Are Neighbors Together Oakland Contributions Actually Tax Deductible?

Evidence suggests that Oakland politico Seneca Scott is running an unregistered 501(c)(3) — and has been for months.

The world of nonprofits is endlessly complex. To the average person, the terms charity and nonprofit are likely interchangeable, but according to the only organization whose opinion on the subject matters, this could not be further from the truth.

The Internal Revenue Service recognizes 34 different types of tax-exempt organizations, including Cemetery Companies¹, Black Lung Benefit Trusts², and veterans’ organizations created before 1880³. The most popular classifications by far are 501(c) numbers 3-9.

By the IRS standards, all a 501(c) organization has to do to qualify for nonprofit status is to fill out one or two government forms explaining how and why the organization meets the requirements of its desired classifications. Common examples of nonprofits include alumni associations, sports leagues, labor unions, and of course, charities.

But while all 501 organizat…