Several local non-profit organizations will lose their non-profit status if they do not file the necessary paperwork with the Internal Revenue Service by Oct. 15.

The Pension Protection Act of 2006 required all tax-exempt organizations, with the exemption of churches and some church-related organizations, to begin filing annual returns with the IRS starting in 2007. The Internal Revenue Service created a special form, Form 990N for those small tax-exempt groups who previously were not required to file.

Organizations who do not file for three consecutive years are by law, revoked of their tax-exempt status. Deirdre Stepter with IRS media relations said the IRS has attempted to contact these groups over the past three years, but have not gotten responses from a lot of them, prompting the IRS to put out a list of those at risk of losing their status this year.

That list can be viewed on a special page of the IRS.gov Web site.

The organizations included on this list have return due dates between May 17 and Oct. 15, and the IRS is providing a one-time relief program, helping these organizations come back into compliance.

“We are doing everything we can to help organizations comply with the law and keep their valuable tax exemption,” IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman said. “So if you do not have your filings up to date, now’s the time to take action and get back on track.”

Tax-exempt organizations with gross receipts of greater than or equal to $500,000 or assets greater than $1.25 million must file a Form 990. If an organization has gross receipts of less than $500,000 and total assets of less than $1.25 million can file Form 990-EZ, and organizations who have gross receipts of less than $25,000 must submit Form 990N (also known as the e-postcard).

Stepter said the organizations on the list may have failed to file the necessary forms for a variety of reasons including: they have dissolved but never filed the paperwork to do that; they may have changed leadership; the may have changed mailing addresses; or they may not have understood they needed to file under the new law.

Regardless, she said the IRS is willing to work with these organizations. If the organizations has been terminated, a statement to that effect is requested.

The following local organizations, according to their last known mailing address, are in danger of losing tax-exempt status:

Abita Springs: Louisiana Seniors Golf Association, The Brother John Learning Center Association and Tuberculosis Association of Greater New Orleans.

Covington: Alpha and Omega Inc., American Legion Auxiliary Post 16, American Postal Workers Union 1365,

Association for Gifted and Talented Students of La., Auxiliary of the United Transportation Union, Community Training and Development, Covington Christian Concern, Covington High School Association, Covington Recreation District Booster Club, Creations Great and Small, Firewood Ministries, Fraternal Order of Police, George Stephens Ministries, Gulfcoast Blacksmith Association, Hope N Him Ministries, Jesus House Ministries, Key Learning Program, Kiwanis International of Greater Covington, Knights of Columbus Abbot Paul Assembly, Lake Ramsey Civic Association, Louisiana Morgan Association, Louisiana Oyster Community Relief Fund, N W St. Tammany Civic Association, Northlake Republican Women, Covington High School PTSA, Lee Road Junior High PTA, River Forest Neighborhood Watch, Ron Michel Ministries, St. Tammany Sexual Assault Network, Skyfire Productions, St. Tammany Parish Charity Police Fund, Symphony Northshore, The Business Council of St. Tammany, St. Tammany Zoological Society, True Colors Kidz, Upward Community Services, Visions Youth Organization, Vivian and Bill M Teague Charitable Fund, Volunteers Against Child Abuse, West St. Tammany Medical Auxiliary and Work Initiative Network.

Folsom: Ballet Aviv, M A Coleman Memorial Cemetery and Folsom Junior High PTA.

Lacombe: Bayou Lacombe Chamber of Commerce, Bayou Lacombe Crab Festival Commission, Heart and Vascular Education Foundation, Lacombe Heritage Center, Mastersinger Concerts, Sub Ocean Safety and Toastmasters International Speakeasy Club.

Madisonville: Friends of the Otis House Museum, Great Southern Kennel Club, Hebron Ministries, Madisonville Volunteer Fire Department, National Staff Organization and Natural Area.

Mandeville: Angel Foundation, Bobby Milton and Joyce Ann Johnston Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust, Carriage Lane Estates Property Owners Association, Greater Mandeville Seafood Festival Association, Human Performance Institute, International Association of Firefighters, Mandeville High School Key Club International, Our Lady of the Lake Knights of Columbus; Krewe of America, Longevity Therapy, Louisiana Cancer Foundation, Louisiana National Guard Enlisted Association, Louisiana Security Traders Association, M W Prince Hall Grand Lodge Free and Accepted Masons of Louisiana, Mandeville Goalsetters Soccer Booster Club, Mandeville Take Down Club, National Association of Letter Carriers, National Exchange Club of West St. Tammany, National Society United States Daughters of 1812, Neuropeds Foundation, Northlake Chapter of Womens Council of Realtors, Organization of Academic Clinical Administrators, Pelican Athletic Club Charity Foundation, Power Praise Ministries, Monteleone Junior High PTA, Roberta McClain Scholarship Foundation, Share International, Shin Sai, Socrates Foundation, St. Tammany Rails to Trails, Tammany Place, Troop L Grant-A-Wish and William Mortensen NICU Family Support Fund.

Slidell: 404-10 Group, Acts of St. Tammany, American Legion 374 Bayou Liberty, American Legion 185 Auxiliary, Another Chance Foundation, Association of Attorney Advisors, Center for Children and Families, Children College Early Head Start, Education Foundation of Pi Pi Lambda Chapter Alpha Phil Alpha Frat, Fountain Recreational Association, Fresh Start of Louisiana, Gold Wing Road Riders Association, Greater Northshore Foundation, Guardians of Slidell History, Harley Owners Group-Northshore, Heart to Heart Ministries, High Twelve Club of Greater New Orleans, I am Covered Ministries, JFK Class of 1970, Slidell High School Key Club International, Slidell Council 2732 Knights of Columbus, La Leche League International, M W Prince Hall Grand Lodge Free and Accepted Masons of Louisiana, Magnolia Forest Swim Team, Mason Dixon Society, Metropolitan Youth Foundation, Midtown Homeowners Association, Midtown Slidell Leadership, Millennium Krewe, Mount Olive Family Training and Counseling Center Corp., National Council of Negro Women, New Orleans East Economic Development Foundation, Northshore Basketball Ballers, Northshore Teen Care Center, Order of Eastern Star Prince Hall Affiliation of Louisiana, Ozone amateur Radio Club, Professional Association of Civil Law Notaries, St. Tammany Junior High PTA, Slidell Junior High PTA, Quality Education fro St. Tammany, River Oaks Indian Village Pool, Russian Orphans Relief Foundation, Sandy Usner Ministries International, Save St. Tammany Parish Chahta Tribe, Sick Kids Need Involved People of Louisiana, Slidell Church Basketball League, Slidell Liver Support Group, Slidell Volunteer Firemens Association Society for the Study of Cytochromes, Special Bowlers Carnival Club, St. Tammany Community Housing Resource Board, St. Tammany Education Foundation, St. Tammany Literacy Foundation, Tammany Association for the Preservation of Maritime Arts, We Care Community Economic Development Corp, Wichterich Ministries and Zeta Beta Sorority.