Nolo's Plain-English Law Dictionary

Legal Dictionary Home

Need Professional Help? Talk to a Lawyer
Enter Your Zip Code to Connect with a Lawyer Serving Your Area
searchbox small
501(C)(3)
Refers to an organization that has applied for and obtained tax-exempt status from the IRS under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. To qualify for Section 501(c)(3) status, the organization must be formed for charitable, religious, educational, scientific, or literary purposes; for testing related to public safety; to foster national or international amateur sports competition; or for the prevention of cruelty to children or animals. An organization with 501(c)3 status does not pay income taxes related to its nonprofit purposes, can receive tax-deductible contributions from donors, and is eligible for private foundation grants.


Need Legal Help?

Get Informed Check out our thousands of free articles on everyday legal topics--they're accurate, up to date, and written in plain English.
Do It Yourself With Nolo's easy-to-use books, legal forms, online services, and software, you can handle many routine legal tasks yourself.
Talk to a Lawyer Just enter your zip code to connect with a lawyer serving your area.
LA-WS5:0.9.22.120522.13848+