Webinar About Different Legal Structures for Social Enterprise Including L3C

Many with whom I have chatted about Time Well Spent have heard my “spiel” on L3C, the new business form I am seriously considering …

So that you may learn more about this cutting-edge legal structure, and to prove I’m not crazy (at least not completely crazy), I encourage readers of my blog and those interested in “businesses doing well by doing good,” to virtually attend a webinar ~ on Thursday, from 1-2:30 EST ~ that is being offered by the Social Enterprise Alliance. While it is open to all, it looks like the sign-up closes tonight so twittering this out to those on my list and posting it a few places in the hopes that it might be helpful to those with whom I network online.

Read on for a description of the one-hour webinar and here’s a link to the complete description page including a brief bio of the speaker, Robert Wexler.

About the Workshop:

This webinar will focus on the basic issues that a social enterprise in formation must consider in deciding whether to structure the enterprise as a for-profit, nonprofit, or hybrid legal entity.  The webinar will analyze the legal issues that will drive an entrepreneur to consider one or more of the following legal forms:  corporation, limited liability company, L3C, B-Corporation, non-profit exempt under IRC Section 501(c)(3) or nonprofit exempt under IRC Section 501(c)(4).  It will also discuss when the use of more than one entity is appropriate or necessary and how two entities can work together legally.  Key issues driving these decisions include the source of capital for the enterprise, the financial and other goals of the founders, and whether the law will accommodate a particular business plan within the tax-exempt framework.  Attendees should come away with a set of the questions to consider in deciding what legal structure to use and sense of how the answers to those questions will help determine the most effective legal form.

Not exactly the warm fuzzy side of doing good, but critically important nonetheless.  Considering how much I am not driven by the whole profit motive, money-making end of business, I can honestly say that the L3C topic and program related investment are actually topics that do hold my interest (for a while…) because of the good that can be possible through this business form intended to facilitate social enterprise funding, a topic certainly near and dear to my heart!

   

Check out all the details on the registration page and check out the Social Enterprise Alliance website while you are there. It’s been updated and the front page provides an exciting overview of opportunities and accomplishments. Special Kudos to Jodi Rosenbaum Tillinger of More Than Words and Anne Wunderli of Pine Street Inn’s Abundant Table, two thought-leaders here in Massachusetts recognized on SEA’s home page. Jodi and Anne’s efforts are led by their full hearts, and they are both a great source of inspiration and hope to those of us pursuing our values-based goals through social enterprise.

 

I’ll be attending the webinar and hope to hear some familiar names and voices on the line.

 

Carpe Diem ~ Nancy

  

p.s. Here’s the link to an article on L3c, of which there are a growing number (articles about L3Cs and L3Cs themselves, that is!). This article blog post was highlighted in the L3C Linkedin Group and written just the other day and it includes a video, for those tired of reading blogs!