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non-profit corporation must obtain either 501 (c)(3) or 501 (c)(4)status from <br /> the IRS. Donations made to a 501(c)(3) by both individuals and businesses is <br /> tax deductible. Obtaining 501(c)(3) status can be difficult, expensive and time- <br /> consuming and many communities are not willing to go through the lengthy <br /> process. Also, organizations with 501(c)(3) status are usually not politically <br /> active due to IRS regulations limiting budget expenditures on political <br /> activities to 20 percent of its budget. <br /> Governmental Organizations: <br /> • Development Commission: An advisory board, appointed by the Mayor with <br /> City Council approval. It has limited or no decision-making authority and <br /> usually serves as a sounding board or as a first point-of-contact for the City <br /> council for development projects. It is often responsible for drafting strategies <br /> and policies for ratification and implementation by the City. The commission <br /> may be active in implementation of local plans on a volunteer basis. <br /> • Housing Redevelopment Authority (HRA): An HRA is a legal entity <br /> created by a City Council to provide a sufficient supply of adequate housing <br /> for low-to-moderate income families and individuals. They are also charged <br /> with clearing and redeveloping blighted areas throughout community. The <br /> board may be a citizen's panel, the City Council or a combination thereof. <br /> HRAs also have limited powers that may be used for business development. <br /> • Port Authority: This is a legal entity created by the State Legislature to <br /> promote the general welfare of a city's port district, increase the volume of <br /> commerce in the port, provide facilities for handling, storage, and shipment of <br />