Читать книгу Nonprofit Kit For Dummies - Stan Hutton, Beverly A. Browning - Страница 39

The words nonprofit and charity go together in most people’s minds, but remember that not all nonprofits are charitable organizations. The most common examples are business and trade associations, social welfare organizations, labor organizations, political advocacy groups, fraternal societies, and social clubs. Although these nonprofits enjoy exemption from corporate income taxes, people who donate to them can’t claim a tax deduction for their contributions.

Most nonprofits, charitable or not, are incorporated organizations that are formed under the laws of the state in which they’re created. Some nonprofits have other legal structures, such as associations or trusts, but these are in the minority. The IRS grants tax-exempt status to a nonprofit after reviewing its stated purpose. (See Chapter 5 for information about incorporating and applying for a tax exemption.) Nonprofit types are identified by the section of the IRS Code under which they qualify for tax-exempt status.

In this section, we provide an overview of the types of nonprofit organizations and some of the rules and regulations that you’ll be subject to if you decide to incorporate and seek tax-exempt status from the IRS. You may discover, for example, that your idea will have a better chance for success if you create a social welfare organization — a 501(c)(4) — or a for-profit business.