What legal requirement must not-for-profits adhere to regarding their financial filings?

• A. Making emails public
• B. Disclosing donor information to all members
• C. Providing public access to their 990 or 990EZ filings
• D. Publishing annual reports online

Answer: (C)

Not-for-profit organizations are legally required to provide public access to their Form 990 or 990EZ filings with the IRS. These forms contain crucial financial information about the organization, such as revenue, expenses, and executive compensation, which helps ensure transparency and accountability. This requirement is in place to allow donors, members, and the general public to assess the organization’s financial health and compliance with tax regulations.

The other options do not represent legal requirements for not-for-profits in the same way. For example, while maintaining transparency can involve sharing information, there is no legal obligation for not-for-profits to make emails public or disclose donor information to all members. Publishing annual reports online can be a good practice for transparency, but it is not mandated by law. Therefore, providing access to Form 990 or 990EZ filings aligns with the legal obligations that not-for-profits must follow regarding financial transparency.