Once your nonprofit application leaves our hands at Instant Nonprofit, the process of obtaining your IRS determination letter is fully in the IRS’s control. Unfortunately, after the application is submitted, we no longer have the ability to check on its status or contact the IRS on your behalf, as we are not part of your nonprofit’s board of directors.
How You’ll Receive Your Determination Letter
The IRS will send your official determination letter via USPS (regular mail) to the mailing address you provided in your application. Please note that there are no digital copies provided, and the letter will not be emailed to you.
It is equally important to ensure that the address provided in your application is current to avoid any misplacement of the letter. Monitoring your mail closely after submission is also recommended to promptly receive any correspondence from the IRS. Additionally, certain platforms, like Instant Nonprofit’s services for nonprofit organizations, may upload an electronic copy of this letter to your organization’s portal for easy access.
Checking the Status
Although the IRS has a website for checking nonprofit application statuses, it's known to often lack the most up-to-date information. That link is here. You can try to check the status online, but the best way to get accurate information is by calling the IRS directly.
Furthermore, an authorized representative or a board member of your nonprofit may contact the IRS to get additional clarity if needed.
What to Do If You Haven’t Heard Back
If it has been a while since your application was submitted and you have not yet received your determination letter, we recommend contacting the IRS directly. They can provide updates and let you know if there are any issues with your application.
To contact the IRS for nonprofit status inquiries, you can call their Exempt Organizations Customer Account Services at 1-877-829-5500. Be sure to have your nonprofit’s Employer Identification Number (EIN) handy when calling. Additionally, you may need the Application Tracking Number. For that, please reach out to Support.
Ensure that once you receive your IRS Determination Letter, you store it in a secure location. Keeping both physical and digital copies, if available, will help you access the document easily when required for official purposes.