501(c)4 organizations can engage in unlimited lobbying and political advocacy activities, while 501(c)3s are severely restricted. However, donations to 501(c)4s are NOT tax-deductible to donors. Choose 501(c)4 if your primary purpose is political advocacy.

 Yes, but with limitations. 501(c)4s can engage in some partisan political activity, but it cannot be their primary purpose. We help you structure activities to stay compliant while maximizing your political impact.

 You can lobby legislators, advocate for policy positions, engage in issue advocacy campaigns, and participate in limited partisan political activities. We provide comprehensive guidelines on what's allowed.

Generally no. Unlike political action committees (PACs), 501(c)4s typically don't have to publicly disclose their donors, providing privacy protection for supporters of your cause.

Yes! This is crucial for school founders. You can begin fundraising immediately after incorporating, even before IRS approval.

Here's what you need to know:

• You can accept donations once incorporated at the state level
• Donors cannot claim tax deductions until IRS approval
• You must inform donors their gifts aren't yet tax-deductible
• Keep detailed records of all pre-approval donations

We provide you with sample donor communications and receipt templates that properly disclose the tax-deduction status. Many successful schools raise significant funds during their application period.

Our Educational Founder's Playbook includes a complete guide to pre-approval fundraising, including template letters, donor agreements, and compliance guidelines specifically for schools. because of our "love letter to a bureaucrat" approach.

We don't just rely on the IRS online process - we also attach a back-up PDF file averaging 54 pages - containing concise, clear articulation of your organization's activities, so that the IRS agent who reviews your file feels relieved by the file's professional, organized layout, and hits the "APPROVED" button without issues or further questions.

There are two ways to look at how long it takes:

1. Your investment of time and work
2. Our submission time, as well as the state and federal government to process the paperwork once it is filed

In any case, we take a long and arduous process, involving complex government forms and confusing bureaucratic language, and translate it into the kind of English that you and I would share over a cup of coffee.

Depending on the version of the IRS 1023 Application for Tax Exempt Status we prepare for you, our investment of time and work to get all of the paperwork done is as follows:

Your time investment if using the streamlined IRS Application:
Less than 1/2 hour, on average
Long-Form: About 90 minutes on average

Our staff's turnaround times:
On average, once we have the information, we need from you, our staff double-checks for accuracy and any potential errors or conflicts and submits within 48-72 hours.

State Incorporation:


Since the COVID pandemic, the wait time to receive recorded Articles of Incorporation have changed; here's the average times we experience currently:
Florida: 6-12 Weeks (yes, that is ridiculous)


AL, AZ, CT, DC, GA, IL, IA, MI, NE, NY, ND, PA, SD: 2-4 weeks


All other states: 2-3 days to 2 weeks
IRS Processing times:


Meanwhile, IRS delays can vary widely, and with our proven Rapid Approval process, times are as follows:

Streamlined: 6-10 weeks on average


Long-Form: 8-20 weeks, on average

 Yes! You can begin operations and advocacy activities immediately after filing your application. Your tax-exempt status will be retroactive to your formation date once approved.

 501(c)4s must file annual Form 990 returns and may need to report certain political expenditures. We explain all requirements and provide ongoing compliance support.

 Absolutely! 501(c)4s can collaborate with other advocacy groups, form coalitions, and even establish related political action committees (PACs) for additional political activities.