A US specific question?

[Jammer]

Would anyone know how I could find out if a 501 c is in existance or if it has been dissolved?
I'd prefer an online source,rather than picking up the phone and calling to see if anyone answers.
Thanks!

 

[Fundraiser]

Would anyone know how I could find out if a 501 c is in existance or if it has been dissolved?
I'd prefer an online source,rather than picking up the phone and calling to see if anyone answers.
Thanks!

http://www.irs.gov/charities/page/0,,id=15053,00.html

 

[Jammer]

Thank You!

 

[Jammer]

So,if it's there...I assume it's still in existance?
Thanks!

 

[Fundraiser]

You want to know about nonprofit issues, you talk to me.
Seriously, if you need any more info, let me know.

Rob

 

[Fundraiser]

So,if it's there...I assume it's still in existance?
Thanks!

Yep. Occasionally there could be some lag time on posting info but probably not. You can also find how active they are at

http://www.guidestar.org/

 

[Jammer]

Okay...thank you.I'll probably be contacting you in the near future.

 

[jberryhill]

Are you trying to determine whether the non-profit is still in existence, or whether it has maintained its 501(c)(3) status?

Those are two different questions.

 

[Fundraiser]

Are you trying to determine whether the non-profit is still in existence, or whether it has maintained its 501(c)(3) status?

Those are two different questions.

You make a good point, John, and a thorough answer of why that can be very important is more within your realm of expertise than mine.

As the name of the organization and the state of incorporation (if it was inc) was not offered, I was trying to provide a way to make a fast determination of existence based first on if the 501(c)(3) could be found on a readily available IRS listing. Since his follow-up question was:

"So, if it's there...I assume it's still in existence?
Thanks!"

I read this to mean that it was found on the list and therefore highly likely to exist. However, not finding it on the list does not mean the opposite is true which I think is one of the reasons for your post.

Losing exempt status but remaining a legal entity is indeed another issue. Continuing to make assumptions, as this is a domain forum, if there was a concern about a trademark, is it also fair to say that trademark concerns exist even after a corporation is dissolved?

Please pardon my rambling if I am completely off-base as to the point of the question you posted.

 

[Jammer]

Thanks for your posts.I am mainly interested in knowing if the entity is still in existence.
The reason is this....I was looking for a name to start an NGO.A name dropped,I picked it up without doing any research before buying it.
Afterwards,I did some research on the web and found out it had been an existing NGO.I realize that NGO's come and go,so before I put any money into developing it,I needed to know if the old one was still in existence.

 

[jberryhill]

Fundraiser, you are correct that if the company is listed as an active 501c3, then its continued existence could be confirmed by that fact, and that I just wanted to point out that the converse statement is not valid.

is it also fair to say that trademark concerns exist even after a corporation is dissolved?

They can, yes, depending on what happened to the corporation. They might have sold off their intangible goodwill, or it may have devolved upon some legal successor or creditor, etc. Three years of non-use of a mark can raise a presumption of abandonment.

 

[Fundraiser]

John, thanks for the info.