**In order to clear up any confusion, an organization or a company cannot have one without the other. You cannot declare yourself "non-profit" WITHOUT securing "tax exempt" status. The IRS likes to know about these things because that means they owe back taxes and penalties.**
I don't think the above statement is true. Non-profit corporations are a name for a type of corporation, not a statement. Tax-exempt status is granted by the IRS to certain organizations that meet the requirements for charitable organizations. (See publication 557 from the IRS.) Because the tax-exempt status is difficult to receive, many non-profits set up a separate corporation for that purpose. In many circles, it usually is for educational purposes--even scholarships to universities. Susan
