On December 9thSpencer Pride, Inc. announced that we had received approval from the Internal Revenue Service for 501(c)(3) status as a Public Charity. This approval followed months of effort that included countless hours devoted to this major project. Receiving 501(c)(3) approval is the most significant of the strategic goals that we had set for 2010 and we were all thrilled to get it before the end of the year. Our new status will allow us to solicit corporations – most of which set 501(c)(3) status as a minimum criteria when applying for grants and sponsorships – that we were not able to do before. It also means that individuals will receive federal income tax deductions for their donations to Spencer Pride, Inc. Typically, this increases the donations that an organization receives. As we prepare for our fifth annual festival, such an increase in donations would allow us to continue our trajectory of success. If you were considering making any end-of-year donations before the tax year ends on December 31st, please keep Spencer Pride in mind. The size of our organization and our community means that every dollar can have a big impact. A $100 donation, for example, can get much more in Spencer, Indiana than it can in Chicago or other large cities. Although we always encourage people to financially support a wide diversity of LGBTQI organizations, we especially appreciate when Spencer Pride Inc. is one of those organizations. If you cannot make a donation this year due to your financial situation, we hope that you might consider us for your 2011 donations. Donations can be made securely online from our website using PayPal. They can also be sent via check or money order to “Spencer Pride, Inc.”, P.O. Box 585, Spencer, IN 47460. Donations must be postmarked by December 31st in order to count for the 2010 tax year.