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1,200+ nonprofits protected from auto-revocation
You Built Something That Matters.
We Make Sure
the IRS Agrees.
Annual filings · Board governance · State registrations · Audit readiness. One firm. Every obligation, handled.
760,000+
nonprofits auto-revoked since 2010
3 years
of missed 990s triggers instant revocation
$20/day
IRS penalty for late filings
0 appeals
auto-revocation is not contestable
Formation & Form 1023
Getting your status — and keeping it
Many organizations obtain their 501(c)(3) status and immediately stop thinking about compliance. But recognition is not the finish line — it's the starting line. Churches and integrated auxiliaries aside, every other exempt organization must formally apply and then maintain active compliance. Founders who skip proper 1023 preparation often face years of ambiguity, donor skepticism, and disqualified grants.
No formal recognition = no tax-deductible donations, period.
- Form 1023 / 1023-EZ preparation and submission
- Narrative program descriptions that satisfy IRS scrutiny
- Articles of incorporation & bylaws review
- EIN registration and state formation filings
- Post-approval compliance checklist and calendar
Annual Form 990 Filing
The document donors, grantors, and the IRS all read first
Three consecutive missed 990s triggers automatic revocation — no warning, no appeal. From 2010 to 2017 alone, the IRS revoked more than 760,000 organizations. The form isn't just a tax document: it's a public trust disclosure that grantmakers, watchdogs, and major donors use to evaluate your organization before writing a single check.
Even zero-revenue years require a filing to maintain status.
- 990-N, 990-EZ, or full 990 — whichever your revenue requires
- Form 8868 extension filing if you need more time
- Part VI governance policy disclosures reviewed and accurate
- Functional expense allocation (program vs. admin vs. fundraising)
- Full board review memo before submission
Board Governance
The policies the IRS checks before it checks anything else
Part VI of Form 990 asks directly whether your board has adopted conflict-of-interest, whistleblower, and document-retention policies. Leaving these blank raises immediate red flags with the IRS — and with every grantmaker who pulls your 990 on GuideStar. The IRS uses these disclosures as an enforcement lens, particularly for executive compensation under Section 4958.
Undocumented governance = no safe harbor from excess-compensation penalties.
- Conflict-of-interest policy drafting and annual sign-off process
- Whistleblower and document-retention policy templates
- Executive compensation rebuttable presumption procedures
- Board meeting minutes review and record-keeping system
- Annual governance checklist for your board chair
State Renewals
Every state you operate in is watching
Federal exemption doesn't automatically mean state exemption. California requires Form RRF-1. Other states require separate income tax filings, charitable solicitation registrations, or annual reports — each with their own deadlines. Organizations that fundraise across state lines face multiplied obligations. Even if you're exempt from federal 990 filing, you may still owe state filings.
Multi-state fundraising with missing registrations can trigger state AG investigations.
- State-by-state compliance calendar for all operating jurisdictions
- California RRF-1, Form CT-TR-1, and AG portal submissions
- Charitable solicitation registration and annual renewal
- State income tax exemption applications and renewals
- Property and sales tax exemption filings where applicable
Audit Preparation
Turn your annual filing into a strategic asset
Organizations that treat the 990 as a chore rather than a checkpoint miss the strategic value of the process. The comprehensive data required for Form 990 is exactly what auditors, major donors, and program officers want to see — organized, benchmarked, and explained. Organizations caught flat-footed in an audit typically have the same problem: the records were never organized in the first place.
Disorganized records in an audit can turn a routine inquiry into a prolonged review.
- Year-round document organization system and cloud storage setup
- Pre-audit internal review with gap analysis
- Benchmarking against comparable organizations in your sector
- Schedule O narrative drafting for significant financial changes
- Audit committee support and board financial literacy sessions
Check Your Compliance Health
Five questions. Two minutes. A personalized risk score and your next concrete step — no fluff, no sales pitch.
What type of tax-exempt organization are you?
This determines your filing requirements and applicable rules.
The directors who called us before the IRS did.
I thought we were fine. Turned out we'd missed filing for two consecutive years and were one year away from automatic revocation. ComplianceGuard caught it, filed the back returns, and we kept our status. Our major donor never found out.
Status preserved. Back filings resolved in 6 weeks.
Patricia Okonkwo
Executive Director
Eastside Youth Mentoring Network, Chicago
I'm a retired accountant volunteering as treasurer for our food pantry. I know numbers, but nonprofit compliance rules are a different language. Having someone explain exactly what Part VI of the 990 requires — and then just handling it — was a relief I can't overstate.
First clean 990 in 4 years. No IRS penalty.
Donald Reyes
Volunteer Treasurer
Harvest Table Community Pantry, San Antonio
Our congregation started a health clinic fifteen years ago. The mission grew faster than the paperwork. We had no conflict-of-interest policy, no document retention policy, no governance calendar — nothing the IRS Form 990 asks about. ComplianceGuard built it all in three weeks.
Full governance framework built. 990 Part VI now fully compliant.
Rev. Marcus Webb
Founding Pastor
New Life Community Health Center, Atlanta
1,200+
Nonprofits protected
0
Clients auto-revoked under our watch
17 states
Active state registrations managed
48 hrs
Average response time for urgent filings
One conversation. Every filing handled.
We work with the executive directors, volunteer treasurers, and founding pastors who keep communities running. Let's make sure the paperwork never gets in the way of the mission.