PSF obtains favorable advance ruling from IRS

[Guido van Rossum]

I'm very pleased to announce that the Python Software Foundation has
been recognized by the IRS (the US office of taxation) as a tax-exempt
non-profit foundation (aka 501(c)(3)), and that the IRS has given the
PSF a "favorable advance ruling" on the PSF's application for
recognition as a public charity.  Read the IRS ruling here:

    http://www.python.org/psf/records/tax-exempt.txt

Recognition as a public charity has many benefits for the PSF and our
community, including strong requirements for public disclosure and
accountability, strong legal protections, and freedom from Federal
taxation on foundation revenue.  Contributions to the PSF are also
tax-deductible for purposes of US income tax, subject to the same
regulations as donations to any public charity.

The PSF hasn't solicited contributions so far, waiting for the IRS
ruling.  Now that we have a favorable advance ruling, as the letter
states we need to demonstrate broad public financial support to retain
public charity status.  A PSF committee is looking into ways to make
contributing as easy as possible (like "click here to donate").  If
you can't wait, the best way to contribute now is via check:

    http://www.python.org/psf/donations.html

The PSF currently has financial responsibility for PyCon DC 2003:

   http://www.python.org/pycon/

Provided that doesn't bankrupt us :-), other things the PSF does (and
would like to do) are given in the PSF's mission statement:

    http://www.python.org/psf/mission.html

So get those donations coming!

(Non-US residents are encouraged to donate, and their donations will
be counted as public financial support, but such donations are
generally not tax-exempt for the donor.  To change this would require
setting up PSF subsidiaries in many countries; we don't have the
resources to do this.  Check your local tax law; there may be
exceptions.)

--Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.python.org/~guido/)