Return to Homepage

  Nonprofit Status

Learn More About the Society Tools to Help You Increase Readership and Teacher Use Get Involved in Your Area Support the Society
Learn How Ishmael's Lessons are Being Put to Use Find Organizations that Act on Ishmael's Lessons Frequently Asked Questions Write to Us
About Us

Purpose

Why Ishmael

Founders

Help Us

Nonprofit Status

Our 501(c)(3) Application

At its beginnings, the long-term objective of the Friends of Ishmael Society was to become a tax-exempt non-profit organization maintaining a small temporary or permanent staff. This staff would maintain this website, publish a newsletter, help create and support local Ishmael groups, apply for grants, organize fundraisers, handle finances, and/or network with other organizations.

To that end, we applied to the IRS for 501(c)(3) status on January 17, 2004. On July 19, 2004, the IRS notified us that we would not be granted that status because our operations focused too heavily on the works of one author. We were aware of two organizations also heavily focused on the work of one author which were granted that same status. But we were told that by the time we applied the rules that allowed those organizations to have non-profit status had changed.

Despite the IRS' ruling, the thorough 1023 application that we completed in order to apply for 501(c)(3) status represents the best statement of our organization's original vision, values, goals, and past activities at the time of application. Please note that certain aspects of the application assumed the receipt of 501(c)(3) status and may therefore not be specifically applicable.

[  What's New l  Who Are We? l   Get Involved l  Spread The Word l  Support Us ]