For new and all-volunteer nonprofits

The stuff no one tells you when you start a nonprofit.

The deadlines that can quietly cost you your tax-exempt status, the free tools and grants worth thousands, and the dates to plan around, gathered in one place, so nothing slips while you're busy doing the work.

Deadlines that can cost you your status

These aren't optional. Missing them is how small nonprofits accidentally lose the tax-exempt status they worked so hard to get.

Your annual IRS filing, Form 990 every year

Almost every 501(c)(3) files some version of the 990 each year. Churches are the main exception. Private foundations file the 990-PF, and 509(a)(3) supporting organizations generally file the 990 or 990-EZ, whatever their size. For everyone else, it depends on your size:

• $50,000 or less in normal yearly gross receipts means Form 990-N (the "e-Postcard", about 8 questions, takes minutes).
• Over $50,000 and under $200,000 (and under $500k in assets) means Form 990-EZ.
• $200,000 or more (or $500k or more in assets) means the full Form 990.

When: the 15th day of the 5th month after your fiscal year ends. If your year ends December 31, that's May 15.

⚠ Miss your 990 filing three years in a row and the IRS automatically revokes your tax-exempt status. You get a warning notice after the second missed year, but once the third deadline passes there's no appeal, only an application to be reinstated. It's the single most common way new nonprofits lose their status.

State charitable registration before you fundraise

Most states require you to register before you ask anyone for a donation, including a "Donate" button on your website, and to renew it every year. Rules vary by state, so check your state's charity office (often the Attorney General or Secretary of State).

State corporate annual report yearly / biennial

Separate from the IRS: most states want a short annual or biennial report to keep your nonprofit corporation "in good standing." Miss it and your entity can be administratively dissolved. Check with your Secretary of State.

Free tools & grants worth thousands

Most brand-new founders have never heard of these. Together they're worth real money you don't have to spend.

Google Ad Grants, $10,000/month in free Google ads

Through Google for Nonprofits, eligible 501(c)(3)s get up to $10,000 every month in free Google Search ads to put your cause in front of people searching for it. It has rules to keep active, but it's genuinely free advertising most nonprofits leave on the table.

TechSoup, donated & deeply discounted software

The clearinghouse for nonprofit tech discounts (Microsoft, and dozens more). It's also where many programs verify your nonprofit status, so it's worth setting up early.

Canva for Nonprofits, free Canva Pro

Free access to Canva Pro for design, flyers, social posts, one-pagers, without a designer.

Free ways to find grants

Candid search is free to use at partner libraries; Grants.gov lists every federal grant; tools like Instrumentl offer free trials. You don't need a paid subscription to start finding funders.

Key dates to plan around

May 15Form 990 filing deadline for calendar-year nonprofits (the most common fiscal year).

Dec 1, 2026GivingTuesday, the global day of giving, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Plan your ask weeks ahead.

Dec 31Year-end giving deadline, the single biggest donation window of the year, driven by tax deadlines.

Spring & FallMany community foundations run grant cycles in spring and fall. Find your local funders' deadlines now and work backward.

This guide is general information for US nonprofits, not legal or tax advice. Rules vary by state and change over time, confirm specifics with your state charity office, the IRS, or a qualified professional.

Sources: IRS (Form 990 / 990-N filing & automatic revocation), Google for Nonprofits (Ad Grants), National Council of Nonprofits (state filing requirements), TechSoup, Canva for Nonprofits. Verified August 2026.