About Project Fair Play

In 1996, Americans United for Separation of Church and State launched Project Fair Play, a drive to educate religious leaders about provisions in the Internal Revenue Code that prohibit non-profit organizations, including houses of worship, from intervening in partisan campaigns. As part of the Project, AU produces special materials addressing the legal and ethical implications of religious organizations engaging in electioneering on behalf of candidates and political parties.

Churches may engage in issue advocacy, non-partisan voter registration and discussion of voting as a civic duty. Such activities are not violations of federal tax law and are broadly protected by the U.S. Constitution. Intervention in campaigns on behalf of candidates, however, is prohibited.

Under the auspices of Project Fair Play, Americans United reports to the IRS egregious violations of the ban on electioneering by religious organizations. Our work is conducted in a strictly non-partisan fashion. Since the Project began, AU has reported church activities in support of Democratic, Republican and Independent campaigns.

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