Nonprofit Tax & Sales Tax Counsel (Volunteer)

Nonprofit Tax & Sales Tax Counsel (Volunteer)

PromiseTrust | Nonprofit Tax, Sales Tax & Regulatory Compliance

Organization: Mentor A Promise (MAP)

Division: PromiseTrust

Location: Remote with NYC-based collaboration as needed

Commitment: Approximately 5–10 hours per week

Type: Volunteer Professional Role

Minimum Commitment: 6-month commitment required

Reports To: Senior Director of Legal Operations & Compliance

About Mentor A Promise

Mentor A Promise (MAP) is a New York City–based nonprofit organization supporting children and youth ages 5–18 experiencing housing instability through mentorship, literacy, social-emotional learning, educational enrichment, workforce development, creative opportunity, advocacy, housing innovation, and community-centered support.

As a nonprofit organization, maintaining legal and tax compliance is essential to protecting our mission, preserving public trust, and ensuring the responsible stewardship of charitable resources.

About PromiseTrust

PromiseTrust is Mentor A Promise's legal, compliance, governance support, and enterprise risk division. The division provides legal guidance, regulatory compliance, contract management, intellectual property protection, privacy support, and organizational risk management.

PromiseTrust works proactively to help every division operate responsibly, ethically, and in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

Role Overview

The Nonprofit Tax & Sales Tax Counsel serves as MAP's subject matter expert on nonprofit taxation, federal tax-exempt compliance, state charitable regulations, and sales and use tax matters.

Working closely with the Chief Financial Officer, PromiseFinance, organizational leadership, and external accounting professionals, this role provides legal and regulatory guidance that supports MAP's fundraising, e-commerce activities, charitable programs, sponsorships, licensing, and other revenue-generating initiatives.

The ideal candidate has experience advising nonprofit organizations on IRS regulations, state nonprofit law, charitable solicitation requirements, unrelated business income, and sales and use tax compliance.

Key Responsibilities

Federal Nonprofit Tax Compliance

• Advise on compliance with Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3)
• Interpret IRS guidance affecting nonprofit operations
• Review activities for consistency with MAP's charitable purpose
• Provide guidance regarding unrelated business income (UBIT)
• Assist leadership in evaluating new revenue-generating initiatives

State & Local Tax Compliance

• Advise on state and local nonprofit tax requirements
• Interpret sales and use tax laws applicable to nonprofit organizations
• Review product sales, fundraising events, sponsorships, licensing, and merchandise initiatives
• Support multistate tax compliance as organizational activities expand
• Assist with state tax exemption applications and renewals where applicable

E-Commerce & Retail Compliance

• Review nonprofit retail and e-commerce initiatives
• Advise on sales tax collection obligations
• Evaluate marketplace and online sales compliance
• Support product launches, charitable promotions, and fundraising campaigns
• Collaborate with PromiseBrands and PromiseFinance to ensure compliant business practices

Legal Risk Assessment

• Identify legal and tax risks associated with organizational activities
• Recommend practical compliance strategies
• Review contracts and agreements involving taxable transactions
• Support internal policy development related to tax compliance
• Monitor legislative and regulatory developments affecting nonprofit organizations

Cross-Divisional Collaboration

• Partner with PromiseFinance on financial compliance and tax reporting
• Collaborate with PromiseBrands regarding merchandise and retail initiatives
• Support PromiseGiving on fundraising compliance
• Advise PromiseOperations on organizational policies and procedures
• Work with executive leadership on strategic organizational initiatives

Preferred Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school
• Licensed attorney in at least one U.S. jurisdiction (preferred)
• Experience advising 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations
• Strong knowledge of federal nonprofit tax law, IRS regulations, and charitable organizations
• Experience with state sales and use tax laws, particularly nonprofit exemptions
• Familiarity with charitable solicitation regulations and nonprofit governance
• Excellent legal research, writing, analytical, and communication skills
• CPA, LL.M. in Taxation, or experience working alongside nonprofit accountants is a plus

Why This Role Matters

Strong missions require strong compliance.

Every program, partnership, donation, and retail initiative should be built upon a foundation of sound legal and tax guidance.

The Nonprofit Tax & Sales Tax Counsel helps Mentor A Promise pursue innovation responsibly while protecting the organization's tax-exempt status, maintaining regulatory compliance, and safeguarding the trust placed in us by our donors, partners, and the communities we serve.

Success Measures

• Strengthened nonprofit tax compliance across the organization
• Effective legal guidance for fundraising and retail initiatives
• Timely identification and mitigation of tax-related risks
• Successful collaboration with finance, legal, and operational leadership
• Development of practical policies supporting tax compliance
• Advancement of MAP's long-term financial and regulatory stewardship

Leadership Participation

The Nonprofit Tax & Sales Tax Counsel is expected to:

• Attend relevant legal and compliance meetings
• Participate in regular check-ins with the Senior Director of Legal Operations & Compliance
• Collaborate with PromiseFinance, PromiseBrands, PromiseGiving, and executive leadership
• Support organization-wide compliance initiatives and special projects

Volunteer Expectations

• Approximately 5–10 hours per week
• Minimum 6-month commitment required
• Maintain timely and professional communication
• Collaborate through MAP systems and communication platforms
• Support MAP's safeguarding standards, mission, and organizational values
• Demonstrate the highest standards of integrity, professionalism, confidentiality, and sound legal judgment

What You'll Gain

• Opportunity to advise a growing nonprofit organization on complex tax and regulatory matters
• Experience supporting nonprofit governance, finance, fundraising, and social enterprise initiatives
• Collaboration with executive leadership, legal professionals, accountants, and nonprofit leaders
• Professional references and letters of recommendation
• Meaningful impact helping build a legally sound and financially sustainable organization that serves children and families experiencing housing instability

How to Apply

Interested candidates should apply directly through Idealist and include their resume and cover letter.

Please highlight experience involving nonprofit tax law, 501(c)(3) organizations, IRS compliance, sales and use tax, nonprofit governance, charitable organizations, or related legal practice.

Help strengthen the legal and financial foundation that enables Mentor A Promise to responsibly expand its impact while serving children and families experiencing housing instability.

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with our organization. At this time, volunteer opportunities are limited to individuals based in the United States due to legal, safeguarding, data-privacy, and programmatic requirements. We appreciate your interest in our mission and your understanding of these constraints.