Private Letter Ruling
Number: 202118021
Internal Revenue Service
February 10, 2021
   
   
   
Department of the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service
Tax Exempt and Government Entities
PO Box 2508
Cincinnati, OH 45201
   
Number: 202118021
Release Date: 5/7/2021
   
UIL Number: 501.03-00, 501.03-05, 501.03-33
   
Date:
February 10, 2021
Employer ID number:
Form you must file:
Tax years:
Person to contact:
Name:
ID number:
Telephone:
   
Dear *******:
   
This letter is our final determination that you don't qualify for exemption from federal income tax under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 501(a) as an organization described in IRC Section 501(c)(3). Recently, we sent you a proposed adverse determination in response to your application. The proposed adverse determination explained the facts, law, and basis for our conclusion, and it gave you 30 days to file a protest. Because we didn't receive a protest within the required 30 days, the proposed determination is now final.
   
Because you don't qualify as a tax-exempt organization under IRC Section 501(c)(3), donors generally can't deduct contributions to you under IRC Section 170.
   
We may notify the appropriate state officials of our determination, as required by IRC Section 6104(c), by sending them a copy of this final letter along with the proposed determination letter.
   
You must file the federal income tax forms for the tax years shown above within 30 days  from the date of this letter unless you request an extension of time to file. For further instructions, forms, and information, visit www.irs.gov.
   
We'll make this final adverse determination letter and the proposed adverse determination letter available for public inspection after deleting certain identifying information, as required by IRC Section 6110. Read the enclosed Notice 437, Notice of Intention to Disclose, and review the two attached letters that show our proposed deletions. If you disagree with our proposed deletions, follow the instructions in the Notice 437 on how to notify us. If you agree with our deletions, you don't need to take any further action.
   
If you have questions about this letter, you can call the contact person shown above. If you have questions about your federal income tax status and responsibilities, call our customer service number at 800-829-1040 (TTY 800-829-4933 for deaf or hard of hearing) or customer service for businesses at 800-829-4933.
   
Sincerely,
   
Stephen A. Martin
Director, Exempt Organizations
Rulings and Agreements
   
Enclosures:
Notice 437
Redacted Letter 4034
Redacted Letter 4038
   
   
   
Department of the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service
P.O. Box 2508
Cincinnati, OH 45201
   
Date:
December 15, 2020
Employer ID number:
Contact person/ID number:
Contact telephone number:
Contact fax number:
   
UIL:
501.03-00
501.03-05
501.03-33
   
Legend:
B = State
C = Date
D = City
   
Dear *******:
   
We considered your application for recognition of exemption from federal income tax under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 501(a). We determined that you don't qualify for exemption under IRC Section 501(c)(3). This letter explains the reasons for our conclusion. Please keep it for your records.
   
Issues   
Do you qualify for exemption under IRC Section 501(c)(3)? No, for the reasons stated below.
   
Facts   
You were incorporated in the state of B as a non-profit corporation on C. Your articles of incorporation state that your purpose is to "revitalize and redevelop the central business district of the Municipality."
   
You conduct fundraising for the revitalization and redevelopment of the central business district of D. You support revitalization and redevelopment by financing projects that develop and promote the public good and general welfare, trade, commerce, industry, and employment opportunities in the district. This enhances the city and creates a climate favorable to the location of new industry, trade and commerce. Your other activities include an annual carnival with craft and food vendors and the annual
   
You operate a grant funding program which is only available to landlords and businesses located in the central business district boundaries of D. Projects are funded through grants made to landlords and businesses. You have a grant committee that reviews and selects grantees.
   
We sent a request for additional information clarifying your economic development activities, including, but not limited to, whether or not the area you are assisting is economically depressed, if you will target benefits towards a disadvantaged group, the crime rate of the area, how you select recipients, etc. Although you responded to prior requests, you did not respond to this request, or to telephone calls to follow up on our request.
   
Your fundraising activities include community events, mail solicitations, personal solicitations, public and private grant solicitations, and government grant solicitations. Your budgets indicate that your income consists primarily of your festival vendor fees, proceeds from your carnival, and pageant fees. Your expenses consist of supplies, equipment rentals, contest winner grants, and grants to the City of D.
   
Law   
IRC Section 501(c)(3) provides for the recognition of exemption of organizations that are organized and operated exclusively for religious, charitable or other purposes as specified in the statute. No part of the net earnings may inure to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual.
   
Treasury Regulation Section 1.501(c)(3)-1(a)(1) states that, in order to be exempt as an organization described in IRC Section 501(c)(3), an organization must be both organized and operated exclusively for one or more of the purposes specified in such section. If an organization fails to meet either the organizational test or the operational test, it is not exempt.
   
Treas. Reg. Section 1.501(c)(3)-1(c)(1) provides that an organization will be regarded as operated exclusively for one or more exempt purposes only if it engages primarily in activities which accomplish one or more of such exempt purposes specified in IRC Section 501(c)(3). An organization will not be so regarded if more than an insubstantial part of its activities is not in furtherance of an exempt purpose.
   
Treas. Reg. Section 1.501(c)(3)-1(d)(2) defines the term charitable as including the relief of the poor and distressed or of the underprivileged, and the promotion of social welfare by organizations designed to lessen neighborhood tensions, to eliminate prejudice and discrimination, or to combat community deterioration. The term "charitable" also includes lessening of the burdens of government.
   
Revenue Procedure 2020-5, 2020-1 I.R.B. 241, Section 3 states that a determination letter or ruling on exempt status is issued based solely upon the facts and representations contained in the administrative record. The applicant is responsible for the accuracy of any factual representations contained in the application. Section 6 (and its predecessors) provides that a favorable determination letter or ruling will be issued to an organization only if its application and supporting documents establish that it meets the particular requirements of the section under which exemption from federal income tax is claimed.
   
In Universal Life Church v. United States, 372 F.Supp. 770 (E.D. Cal. 1974), the court concluded that "one seeking a tax exemption has the burden of establishing his right to a tax-exempt status."
   
Pius XII Academy, Inc. v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 1982-97, affd. 711 F.2d 1058 (6th Cir. 1983), provides that an organization must establish through the administrative record that it operates as an exempt organization. Denial of exemption may be based solely upon failure to provide information describing in adequate detail how the operational test will be met.
   
In La Verdad v. Commissioner, 82 T.C. 215 (1984), the administrative record did not demonstrate that the organization would operate exclusively in furtherance of an exempt purpose. Therefore, denial of organization's request for tax-exempt status was reasonable.
   
New Dynamics Foundation v. United States, 70 Fed.Cl. 782 (2006), was an action for declaratory judgment that the petitioner brought to challenge the denial of his application for exempt status. The court, in finding that the actual purposes displayed in the administrative record supported the Service's denial, stated "It is well-accepted that, in initial qualification cases such as this, gaps in the administrative record are resolved against the applicant." The court noted that if the petitioner had evidence that contradicted these findings, it should have submitted it as part of the administrative process. The court also highlighted the principle that exemptions from income tax are matters of legislative grace.
   
Ohio Disability Association v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo 2009-261 (2009), states denial is justified because responses to requests for additional information failed to supplement the initial application or clarify purposes and activities, and generalizations did not provide sufficient detail to determine that the organization would be operated exclusively for exempt purposes.
   
Application of law   
A ruling on exempt status is based solely on facts and representations in the administrative file. You have not provided supporting documentation to establish you meet the requirements of IRC Section 501(c)(3). As stated in Treas. Reg. 1.501(c)(3)-1(a)(1), an organization must be both organized and operated exclusively for purposes described in IRC Section 501(c)(3).
   
You do not meet the operational test under IRC Section 501(c)(3) because you are not operating exclusively for charitable purposes as required under Treas. Reg. Section 1.501(c)(3)-1(c)(1). You indicated that you will be revitalizing the downtown district of D. Revitalizing a business district is not deemed charitable unless the area being revitalized is historical or blighted, or if the revitalization can lessen neighborhood tensions. You also have not established that you are lessening the burdens of government. You have not established that you meet the requirements of Treas. Reg. Section 1.501(c)(3)-1(d)(2) because you failed to provide detailed information about your revitalization program.
   
You have not established that your downtown revitalization activities are charitable in nature. Accordingly, you have not established that you meet the requirements of IRC Section 501(c)(3) as required by Rev. Proc. 2020-5. As in Universal Life Church, you have the burden of establishing that you qualify for tax exemption.
   
In Pius XII Academy, Inc. and La Verdad, it was found that an organization must establish, through its administrative record, that it meets the requirements for exemption. Because you failed to provide sufficient details in your initial application and the additional information you provided did not meet the statutory and regulatory requirements for exemption, you have not established that you meet the requirements for exemption under IRC Section 501(c)(3). As provided in New Dynamics Foundation, any gaps in the administrative record will be resolved against the applicant. Similarly, in Ohio Disability Association, the court found that even when additional information was provided, but it contained generalizations and failed to clarify purposes, denial is justified. You did not provide supplemental information; therefore, we are unable to determine that you qualify for exemption.
   
Conclusion   
Based on the information submitted, we conclude that you are not described in IRC Section 501(c)(3). You did not establish that you are operated exclusively for charitable purposes or are lessening the burdens of government. Therefore, you do not qualify for exemption under Section 501(c)(3).
   
If you agree   
If you agree with our proposed adverse determination, you don't need to do anything. If we don't hear from you within 30 days, we'll issue a final adverse determination letter. That letter will provide information on your income tax filing requirements.
   
If you don't agree   
You have a right to protest if you don't agree with our proposed adverse determination. To do so, send us a protest within 30 days of the date of this letter. You must include:
   
- Your name, address, employer identification number (EIN), and a daytime phone number
   
- A statement of the facts, law, and arguments supporting your position
   
- A statement indicating whether you are requesting an Appeals Office conference
   
- The signature of an officer, director, trustee, or other official who is authorized to sign for the organization or your authorized representative
   
- The following declaration:
   
For an officer, director, trustee, or other official who is authorized to sign for the organization:
Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I have examined this request, or this modification to the request, including accompanying documents, and to the best of my knowledge and belief, the request or the modification contains all relevant facts relating to the request, and such facts are true, correct, and complete.
   
Your representative (attorney, certified public accountant, or other individual enrolled to practice before the IRS) must file a Form 2848, Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative, with us if they haven't already done so. You can find more information about representation in Publication 947, Practice Before the IRS and Power of Attorney.
   
We'll review your protest statement and decide if you gave us a basis to reconsider our determination. If so, we'll continue to process your case considering the information you provided. If you haven't given us a basis for reconsideration, we'll send your case to the Appeals Office and notify you. You can find more information in Publication 892, How to Appeal an IRS Decision on Tax-Exempt Status.
   
If you don't file a protest within 30 days, you can't seek a declaratory judgment in court later because the law requires that you use the IRC administrative process first (IRC Section 7428(b)(2)).
   
Where to send your protest   
Send your protest, Form 2848, if applicable, and any supporting documents to the applicable address:
   
U.S. mail:
Internal Revenue Service
EO Determinations Quality Assurance
Mail Stop 6403
P.O. Box 2508
Cincinnati, OH 45201
   
Street address for delivery service:
Internal Revenue Service
EO Determinations Quality Assurance
550 Main Street, Mail Stop 6403
Cincinnati, OH 45202
   
You can also fax your protest and supporting documents to the fax number listed at the top of this letter. If you fax your statement, please contact the person listed at the top of this letter to confirm that they received it.
   
You can get the forms and publications mentioned in this letter by visiting our website at www.irs.gov/forms-pubs or by calling 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676). If you have questions, you can contact the person listed at the top of this letter.
   
Contacting the Taxpayer Advocate Service   
The Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) is an independent organization within the IRS that can help protect your taxpayer rights. TAS can offer you help if your tax problem is causing a hardship, or if you've tried but haven't been able to resolve your problem with the IRS. If you qualify for TAS assistance, which is always free, TAS will do everything possible to help you. Visit www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov or call 877-777-4778.
   
Sincerely,
   
Stephen A. Martin
Director, Exempt Organizations
Rulings and Agreements