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163: A Runway of Snacks | Can a Religious Nonprofit Apply for Status with the IRS 1023-EZ Short Form?

Charity Therapy

Release Date: 04/30/2026

163: A Runway of Snacks | Can a Religious Nonprofit Apply for Status with the IRS 1023-EZ Short Form? show art 163: A Runway of Snacks | Can a Religious Nonprofit Apply for Status with the IRS 1023-EZ Short Form?

Charity Therapy

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...

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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.

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