Every org type we track
The header's by Org Type menu groups these into familiar themes. This is the technical version — the real IRS subsection each type files under, plus what “501(c)(3)” actually covers.
By IRS subsection
Sourced from the IRS's own “Table of EO Subsection and Classification Codes” (the January 2026 EO Business Master File extract), not guessed. A few of these groupings are deliberately approximate — see the note on each where it applies.
501(c)(3) — charitable, educational & religious
501(c)(4) — social welfare & civic
501(c)(5) — labor, agricultural & horticultural
501(c)(6) — trade & business associations
501(c)(7)/(8)/(10) — social clubs & fraternal societies
501(c)(12)/(14)/(15) — mutual & financial organizations
Government instrumentalities
Not an IRS exemption category
Two honest gaps: “trade associations” and “professional associations” are both subsection 06 in the IRS's own schema — it doesn't draw the line vendors do. And “political orgs” has no subsection mapping at all — political organizations file under IRC §527, a different regime entirely.
What does 501(c)(3) actually cover?
A 501(c)(3) can be almost anything from an animal shelter to an art museum — the subsection only says “charitable,” not what the org does. The IRS uses a separate classification for that: the National Taxonomy of Exempt Entities (NTEE), 26 major groups maintained by NCCS/Candid. This is a different axis from the org types above — mission, not legal status — and isn't tied to any deal filter here.
Arts, Culture & Humanities
museums, performing arts, historical societies
Education
schools, colleges, libraries, scholarships
Environment
conservation, recycling, environmental education
Animal-Related
animal welfare, wildlife preservation, zoos
Health Care
hospitals, clinics, public health
Mental Health & Crisis Intervention
substance abuse treatment, hotlines, counseling
Diseases, Disorders & Medical Disciplines
cancer, Alzheimer's, birth defects
Medical Research
research arms of the disease categories in G
Crime & Legal-Related
crime prevention, legal aid, victim services
Employment
job training, vocational rehab, labor unions
Food, Agriculture & Nutrition
food banks, farm bureaus, nutrition programs
Housing & Shelter
affordable housing, homeless shelters, tenant associations
Public Safety, Disaster Preparedness & Relief
disaster relief, fire prevention, search & rescue
Recreation & Sports
youth sports leagues, community rec centers
Youth Development
Scouts, Big Brothers Big Sisters, youth centers
Human Services
Red Cross, family services, senior centers
International, Foreign Affairs & National Security
international relief, cultural exchange
Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy
civil rights, voter registration
Community Improvement & Capacity Building
neighborhood development, chambers of commerce
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Foundations
private foundations, community foundations, federated giving
Science & Technology
research institutes, computer science
Social Science
economics, political science, urban studies
Public & Societal Benefit
government instrumentalities, veterans' orgs, credit unions
Religion-Related
churches, synagogues, religious media
Mutual & Membership Benefit
fraternal societies, insurance providers
Unknown
unclassified