A founder of an organization does not, as a matter of law, have a specific right to continue to be recognized as such unless there are specific terms in the certificate of incorporation of the bylaws addressing that (which there usually aren't).
Like for-profit corporations, the focus is the business--or in your case, the people or causes being served. Unless there is a culture dedicated to preserving the legacy, there often is nothing in the law that says that the founder must continue to be recognized as such.
As a matter of marketing, however, it probably would be good form to recognize the substantial dedication that the founder brought to the organization in getting it started and running it so successfully over the years. It could make the difference between the friends of the founder continuing to support the organization or finding another worthy cause to contribute to.
Nina L. Kaufman is an award-winning business attorney, author and speaker. For more than 15 years, she has successfully navigated thousands of small businesses through the legal hurdles they face in starting and running their companies. Under her
AskTheBusinessLawyer.com brand, she reaches thousands of entrepreneurs and small business owners with her legal services, professional speaking, information products, and
LexAppeal weekly ezine.
