All will have to file with the IRS
MARQUETTE -- Ishpeming's David Aye is passionate about his community's history. That's why he's vice president of the Ishpeming Historical Society.
"It's a place where people can go and have a trip down memory lane," said Aye.
According to Aye, it took the Historical Society a lot of time and effort to obtain their status as a 501 c3 non-profit, exempting them from taxes, and allowing them to spend that money on furthering their organization.
"We fought hard to get our 501 c3 status. It took, I would say a total of nearly two years."
However, like 400 other small non-profits in the U.P., the Ishpeming Historical Society is in jeopardy of losing those tax exemptions they fought so hard for if they don't comply with a new request from the IRS.
In the past, non-profits receiving under $25,000 a year did not have to file with the IRS to be tax exempt, but as of October, they do.
"These organizations have to fill out a 990n or an E post card, and this is something that's filled out online. It's only a few questions. It should only take about 15 minutes," said Paul Olson, an associate from the Great Lakes Center for Youth Development.
It sounds simple, but if needed, help is available from the Great Lakes Center for Youth Development
"We're trying to reach out to them by doing this free seminar online called a webinar to help some of the smaller non-profit organizations learn what they need to do in order to keep their tax-exempt status," said Olson.
Webinars will be offered September 30 and October 5. If organizations don't file with the IRS before October 15, they'll have to go through the long and tedious 501 c3 application process all over again.
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