Statement by Diana Aviv, president and CEO of Independent Sector, on the Redesigned IRS Form 990

NOTE: The IRS released its redesigned Form 990, which many tax-exempt organizations must file annually with the IRS and make available to the public.

(Washington, D.C., December 20, 2007) -- Independent Sector is pleased that the redesigned Form 990 includes many of the improvements we requested in the comments we submitted to the IRS this summer. Nonprofits can now describe their exempt purpose and accomplishments on the first two pages of the Form, and there are other improvements in financial, compensation, and governance information and in specific schedules. We believe the revised Form will facilitate accurate, complete, and consistent reporting and will be easier for most organizations to complete. IS considers the new Form 990 a major step in fulfilling the nonprofit community's commitment to accountability and transparency.

More information about the changes to the Form 990 is available by clicking here.

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Independent Sector is a nonprofit, nonpartisan coalition of charities, foundations, and corporate philanthropy programs, collectively representing tens of thousands of charitable groups in every state across the nation. Its mission is to advance the common good by leading, strengthening, and mobilizing the nonprofit community.