26 CFR 56.4911-6 – Records of lobbying and grass roots expenditures
(a) Records of lobbying expenditures. An electing public charity must keep a record of its lobbying expenditures for the taxable year. Lobbying expenditures of which an organization must keep a record include the following:
Terms Used In 26 CFR 56.4911-6
- Charity: An agency, institution, or organization in existence and operating for the benefit of an indefinite number of persons and conducted for educational, religious, scientific, medical, or other beneficent purposes.
(1) Expenditures for grass roots lobbying, as described in paragraph (b) of this section;
(2) Amounts directly paid or incurred for direct lobbying, including payments to another organization earmarked for direct lobbying, fees and expenses paid to individuals or organizations for direct lobbying, and printing, mailing, and other direct costs of reproducing and distributing materials used in direct lobbying;
(3) The portion of amounts paid or incurred as current or deferred compensation for an employee’s services for direct lobbying;
(4) Amounts paid for out-of-pocket expenditures incurred on behalf of the organization and for direct lobbying, whether or not incurred by an employee;
(5) The allocable portion of administrative, overhead, and other general expenditures attributable to direct lobbying;
(6) Expenditures for publications or for communications with members to the extent the expenditures are treated as expenditures for direct lobbying under § 56.4911-5; and
(7) Expenditures for direct lobbying of a controlled organization (within the meaning of § 56.4911-10(c)) to the extent included by a controlling organization (within the meaning of § 56.4911-10(c)) in its lobbying expenditures.
(b) Records of grass roots expenditures. An electing public charity must keep a record of its grass roots expenditures for the taxable year. Grass roots expenditures of which an organization must keep a record include the following:
(1) Amounts directly paid or incurred for grass roots lobbying, including payments to other organizations earmarked for grass roots lobbying, fees and expenses paid to individuals or organizations for grass roots lobbying, and the printing, mailing, and other direct costs of reproducing and distributing materials used in grass roots lobbying;
(2) The portion of amounts paid or incurred as current or deferred compensation for an employee’s services for grass roots lobbying;
(3) Amounts paid for out-of-pocket expenditures incurred on behalf of the organization and for grass roots lobbying, whether or not incurred by an employee;
(4) The allocable portion of administrative, overhead and other general expenditures attributable to grass roots lobbying;
(5) Expenditures for publication or communications that are treated as expenditures for grass roots lobbying under § 56.4911-5; and
(6) Expenditures for grass roots lobbying of a controlled organization (within the meaning of § 56.4911-10(c)) to the extent included by a controlling organization (within the meaning of § 56.4911-10(c)) in its grass roots expenditures.