It’s a day that has been a long time coming, from a dream to reality. We knew that we needed to take the next step and become a nonprofit organization, so we formed The Family History Guide Association about 6 months ago. As of last week, the final piece has come into place: the Association is now recognized by the IRS as an official public charity with 501(c)(3) status, which means that donors can receive tax credits for their donations. Because our income depends on donations, this has huge significance for us. We owe a huge thanks to the efforts of Bob Ives in bringing our 501(c)(3) status to completion.

So why do we need increased donations? To put it simply, we have big plans. We have come a long way in just over 2 years, including partnerships with FamilySearch, MyHeritage and others, and an expanding role at RootsTech. We have already brought the joys of family history to many throughout the world. But the opportunities ahead of us are enormous – and exciting. Here are a few of them:

• We will be greatly expanding training efforts in the United States and beyond, and that will require people, equipment, and travel budgets.
• Our presence at RootsTech is growing, and that means increased costs for booth space and marketing materials.
• We plan to attend many more family history and genealogy conventions and fairs, which will significantly increase travel and equipment costs.

We are excited about finally becoming a public charity 501(c)(3) organization, and we will continue our pledge to keep The Family History Guide free for everyone and best-in-class. To learn more about the Association and the opportunity to make tax-deductible donations, please visit http://www.thefhguide.com/association.html.

Thanks for your support and enthusiasm for The Family History Guide!