California Assembly Bill 488: Impact To Charitable Organizations

As a courtesy, because we care about your success, we want to bring an important issue to your attention. California has enacted Assembly Bill 488 to regulate online charitable fundraising platforms. The law, which is currently scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2023, refers to a list of charitable organizations, published by the California Attorney General, that are not in good standing with the state and therefore prohibited to operate or solicit donations in California.

How do I check if my organization is on this list?

We urgently advise you to check if your organization appears on this list which can be found here: List of charitable organizations that may not operate or solicit in California.

If my organization is on the list, what action should I take?

It is critically important that you rectify this status as soon as possible so that you are lawfully operating in California using our solutions. Your organization should reach out directly to the California Attorney General’s office to understand what steps to take. We, at Blackbaud, do not have any further information on your status. 

What might cause an organization to be placed on this list?

A common reason, among others, an organization would be placed on this list is having a delinquent status due to a failure to make timely filings for each fiscal year with the California Attorney General’s Registry of Charitable Trusts. The list also includes organizations with suspended or revoked registrations and other status issues. We are not in a position to know the details of your specific situation.

Who should my organization work with on this matter?

Charitable organizations should work directly with the California Attorney General’s Registry of Charitable Trusts. Below are links to more specific information on the California Attorney General’s website:

• List of charitable organizations that may not operate or solicit in California.

• Information about delinquency including information about required filings, regulations, forms, FAQs, and a delinquency webinar: “How to Become Current in California”

• Attorney General’s Registry of Charitable Trusts - Registry Verification Search tool to verify an organization’s status

I have additional questions, who should I contact?

If you have questions, please reach directly out to the California Attorney General’s Registry of Charitable Trusts. We, at Blackbaud, are not in a position to know the details of your specific situation.