I am in Oregon and am interested in a referral to a lawyer or planner that can help set up a Charitable Trust. 

Your time and efforts have value, and if you gift such value to the IRA by performing services, you are effectively making un-documented contributions to the IRA and artificially magnifying the tax sheltering, which is why this is prohibited.The alternatives in the NPN space are to joint venture with other parties or use some kind of a note broker who is doing the workouts.

I don't mind being the boots on the ground and/or also contributing capital.

A controversial technique that not everyone is comfortable with.Some trusts, such as charitable remainder trusts (CRTs).

The 2nd negative can be prevented, if you buy in a community that contributes to their reserves, and has a fully funded reserve schedule.The positives are: you have less to manage.

With our experience and, more importantly, access to subs, we believe that we have the right team to contribute in the current market but we also need to find a way to get the word out.As the business-end of things in our partnership, I'm looking for ways to start networking. 

If you get a percentage of the profits proportionate to your monetary contribution, what happens when one of you puts in a lot more hours than the other? 

Thank you for contributing to this post and let's engage/encourage one another!!!

I have complicated schedules, with accounts for RRSP contributions, stock cash trading accounts, a rental income property (including expenses for flights to buy said property, etc.)  

While there may be ways to reduce your tax liability after the end of the year(IRA Contribution) most of the tax reduction is done throughout the year.