Over the past several decades, the nonprofit sector has grown dramatically in wealth and prominence. This seminar examines the rationales, structures, and controversies related to nonprofit organizations and philanthropy in the United States. We will examine: (a) the state and federal requirements for obtaining exemption from otherwise applicable taxes; (b) the roles of nonprofits organizations posited by economic, political, and historical vantage points; (c) the legal purposes and framework of these organizations-including the advantages of the nonprofit form (e.g. whether tax-exemption is justified) and the restrictions on the type of commercial and political activity in which they can engage; and (d) the controversies surrounding the nonprofit sector, with particular emphasis on the ethics of giving, the oversight roles played by boards of directors, state authorities, and federal regulators, and questions of accountability and performance.