Acknowledgement of your application

Today I got a form letter from the IRS acknowledging that they've received my 1023 application. The letter notes, among other things, that I can go to their web site to find out the current status of application assignments. I go there to find:

Many exempt organizations and practitioners may have noticed an increase in the timeframe to process an application for tax-exempt status. We apologize for any delays you may be experiencing and we are taking steps to decrease processing time. This delay is the result of a backlog of exemption applications.
[...]
Current Status of Applications Requiring Additional Development: Cases received as of October 2006* are currently being assigned [to reviewers].

Sigh...a six month delay...but that's for the scary category - where they need more than "minor information" to approve it. Per the IRS:

The Process: Upon receipt, exemption applications accompanied by the required user fee are initially separated into three groups: (1) those that can be processed immediately based on information submitted, (2) those that need minor additional information to be resolved, and (3) those that require additional development.

If your application falls in the first or second group, you will receive either your determination letter or a request for additional information, via phone, fax, or letter, within approximately 60 days of the date the application was submitted. If your application falls within the third group, you will be contacted once your application has been assigned to an EO specialist.

So now I'm biting my nails wondering if I made my application Determination Specialist-friendly enough. I may have been too lackadaisical about the budget. Other than that, I think I explained the bookstore sufficiently.

And anyway, any contributions made now are retroactively tax-deductible once we get the 50c3 designation, so it's no real hindrance to fundraising. Insha Allah all will be well.

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Light of Islam is a nonprofit bookstore whose mission is to provide the Houston-area community with accurate and accessible information about Islam and Muslims. Find out more at http://www.light-of-islam.org/.