6 ms·

> I wish the money would go towards lobbying the government 501(c)3 charitable ("non-profit") organizations are not permitted to lobby the government. https:/

> I wish the money would go towards lobbying the government 501(c)3 charitable ("non-profit") organizations are not permitted to lobby the government. https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/lobbying https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/lobbying

tn13 10y ago
I guess they can always call Bill Clinton to deliver a talk.
eximius 10y ago
I understand the reason for that but man it seems backwards.
lucb1e 10y ago
Wait, non-profits (generally seen as organizations doing good by their very definition) cannot lobby but other organizations (with making money as their principal goal) can?
- protomyth 10y ago
  It's that particular classification that cannot not all non-profits.
- danielweber 10y ago
  You can form a group to lobby the government. You can't be treated as a charity and have your donors get tax deductions for it. > generally seen as organizations doing good by their very definition This isn't true at all. They just don't pass profits to shareholders.
  - haberman 10y ago
    > This isn't true at all. They just don't pass profits to shareholders. "The exempt purposes set forth in section 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 animals. The term charitable is used in its generally accepted legal sense and includes relief of the poor, the distressed, or the underprivileged; advancement of religion; advancement of education or science; erecting or maintaining public buildings, monuments, or works; lessening the burdens of government; lessening neighborhood tensions; eliminating prejudice and discrimination; defending human and civil rights secured by law; and combating community deterioration and juvenile delinquency." https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/charitable-organizations/exempt-purposes-internal-revenue-code-section-501-c-3 https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/charitable-organiz...
    - SamReidHughes 10y ago
      "Charitable non-profits" under 501(c)(3) is a subset of "non-profits."
      - haberman 10y ago
        Yes, but they are the subset under discussion (walk upthread and see).
        deleted 10y ago
        [deleted]
- dnautics 10y ago
  A charitable nonprofit allows its donors to take a tax deduction. If you run a non charitable nonprofit (donors don't get a tax deduction, but the corporation is tax exempt) or a corporation that happens to not make any money (pays no taxes de facto) then you can lobby.
- dragonwriter 10y ago
  > Wait, non-profits (generally seen as organizations doing good by their very definition) cannot lobby but other organizations (with making money as their principal goal) can? Non-profits (including some tax exempt non-profits) may lobby, but charities are more restricted [0]. Note that charities -- 501(c)(3) organizations -- are not just tax exempt, but donations to them are tax deductible to the donors, which amounts to a public subsidy of donations that increases (due to progressive marginal income tax rates) with the income of the donor. [0] But they may still lobby...as noted in the IRS page referenced upthread, charities "may engage in some lobbying", but lobbying can't be a "substantial part of its activities".
  - mahyarm 10y ago
    You can see this seperation in orgs like the ACLU: https://action.aclu.org/what-difference https://action.aclu.org/what-difference EFF I guess gets around it by being a lawsuit focused organization more? https://www.eff.org/about https://www.eff.org/about
akiselev 10y ago
What about corporations owned by nonprofits? AFAIK Mozilla Corporation, a Foundation subsidiary, is bigger than the foundation and has a significant portion of the Foundation's funds flowing through it for tax purposes.

tn13 10y ago

I guess they can always call Bill Clinton to deliver a talk.

eximius 10y ago

I understand the reason for that but man it seems backwards.

lucb1e 10y ago

Wait, non-profits (generally seen as organizations doing good by their very definition) cannot lobby but other organizations (with making money as their principal goal) can?

protomyth 10y ago
It's that particular classification that cannot not all non-profits.
danielweber 10y ago
You can form a group to lobby the government. You can't be treated as a charity and have your donors get tax deductions for it. > generally seen as organizations doing good by their very definition This isn't true at all. They just don't pass profits to shareholders.
- haberman 10y ago
  > This isn't true at all. They just don't pass profits to shareholders. "The exempt purposes set forth in section 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 animals. The term charitable is used in its generally accepted legal sense and includes relief of the poor, the distressed, or the underprivileged; advancement of religion; advancement of education or science; erecting or maintaining public buildings, monuments, or works; lessening the burdens of government; lessening neighborhood tensions; eliminating prejudice and discrimination; defending human and civil rights secured by law; and combating community deterioration and juvenile delinquency." https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/charitable-organizations/exempt-purposes-internal-revenue-code-section-501-c-3 https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/charitable-organiz...
  - SamReidHughes 10y ago
    "Charitable non-profits" under 501(c)(3) is a subset of "non-profits."
    - haberman 10y ago
      Yes, but they are the subset under discussion (walk upthread and see).
      - deleted 10y ago
        [deleted]
dnautics 10y ago
A charitable nonprofit allows its donors to take a tax deduction. If you run a non charitable nonprofit (donors don't get a tax deduction, but the corporation is tax exempt) or a corporation that happens to not make any money (pays no taxes de facto) then you can lobby.
dragonwriter 10y ago
> Wait, non-profits (generally seen as organizations doing good by their very definition) cannot lobby but other organizations (with making money as their principal goal) can? Non-profits (including some tax exempt non-profits) may lobby, but charities are more restricted [0]. Note that charities -- 501(c)(3) organizations -- are not just tax exempt, but donations to them are tax deductible to the donors, which amounts to a public subsidy of donations that increases (due to progressive marginal income tax rates) with the income of the donor. [0] But they may still lobby...as noted in the IRS page referenced upthread, charities "may engage in some lobbying", but lobbying can't be a "substantial part of its activities".
- mahyarm 10y ago
  You can see this seperation in orgs like the ACLU: https://action.aclu.org/what-difference https://action.aclu.org/what-difference EFF I guess gets around it by being a lawsuit focused organization more? https://www.eff.org/about https://www.eff.org/about

akiselev 10y ago

What about corporations owned by nonprofits? AFAIK Mozilla Corporation, a Foundation subsidiary, is bigger than the foundation and has a significant portion of the Foundation's funds flowing through it for tax purposes.