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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsUse the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Tax Exempt Organization Search (TEOS) before you donate. Search the recipient’s Employer Identification Number (EIN) in the IRS’s Pub. 78 data, then match the result to the university, foundation, or other legal entity named on the donation page. Pub. 78 is the IRS list used to check whether contributions to an organization are eligible for a charitable deduction.
A university’s public name, nonprofit incorporation, or informal assurance is not enough by itself. A campus may collect gifts through a separately incorporated foundation, alumni association, or other affiliate. If the name is missing from Pub. 78, do not immediately conclude that the gift is nondeductible: some governmental units and organizations covered by a group ruling are not listed individually. In that situation, request the university’s determination, affirmation, governmental information, or group-ruling confirmation letter and compare the relevant dates.
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What you are actually checking
The question is not simply whether a university calls itself a nonprofit. You are checking whether the particular legal entity receiving your money is recognized in a way that makes contributions eligible for a federal charitable deduction.
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Federal contribution eligibility
Pub. 78 identifies organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible charitable contributions under the applicable federal rules. A listing is therefore more relevant to a donor than a university’s state nonprofit filing or a statement that the institution is “tax exempt.”
The actual recipient, not just the campus name
Match the entity on the donation page, checkout screen, pledge form, or receipt. A university may direct gifts to a university foundation, medical foundation, athletic association, or alumni organization with a different legal name and EIN. Search that recipient rather than assuming that the campus brand and the legal recipient are identical.
Start with the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search
TEOS is the primary place to begin because it brings together several types of IRS information. Depending on the organization, the search can show Pub. 78 eligibility data, determination letters, automatic-revocation information, and return or notice records.
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- Pub. 78 data: the IRS listing relevant to whether contributions are eligible for a charitable deduction.
- Determination letters: IRS letters describing the organization’s exemption and the Code section that applies.
- Automatic-revocation records: entries for organizations whose exemption was automatically revoked after the required filing failure.
- Returns and notices: information from Form 990-series filings and Form 990-N electronic notices that provides compliance context.
Use the returns and notices as context, not as a substitute for confirming contribution eligibility. An informational filing can show that an organization submitted a notice or return; it does not, by itself, answer whether your contribution is deductible.
Collect the right identity before searching
The quality of your search depends on using the identity the IRS has on file. Before opening TEOS, copy the recipient details from the donation page or ask the university’s development or advancement office for them.
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Find the legal name
IRS records generally use the organization’s legal name or a doing-business-as (DBA) name filed with the IRS. A popular campus name, abbreviation, athletic nickname, or marketing slogan may not appear in the results. Look for wording such as “The University of … Foundation, Inc.” or another formal entity name on the donation page, receipt, privacy notice, or gift agreement.
Use the EIN whenever possible
An EIN is usually the most precise search key. Ask for the nine-digit number if it is not displayed. Enter it exactly as provided, then confirm that the returned name and location match the recipient you intended to support. Do not substitute a parent university’s EIN for a foundation’s EIN merely because the organizations share a campus or logo.
Check location and relationship
Compare the city, state, legal name, and relationship to the university. Similar names can belong to separate institutions. If the result names a central organization or parent body rather than the entity that solicited your gift, investigate whether the recipient is covered under a group ruling.
How to search Pub. 78 in TEOS
- Open TEOS and choose the organization search. Use the IRS tool rather than a commercial directory or a university’s own “tax status” page.
- Search by EIN first. This minimizes false matches caused by abbreviations, punctuation, or similar university names.
- Search the legal name or filed DBA. If the EIN search is unavailable, try the formal name printed on the donation materials, then reasonable name variations.
- Compare the returned identity. Check the organization name, city, state, and any relationship information against the recipient shown to you.
- Open the Pub. 78 result. Confirm that the organization is listed as eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
- Review linked records when the result is unclear. Look at an available determination letter, revocation entry, and relevant return or notice records. These records answer different questions, so do not treat one as a replacement for another.
- Save the evidence for your files. Keep a copy of the result, the recipient’s legal name and EIN, and the donation receipt so you can explain why you selected that entity.
How to interpret the records you find
| IRS record | What it helps establish | What it does not establish by itself |
|---|---|---|
| Pub. 78 listing | That the listed organization is shown as eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions. | That a similarly named campus affiliate or other entity is the same recipient. |
| Determination letter | The exemption Code section and whether contributions to the organization are deductible, as stated in the letter. | That an old letter overrides a later revocation or changed status. |
| Automatic-revocation entry | That the organization appears in the IRS record for automatic loss of exemption after required filing failures. | That the organization is still revoked if it was later reinstated. |
| Form 990-series return or Form 990-N notice | Compliance and filing context available through TEOS. | Current contribution eligibility without checking the relevant exemption records. |
| Governmental information letter | Evidence used by certain governmental entities that do not have an ordinary nonprofit determination letter. | A universal substitute for every organization’s Pub. 78 status. |
What a determination or affirmation letter tells you
The IRS says a contributor can check an organization’s exemption letter; the letter states the Code section describing the organization and whether contributions made to it are deductible. That makes the letter useful when the public name does not match the search result or when a university says it is covered by another organization.
Letters currently available in TEOS
Current TEOS provides determination letters issued in 2014 or later. Open the letter and compare its legal name, EIN, exemption section, and contribution language with the entity requesting your donation.
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Older letters
Older determination letters may not appear in TEOS. The IRS says they can be requested with Form 4506-B. An older letter can help explain the organization’s original status, but you still need to check current Pub. 78 information and any later revocation or reinstatement record.
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A central organization may provide an affirmation letter confirming that a subordinate is covered by its group ruling. Some governmental units do not have an ordinary IRS determination letter and may instead use a governmental information letter. Ask the university which type applies and request the document that identifies the actual recipient.
If the university does not appear in Pub. 78
An empty search is a reason to investigate, not conclusive proof that the gift is ineligible. The IRS describes Pub. 78 as a partial listing. Some eligible governmental units and some subordinates covered by a group ruling are not listed individually.
First, verify that you searched the right entity
- Recheck the EIN for transposed or missing digits.
- Search the legal name instead of the campus nickname.
- Try the DBA name filed with the IRS.
- Confirm that the donation recipient is not a separate foundation or association.
- Check the city and state so that a similarly named institution is not being mistaken for yours.
Then ask about group-ruling coverage
In a group ruling, a central organization receives IRS recognition that can cover subordinate organizations. A subordinate may not have its own individual Pub. 78 entry. Ask the university to identify the central organization and provide written confirmation that the specific subordinate receiving your gift is included.
Do not accept a statement that the university is “part of a national system” without the entity names and coverage confirmation. The confirmation should connect the legal recipient and EIN to the central organization’s ruling.
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For a governmental university, request the appropriate evidence
Some public universities or governmental units may not have a conventional determination letter. Ask whether the recipient is a governmental unit and, if so, request its governmental information letter or other IRS documentation explaining the basis for its status. A missing nonprofit-style letter is not, by itself, proof that the governmental entity cannot receive deductible contributions.
How to handle an automatic-revocation record
An automatic-revocation entry requires a date check. The IRS rule is that an organization automatically loses tax-exempt status when it fails to file required annual returns or notices for three consecutive years. The three-year threshold is a filing rule, not a statistic about how often universities lose status.
Do not stop at the revocation list
An organization can later be reinstated after IRS approval. Its name may remain on the automatic-revocation list even when a later record shows reinstatement. Therefore, compare the revocation date with the reinstatement or current-status evidence.
Check the effective dates
- Open the automatic-revocation entry and note the effective revocation date.
- Look for a later reinstatement record, current Pub. 78 listing, or determination letter.
- Compare the effective date of reinstatement with the date of your intended donation.
- If the dates conflict or the records are incomplete, ask the university for its current IRS letter and an explanation of the timeline before paying.
An old determination letter does not automatically settle a current status question when a later revocation appears. The controlling issue is the organization’s status and contribution eligibility for the relevant date.
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Keep federal exemption separate from state tax treatment
Federal contribution deductibility and state tax exemptions are different concepts. Forming a nonprofit corporation under state law does not automatically create federal income-tax exemption. Likewise, a federal exemption does not automatically grant a state sales-tax exemption; sales-tax treatment follows the law of the state involved.
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This distinction matters when a university advertises that it is “tax exempt” without specifying the tax. For a donation decision, ask specifically about federal charitable-contribution eligibility and verify the recipient in IRS records. A state sales-tax certificate is not a substitute for Pub. 78 evidence.
Practical examples of identity mismatches
A university foundation receives the gift
The donation page displays a university’s name and logo, but the receipt identifies “University Foundation, Inc.” Search the foundation’s EIN and legal name. The university’s own EIN may lead to a different record and would not prove the foundation’s status.
A subordinate is covered by a group ruling
TEOS does not show the campus entity, but the university says it is a subordinate of a central organization. Ask for the central organization’s name and written confirmation that the campus entity is covered. Keep that confirmation with the donation record.
A public university has no conventional determination letter
The institution explains that it is a governmental unit and provides a governmental information letter instead. Check that the legal recipient on the donation form matches the entity described in the letter and review any available Pub. 78 or other IRS record.
A revocation entry conflicts with a current assurance
The IRS search shows automatic revocation, while the university says it was reinstated. Request the reinstatement evidence, identify both effective dates, and do not rely on a letter issued before the revocation without confirming the later status.
Common mistakes that can produce the wrong answer
- Searching only the public campus name: the IRS may use a legal or DBA name instead.
- Using a third-party directory as proof: directories can help locate information but do not replace the IRS’s Pub. 78 and status records.
- Treating “nonprofit” as synonymous with deductible: nonprofit corporate form and federal contribution eligibility are separate questions.
- Assuming an empty Pub. 78 result means failure: governmental units and group-ruling subordinates may not be listed individually.
- Reading a revocation list without dates: reinstatement can occur after revocation, so inspect the later effective date.
- Confusing filings with eligibility: a Form 990 or Form 990-N record supplies context but is not the same as a Pub. 78 eligibility listing.
- Checking the university but not the payee: the entity named on your receipt controls the identity you need to verify.
A before-you-pay checklist
- Copy the recipient’s exact legal name and EIN from the donation page or ask the development office.
- Search the EIN in IRS TEOS and verify the returned name and location.
- Open the Pub. 78 information and confirm that the listed organization is eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
- Review an available determination letter, affirmation letter, or governmental information letter when the result is missing or ambiguous.
- If the entity is a group-ruling subordinate, obtain confirmation from the central organization.
- If an automatic-revocation entry appears, check for reinstatement and compare the revocation and reinstatement effective dates with your donation date.
- Keep the IRS result, supporting letter, recipient details, and donation receipt together.
When to pause the donation
Pause and seek clarification when the payee’s legal name or EIN does not match the IRS result, when a university will not identify the entity receiving the money, when an alleged group-ruling relationship is not documented, or when revocation and reinstatement dates are unresolved. A clear match between the actual recipient and current IRS evidence is the practical standard to reach before relying on federal charitable-deduction eligibility.
Bottom line
Verify the recipient—not merely the university brand—in IRS TEOS. Search Pub. 78 by EIN, confirm the legal name and location, inspect the relevant letter, and investigate missing listings or revocation entries instead of treating them as self-explanatory. That process distinguishes a current contribution-eligibility record from a state nonprofit filing, an informational return, or an unsupported assurance.
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