses Zoom as our webinar platform; you can familiarize yourself with Zoom and/or join a test meeting prior to this session. Login instructions will be included in your registration confirmation email.

RECORDING
All registrants will automatically receive a copy of the recording, along with any materials, within a few days of the live session. Additionally, the recording will be uploaded to PANO’s Online Store for purchase ($45 for PANO Members | $100 for Not-Yet Members) within a week of the live event.

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Tuesday, October 13, 11:59 PM

About the Facilitators

Don Kramer, Esq., Montgomery McCracken + Nonprofit Issues
Donald W. Kramer serves as chair of Montgomery McCracken’s Nonprofit practice group.

Don has more than 45 years of experience dealing with the concerns of nonprofit organizations, not only as a lawyer, but also as a teacher, writer, publisher, and board member. He has worked with nonprofits of all types and sizes, helping structure startup situations and restructure multiorganizational health and educational systems. He counsels on a wide range of nonprofit corporate structure and governance, private and community foundations, continuing care retirement communities, exempt organization taxation, low-income housing tax credit transactions, real estate, charitable giving, and other nonprofit issues.

Don has provided legal services to The Philadelphia Foundation for more than 40 years.

Don serves as the editor and publisher of Don Kramer’s Nonprofit Issues®, a national newsletter of “Nonprofit Law You Need to Know,” which he founded in 1989.

Prior to joining Montgomery McCracken in 1972, Don served as deputy development coordinator and assistant to the mayor of Philadelphia.

Karl Emerson, Esq. of Montgomery, McCracken

Karl Emerson, Esq. provides legal counsel and advice to nonprofit organizations, including advising charitable organizations and their fundraisers on compliance with state charitable solicitation statutes, conducting charitable organization compliance assessments, and conducting internal investigations for charitable and other tax-exempt organizations. Karl represents more than 100 charitable organizations and educational institutions that he registers each year to solicit contributions nationally in all states where required. He also represents charitable organizations when they are investigated by various state and federal agencies.

Prior to joining Montgomery McCracken, Karl served as director of the Pennsylvania Bureau of Charitable Organizations where he was responsible for administering and enforcing Pennsylvania's charitable solicitation law. Under his direction, the number of registered organizations increased from approximately 3,700 to more than 9,800. 

Previously, Karl held a variety of executive level positions in the Pennsylvania Office of Inspector General where he supervised and directed complex fraud, waste, and abuse investigations. 

Karl received a J. D. degree from Temple University Law School. He graduated from the University of New Hampshire where he earned dual degrees, each magna cum laude, in Economics and Business Administration.

Melissa Sines, PANO + Colmena Consulting

Melissa Sines is a dynamic leader and strategist and one of the co-founders of Colmena Consulting. Melissa brings deep expertise to her work with public sector organizations, focusing on building collective vision, nurturing emergent strategy, and developing and holding meaningful spaces for building community, learning together, and supporting leadership at all levels for nonprofit and philanthropy boards of directors, executive leadership, and program and operations staff. 

At her core, Melissa’s purpose is to build deep and authentic connections, share knowledge, and be the voice that questions assumptions and challenges the status quo. She is a sense-maker, connector, and network strategist that can help navigate the space between what we are and what we have the ability to become – a sector full of people, movements, and organizations that live our values through our work.

Learn more about Melissa here.