Saskia M. de Boer

Saskia de Boer advises tax-exempt organizations and businesses regarding the federal and state rules that regulate the charitable sector. As the former managing director and senior program counsel for a multibillion-dollar national private operating foundation, Saskia has a particular appreciation for the complex regulatory environment and business challenges faced by nonprofits. A strategic advisor, she partners with leaders to pioneer innovative ways to help organizations evolve, people thrive, and communities prosper.

Saskia counsels management and boards of public charities, private foundations, advocacy organizations, trade associations, colleges and business corporations on a wide range of compliance matters and strategic issues. She has substantial experience with governance, complex collaborations, mergers, grantmaking, and advocacy. Combining her passion for community with her management background and legal expertise, Saskia provides her clients with incomparable strategic vision to manage risk while maximizing charitable intent and impact.

Education

Stanford Law School, J.D., 2003

Stanford Graduate School of Business, Executive Leadership Development Program, 2016

Vassar College, A.B., with honors, 1997; Phi Beta Kappa

Admissions

Oregon

Washington

Languages

Saskia provides proactive counsel to help mission-driven organizations achieve their vision and successfully navigate and operate among federal and state requirements and restrictions.

Her experience includes:

Private Foundations and Public Charities

• Serves as a strategic and trusted advisor to boards and management of 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations on governance, programs, operations, policy, administration, grantmaking, fundraising and finance
• Advances program shifts, new lines of business, affiliates, mergers, multi-party collaborations, fiscal sponsorships, joint ventures and supporting organizations
• Supports foundations with launching program-related investments, expenditure responsibility grants, trust-based philanthropy and advocacy efforts
• Develops advocacy framework and equips organizations’ staff and trustees with the information and strategies they need to leverage critical dollars, partners, expertise and people
• Structures multi-party collaborations among nonprofits with the same or different tax-exempt status, and between nonprofits and for-profit entities; forms public-private partnerships
• Creates and nourishes networks of affiliated organizations to influence policy and practice and maximize fundraising, political opportunities and election-year activities
• Provides counsel on all key stages in life cycle of organizations: forms nonprofit corporations and obtains tax-exempt status; creates fiscal sponsorships and affiliated organizations; prepares merger and dissolution materials
• Developed and negotiated collaboration agreements with all 50 states and with sovereign American Indian nations and Alaska Native corporations and communities

Higher Education

• Advises college boards, presidents, administration and faculty on effective shared governance and operations
• Represented private liberal arts colleges in affiliations, mergers and closure, resolving aspects of governance, financial distress, advancement, and operations
• Counsels independent foundations that support public universities on governance and fiduciary compliance, investment and endowment, tax and gift planning, and gift solicitation
• Advises schools and foundations on scholarship programs
• Structures joint ventures between nonprofit colleges and for-profit providers, and advises on tax-exempt, regulatory, contract, compliance and risk management issues related to relationship

Health Care

• Supports hospital systems, service organizations, health plans, federally qualified health centers, and related foundations on governance, tax and program matters
• Counsels mission-driven organizations on transactions, combinations and affiliations
• Distills complex tax-exempt organization law to structure, support and operationalize affiliated organizations

Trade Associations and Political Organizations

• Forms 501(c)(6) trade associations to support collaboration among members and influence public policy
• Advises 501(c)(4) social welfare organizations and affiliated political action committees
• Counsels on governance, unrelated business income tax, membership and compliance issues

Corporations

• Provides counsel to businesses to create corporate giving programs, employee match programs, and foundations that fulfill their goals of charitable intent, community involvement and effective marketing
• Advises companies and their affiliated corporate foundations on navigating self-dealing rules and maximizing shared goals
• Supports businesses with cause marketing and corporate social responsibility programs, including agreements and registrations

Insights & Presentations

Saskia has given several presentations on subjects related to tax-exempt organizations. She is a frequent presenter on hot topics related to the unique issues faced by nonprofits.

• Named by Best Lawyers^® as Nonprofit / Charities Law “Lawyer of the Year,” Portland, 2023
• Included in The Best Lawyers in America^® (Nonprofit / Charities Law), 2022–present
• Named a Portland Business Journal Women of Influence Award Winner, 2025
• Listed among Rising Stars (Nonprofit Law), Oregon Super Lawyers^®, 2008–2009
• Recipient of “Light a Fire Award” for Extraordinary Board Member from Portland Monthly magazine

Civic

• Portland Metro Chamber, Board Member
• Rose E. Tucker Charitable Trust, Co-Trustee
• James and Shirley Rippey Family Foundation, Board Member
• Armory Theater Fund, Board Member
• Planned Parenthood Columbia/Willamette, Former Board Chair and Member of Board of Directors
• Portland Center Stage, Past Board Member
• Council on Foundations Public Policy Committee, Past Member
• Creative Advocacy Network, Past Member of Board of Directors
• Hillsboro Library Foundation Board of Directors, Former Member
• Pro bono adviser for myriad nonprofit organizations