[hackerspaces] Examples of IRS 1023 froms Nonprofit Makerspaces

[Arclight]

While we see the obvious public benefit to building a meeting point for
creative folks to share ideas, learn, provide informal education, and
encourage innovators, it is apparent that the IRS has recently taken on a
somewhat different view.

According to several news articles, IRS examiners have been given new
guidelines that basically encourage them to deny C3 status to entities
whose work _could_ benefit a for-profit industry.

The rationale is that companies who support non-profit open-source and
similar projects are geting their R&D done with money that should have been
taxed.

I find this view ridiculous and the work of narrow-minded bureaucrats. But
it sounds like our work may not be a slam-dunk for US non-profit status in
all cases.

Some sources:

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2014/07/irs-policy-that-targeted-tea-party-groups-also-aimed-at-open-source-projects/

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_IRS_controversy

Arclight
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