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

The PSF is registered as 501(c)3. The records are available on our [[https://www.python.org/psf/records/|public records]] page. We can also be found in the official IRS database:

 * [[http://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/pub78Search.do?ein1=04-3594598&names=&city=&state=All...&country=US&deductibility=all&dispatchMethod=searchCharities&submitName=Search|IRS Charity Database Entry for the PSF]]

== IRS ==

[[http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p557.pdf|IRS publication 557, Tax Exempt Status for your Organization]] (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office) - [[attachment:IRS-Tax-Exempt-Status-p557-Oct-2010.pdf|local copy rev. Oct 2010 (PDF)]], [[attachment:IRS-Tax-Exempt-Status-p557.pdf|local copy rev. June 2008 (PDF)]]

This IRS paper outlines the rules we have to follow as non-profit in order to maintain that status.
 
Esp. important are the various reporting regulations (chapter 2, page 8ff), donor interaction obligations (page 13ff) and the whole chapter 3 (page 19ff) that deals with 501(c)(3) organizations.

=== Reporting ===

Annual:
 * form 990: until May 15th following year; penalty: USD 20 per late filing day, up to USD 10,000.

Case-based:
 * form 8300: in case the PSF receives more than USD 10,000 in cash in one transaction and in the course of doing business (not as donation)

Changes to the bylaws:
 * a copy of the changes needs to be sent to the EO area manager, or included in the form 990 filing (page 19, IRS 557)

=== Donor Statements ===

 * For cases where the foundation accepts quid pro quo donations and provides services partially in return for the donation, the PSF must provide a written disclosure statement (page 13, IRS 557). This is important for '''PyCon tickets''' that include a donation and possibly also for '''associate member fees'''.

 * For donations over USD 250, the donor will need a donation acknowledgment from the PSF in order to be able to deduct the donation (page 13, IRS 557).

 * Special requirements apply for donations of intellectual property (page 15, IRS 557).

=== Lobbying ===

 * Special care must be taken not to exceed certain limits for lobbying expenditures (page 44, IRS 557)

=== Grants, Funding, Expenses ===

 * The section on excess benefit transactions is important to know for our daily operation (page 58ff, IRS 557). 

 * ''Rebuttable presumption that a transaction is not an excess benefit transaction'' (page 60, IRS 557). This section lists a set of criteria that need to be taken into account to prevent an assumption of excess benefit.

=== Contacting the IRS ===

 * See chapter 6 of the IRS 557 document.

== Resources ==

 * [[http://foundationcenter.org/|Foundation Center]] - Information about how to start and run a foundation.