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Charity TherapyAuthor: Jess Birken, MNM, JD
What if you could hang out with experienced nonprofit professionals and ask them your burning questions about the day-to-day life of nonprofits? What if you could take their wisdom and bring it back to your organization, for free? That's what we do on Charity Therapy. Hosted by Jess Birken - owner and lawyer at Birken Law Office. Every episode is an in-depth look at how to run a nonprofit, from fundraising to IRS woes to people problems and more! Our goal is to empower nonprofits to achieve your mission by doing things right. Language: en Genres: Business, Management, Non-Profit Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
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163: A Runway of Snacks | Can a Religious Nonprofit Apply for Status with the IRS 1023-EZ Short Form?
Episode 163
Thursday, 30 April, 2026
So you're a charity grounded in religious values. Does that make you a church in the eyes of the IRS? Meghan and I dig into a listener question that had me doing a genuine double take. A religious nonprofit submitted the 1023-EZ short form and got rejected because the IRS decided they were a church. What gives?! Real Listener Question: "The IRS rejected our 1023-EZ because they think we are a church, which would require the full 1023 form. But we are not a church. We are a religious organization. How do I fix the application to get them to accept our 1023-EZ?" Meghan and I break down the key difference between a church and a religious nonprofit, why the IRS treats them differently, and what this listener may have done wrong on their application. Plus you'll get a classic Jess Birken rant about why the IRS doesn't make any sense! What You'll Learn: How the IRS defines a church versus a religious nonprofit organization How churches file (or don't file) for their tax-exempt status How religious charities are treated differently than churches, mosques, temples, etc. The most common mistakes people make on the 1023-EZ that trigger a rejection How one wrong checkbox or one poorly worded sentence can get your application flagged How to fix your application and get it into the right bucket Bottom line: The IRS puts churches and religious nonprofits in different buckets. Knowing which one you are and how to say it on your application makes all the difference. Resources from this Episode See the eligibility worksheet for Form 1023-EZ: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1023ez.pdf File using our Do-It-Yourself 1023-EZ Tool: https://birkenlaw.com/diy-1023-ez Watch the Righteous Gemstones: https://www.hbomax.com/shows/righteous-gemstones/c3bd0a34-c4ce-4ca5-bd6c-820df7340671 Previous Episode: Are Nonprofit Startup Costs Tax-Deductible Donations for the Founder? https://birkenlaw.com/charity-therapy-podcast/ct162-nonprofit-startup-costs Episode Transcript: https://birkenlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/CT163_Transcript.pdf Connect with Us Jess Birken: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessbirken/ Meghan Heitkamp: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghan-heitkamp-829254115/ Listen & Engage Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon Music Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts: Click "Ratings and Reviews" then "Write a Review" Send us your nonprofit questions: https://birkenlaw.com/podcast/#podcast-story Stay Connected Sign up for the Birken Law Email list: https://birkenlaw.com/signup/ Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
