# 501(c)(3) question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 17, 2010, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/501-c-3-question/550486 "2010-08-17T01:50:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/501-c-3-question/550486/1 "2010-08-17T01:50:00Z")
A friend of mine runs a food pantry, and would like to know if she can put the pantry’s full 501©(3) number on the website. Her webmaster says that she can’t do it legally, but she thinks it public information. What say ye? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/501-c-3-question/550486/2 "2010-08-17T02:13:27Z")
What do you mean by its 501©(3) number? Do you mean its EIN? I’m not aware that 501©(3)s get a separate number. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/501-c-3-question/550486/3 "2010-08-17T02:14:10Z")
From the [IRS](http://www.501c3.org/blog/frequently-asked-questions/501c3-number-vs-ein/): > [@Jackbooted Thugs of Democracy](#): > > Will my nonprofit be given a 501(c)(3) number separate from its Employer ID Number (EIN)? > No. Your EIN is the only number issued to your organization by the federal government. When your nonprofit’s 501(c)(3) status is approved by the IRS, you will receive a written notice, known as a letter of determination. EIN would not be considered sensitive information and in fact, according to the [US DOL](http://www.dol.gov/oasam/library/law/lawtips/employeridentificationnumbers.htm): > [@The JToD's Little Brother](#): > > Nonprofit organizations often include the EIN on the Form 990 which provides a nonprofit organization’s financial information and executive names. Hope this helps! ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/501-c-3-question/550486/4 "2010-08-17T02:21:50Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#): > > From the [IRS](http://www.501c3.org/blog/frequently-asked-questions/501c3-number-vs-ein/): Just for the record, that’s not the IRS. It’s a private organization that you can pay to set up a 501(c)(3) for you. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/501-c-3-question/550486/5 "2010-08-17T02:49:23Z")
Well, son-of-a-gun, you are absolutely right! Must have clicked the wrong link in the search results. Okay, here you go! [Applying for an exemption.](http://www.irs.gov/charities/article/0,,id=136196,00.html) [Who doesn’t need an exemption?](http://www.irs.gov/charities/charitable/article/0,,id=123067,00.html)\* \*2nd link found during a search to recover the first link. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/501-c-3-question/550486/6 "2010-08-17T04:01:31Z")
Non-profit groups’ EINs are easily found at Guidestar, so I can’t imagine why the webmaster feels it’s illegal, immoral or fattening to publish it. Now, whether or not it’s useful to publish it is another question. I don’t think there’s really any good reason to publish it. If anyone needs it, they can to look it up at Guidestar, Melissadata or at the IRS. ---
**Author:** ![Nothar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nothar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nothar)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/501-c-3-question/550486/7 "2010-08-17T07:37:27Z")
The EIN # would be helpful for folks to use on their 1040 tax reurn if they contributed to the organization. Form 8283 requires you provide the EIN of the organization you contributed to for certain noncash contributions valued over $5,000. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/501-c-3-question/550486/8 "2010-08-17T12:30:13Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > Now, whether or not it’s useful to publish it is another question. I don’t think there’s really any good reason to publish it. If anyone needs it, they can to look it up at Guidestar, Melissadata or at the IRS. Well, it may just be another layer of cross-referencing to make it easier for donors to check up on the pantry. As a grantor, we require the EIN on apps, because we’ll end up needing it to verify tax status with the accountant, and we don’t want to do the legwork. ---
**Author:** ![Raza](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raza/32/213_2.png) [@Raza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raza)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/501-c-3-question/550486/9 "2010-08-17T16:11:54Z")
I put our EIN on our charity’s Web site several years ago. As others said, it makes it easier to verify our info in a place like Guidestar or with the IRS, and is useful to donors so they can record it for tax/recordkeeping purposes. For me, the reverse is also true: when I get a request from another charity, it is handy for both my research and recordkeeping to have that number easily attainable. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/501-c-3-question/550486/10 "2010-08-17T16:24:57Z")
The webmaster must be insane. There are plenty of numbers you probably shouldn’t post on your website, but I can’t think of any that are _illegal_. Putting an EIN on a nonprofit’s page is a common practice, and one I recommend. ---
**Author:** ![jbaker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/59ef9b/32.png) [@jbaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jbaker)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/501-c-3-question/550486/11 "2010-08-17T18:16:43Z")
The webmaster is probably confused because there are certain legal protections for the confidentiality of Social Security numbers (SSNs), and SSNs and EINs are both tax identification numbers (TINs). (Although it would not be illegal for you to post your own SSN, just very stupid.) In contrast to SSNs, EINs are not usually considered confidential. ---
**Author:** ![CannyDan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cannydan/32/548_2.png) [@CannyDan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CannyDan)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/501-c-3-question/550486/12 "2010-08-17T19:43:34Z")
Director of a 501©(3) here-- We put our EIN on our web site some years ago, as a convenience to donors and potential donors. Our state (Florida) also registers organizations that solicit donations, and we post that registration number as well. I cannot imagine any reason to consider either as “confidential information” let alone some legal prohibition against revealing them. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/501-c-3-question/550486/13 "2010-08-17T19:47:10Z")
Fundraising teacher here. I am struggling to think of why one could _not_ put your nonprofit’s EIN on its website…the EIN isn’t a secret number like a social security number. Your donors need it for tax information, so why should it be kept a secret?