How to Find Out if an Organization Is a 501(c)(3)?

Here's how to find out if an organization is 501(c)(3).

501(c)(3) is a federal status for a nonprofit organization, which means the organization is not subject to tax payment on its surplus income. As businesses either make profits or suffer bankruptcy, nonprofit organizations have a responsibility of not getting involved in profit-making activities. Charities are the most common example of 501(c)(3). Some nonprofit hospitals, land trusts, specific educational institutions, and historical organizations may also qualify for 501(c)(3) status.

Instructions

1. Find out whether the organization has tax-exempt status or not. Every 501(c)(3) organization is responsible for sharing this information.

2. Find out the title, location and the address of the organization. You also need to find out the exact function of the organization. According to IRS, the exempt purposes that are permitted under 501(c)(3) are "charitable, religious, educational, scientific, literary, testing for public safety, fostering national or international amateur sports competition, and preventing cruelty to children or animal."

3. Obtain the required forms from the local IRS office for filing the question regarding 501(c)(3) status. You can get this information free of charge. See IRS link in Resources below.

Tips & Warnings

• Report any ambiguous information regarding the federal 501(c)(3) status of the organization to the IRS. Organizations that claim to be nonprofit but actually work to make profit must be reported to the Internal Revenue Service.

References

• Internal Revenue Service: Search for Charities, Online Version of Publication 78