Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Cohousing Communities with NonProfit Status

[JoAnn Kowalski (1222jk]

Thank you, Buzz. I got a recent used copy of the book via Thrift Books. It
is extremely helpful.
JoAnn

On Sun, Aug 16, 2026 at 2:50 PM Buzz Harris via Cohousing-L <
cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org> wrote:

>  Hi JoAnn.
>
> I live in Mosaic Commons Cohousing in Massachusetts. We don't have a
> nonprofit entity associated with our community, but I've helped people
> form, manage, and fund nonprofits for many years.
>
> Speaking broadly, a 501(c)(3) that is not a grant-making foundation needs
> to have a charitable or public-interest purpose (these are defined pretty
> broadly by the IRS rules) and cannot operate only for the benefit of its
> members/board members. I should say that I'm not an attorney. If you want
> to start a non-foundation (c)(3), I recommend "How to Form a Nonprofit
> Corporation" by Anthony Mancuso (available at nolo.org). Here, in
> addition, is the link to the IRS rules:
> https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/exempt-organization-types.
>
> I know that this only addresses some aspects of your question. I'll be
> interested to hear how cohousers have made use of nonprofits.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Buzz
>
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
> Buzz Harris
>
>
> What used to be called liberal is now called radical,
> What used to be called radical is now called insane,
> What used to be called reactionary is now called moderate, and
> What used to be called insane is now called solid conservative thinking.
>
> -Tony Kushner
>
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
>
>      On Sunday, August 16, 2026 at 09:00:54 AM EDT, JoAnn Kowalski via
> Cohousing-L <cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org> wrote:
>
>  Wanting to hear more about the pros and cons of adding a nonprofit entity
> status to a forming or an established Cohousing Community.
> Thank you.
> JoAnn
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