Then at the end of January, 2011 we decided to start a ChipIn to raise the "User Fee" required by the IRS to accompany the form 1023 (Request/Application for 501c3 Federal Tax Exemption Status) and to our surprise, within a very short time and a huge thanks to three most generous and wonderful individuals, our ChipIn went 37% above our requested amount of $400 totaling $550!! Please Click here to view the blog with this ChipIn and details!!
Thinking I had more time to work on preparing the application and gathering other documents needed to accompany our application... once the ChipIn went over the requested amount... I then went into high gear to complete our Application and went to the Rescue's Bank to get a Cashiers Check for the "User Fee"
The beginning of February, 2011 I completed all of the paperwork, got the Cashier's Check for $400 and then headed over to the United States Post Office to send off our request/application for the 501(c)(3) Not-for-Profit Federal Tax Exemption sending it via Priority Mail Certified w/Return Receipt.
Officially mailed on February 8, 2011.
The IRS signed for package on February 11, 2011, confirmed by our Return Receipt/Confirmation! Now the suspense of waiting... and waiting... and still waiting for our next steps in obtaining our Approval "Determination Letter"
Finally, in May of 2011, our Application was assigned to IRS Agent, Yvonne. She mailed me letter as well as contacted me via my cell phone... to explain certain clarifications as well as corrections on my Application. Due to my over thinking self... I did make a couple errors on our Application... one, I needed to terminate our CGC program we were offering if you remember... We were offering our Adoptive Forever Homes a $50 Rebate if their PBH Rescue Dog achieved the CGC within one year of the Adoption Date... I thought it was a good program however, I do understand why we had to terminate that program... as a 501c3 Not-for-Profit Organization, you are only permitted to use donations given for 501c3 purposes, meaning we cannot give any refunds, rebates, etc... all monies donated will be used for 501c3 purposes...
The other couple errors were do to my over thinking in regards to the Political Campains, Politicians, Political candidates, etc... part of the Application. At first, I said basically we wouldn't get involved... then my thinking kicked in and I thought... well, if a Politician supports BSL... I would have to oppose that candidate or politician... well, that was the wrong answer and has since been corrected ;) Going by rules for 501c3, as a Federal Tax Exempt Organization, we are NOT permitted to Support nor Oppose ANY Political Campaign, Political Candidate, Politician by name.., however, we are indeed allowed to support or oppose specific pieces of legislation (ie. Pit Bull Ban, mandatory spay/neuter, dangerous dog, etc...) and then I also neglected to specify the amount of time and money we'll use for this... well, the money was easy... as no rescue money will be used for anything political... as the money all goes to help our Rescue efforts and the PBH Rescue Dogs... now as for the time involved, I put it at less than 5% of our time will be invested as our primary focus will be the dogs, with regards to Education and Rescuing!
I also had to send our "Articles of Amendment" to the state of Florida in which I also paid for the "Certified Copy" all of which I forwarded to the IRS via FAX to the IRS Agent assigned our case. I opted to send it FAX rather than the USPS because Fax'ing allows for the IRS to receive it much quicker. We officially Fax'd it on July 18 of 2011 (I'll have to double check the date later... I'll confirm once I get the Fax confirmation in my hand, but this date is pretty close). Then a week following the Fax, I called our IRS Agent to confirm that she did indeed receive it. So, now if the clarifications, corrections, and our Article of Amendment are error free... our IRS agent will send our complete application in for final Review in which we will then expect them to send us our Approval "Determination Letter" in regards to the 501c3 Not-for-Profit Organization!!
We are extremely happy and are quite confident we'll obtain our Federal Tax Exemption VERY SOON!! (if all goes as planned... we should have our letter in hand within 30 days!!)
So, to everybody who has been so very generous and has helped generously donated to PBH, and IF you haven't already been given a receipt (PayPal donors, hold onto your PayPal email receipts) please email Eric@PitBullHappenings.com for a receipt... as once we get our Approval Letter in hand... ALL Donations the Rescue was given will be allowed for "Tax write-off" purposes effective from the date of our Incorporation with the state of Florida! (October 15, 2010)
This has been a long road to obtaining our Federal Tax Exemption status but we're almost at the end of this road and we could not have made it with all of your friendships and support! We thank you from the bottom of our hearts as it's you, our friends who are guiding PBH as a Rescue! It is you, who are making PBH what we are... We want to be known as the "People's 'Pit Bull' Rescue" Thank you for all your kindness, compassion, and generosity in standing by the PBH Rescue Dogs!
PS - We'll keep this blog Updated and will keep all updates at the top of this blog!!
PS2 - To view all the pictures taken of our progress in obtaining our 501c3 Click here!
Click here to view the past blogs of our journey to the 501c3 Not-for-Profit Status and Click here to view our first blog when we created the "User Fee" Chip In!
PS2 - To view all the pictures taken of our progress in obtaining our 501c3 Click here!
Click here to view the past blogs of our journey to the 501c3 Not-for-Profit Status and Click here to view our first blog when we created the "User Fee" Chip In!
Respectfully Yours,
~ Eric Emminger
Founder/President of Pit Bull Happenings, Inc.
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