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.
These aren't optional. Missing them is how small nonprofits accidentally lose the tax-exempt status they worked so hard to get.
Every 501(c)(3) files some version of the 990 each year. Which one depends on your size:
• Under $50,000 in gross receipts → Form 990-N (the "e-Postcard" — about 8 questions, takes minutes).
• $50,000–$200,000 (and under $500k in assets) → Form 990-EZ.
• Over $200,000 → 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.
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).
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.
Most brand-new founders have never heard of these. Together they're worth real money you don't have to spend.
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.
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.
Free access to Canva Pro for design — flyers, social posts, one-pagers — without a designer.
Candid's Foundation Directory 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.
That's exactly why we're building Ember — simple tools made only for nonprofits, so deadlines, grants, volunteers, and donors live in one calm place. A genuinely free plan, no credit card, your whole team included.
No credit card, ever · No trial clock · Unlimited users included