Obtaining 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Status

Online Resources

There are countless resources on the Internet to help you in your progress toward tax-exempt status. So many, in fact, that you may find the options overwhelming! We have narrowed it down to two major resources. If you want in-depth information on establishing a nonprofit organization, try these sites first:

1. The Foundation Center Web site is designed to guide you quickly to instruction on funding research, help with proposal writing, tools for locating prospective funders, news and research on the field, or a library or training class near you. The Foundation Center has a tutorial on Establishing a Nonprofit Organization at http://foundationcenter.org/getstarted/tutorials/establish/index.html.


2. The Internal Revenue Service. Their "Life Cycle of a Public Charity" at http://www.irs.gov/charities/charitable/article/0,,id=122670,00.html is the definitive Web page for answers involving the 501(c)(3) process and your responsibilities after your organization has acquired tax-exempt status.

Obtaining 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status will open new doors for your organization in the form of grant opportunities, special programs and community support. We look forward to congratulating you when you are notified by your state and the federal government that you have successfully obtained tax-exempt status.

We hope these resource pages have proven to be helpful in guiding you in this important next step for your organization! If you have feedback or suggestions to enhance this information provided, please email outreach@petfinder.com.