September 24, 1998 | Read Time: 1 minute
A new Web site is offering to post charities’ informational tax returns and applications for tax-exempt status — but few non-profit groups seem to be interested.
Eric Mercer, manager of services at DU Educational Technology Services, a non-profit group that provides on-line education programs, is offering to post the Forms 990 and Forms 1023 free. He says that the intention is to help charities comply with a law Congress passed in 1996 to require that the forms be made more readily available. Proposed regulations to enforce the law would allow charities to comply by posting their tax returns on line. Final regulations are expected to be issued later this year.
Despite the new law, Mr. Mercer’s offer has not attracted much interest. He initially posted the proposal to the “cyber-accountability” e-mail discussion group, which focuses on issues of accountability for charities. Only three groups took up his offer: the Evergreen State Society, the Nonprofit Financial Center, and the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations. Mr. Mercer then extended his offer to several other on-line discussion groups, but as of last week had not received any responses.
To participate, charities must fax Mr. Mercer a copy of their tax forms. He will then convert the document into a format that allows a copy of it to be posted on the Web site.
TO GET THERE: Go to http://www.interlog.com/~mercere/access.html.
