(a) Prohibitions. A State, district or local committee of a political party must not solicit any funds for, or make or direct any donations of non-Federal funds, including Levin funds, to:

(1) An organization that is described in 26 U.S.C. 501(c) and exempt from taxation under section 26 U.S.C. 501(a) and that makes expenditures or disbursements in connection with an election for Federal office, including expenditures or disbursements for Federal election activity;

(2) An organization that has submitted an application for tax-exempt status under 26 U.S.C. 501(c) and that makes expenditures or disbursements in connection with an election for Federal office, including expenditures or disbursements for Federal election activity; or

(3) An organization described in 26 U.S.C. 527, unless the organization is:

(i) A political committee under 11 CFR 100.5;

(ii) A State, district, or local committee of a political party;

(iii) The authorized campaign committee of a State or local candidate; or

(iv) A political committee under State law, that supports only State or local candidates and that does not make expenditures or disbursements in connection with an election for Federal office, including expenditures or disbursements for Federal election activity.

(b) Application. This section also applies to:

(1) An officer or agent acting on behalf of a State, district, or local committee of a political party;

(2) An entity that is directly or indirectly established, financed, maintained or controlled by a State, district or local committee of a political party or an officer or agent acting on behalf of such an entity; or

(3) An entity that is directly or indirectly established, financed, maintained, or controlled by an agent of a State, district, or local committee of a political party.

(c) Determining whether an organization makes expenditures or disbursements in connection with a Federal election.

(1) In determining whether a section 501(c) organization is one that makes expenditures or disbursements in connection with a Federal election, including expenditures or disbursements for Federal election activity, pursuant to paragraphs (a)(1) and (2) of this section, a State, district, or local committee of a political party or any other person described in paragraph (b) of this section, may obtain and rely upon a certification from the organization that satisfies the criteria described in paragraph (d) of this section.

(2) In determining whether a section 527 organization is a State-registered political committee that supports only State or local candidates and does not make expenditures or disbursements in connection with a Federal election, including expenditures or disbursements for Federal election activity, pursuant to paragraph (a)(3)(iv) of this section, a State, district, or local committee of a political party or any other person described in paragraph (b) of this section, may obtain and rely upon a certification from the organization that satisfies the criteria described in paragraph (d) of this section.

(d) Certification. A State, district, or local committee of a political party or any person described in paragraph (b) of this section may rely upon a certification that meets all of the following criteria:

(1) The certification is a signed written statement by an officer or other authorized representative of the organization with knowledge of the organization's activities or by the treasurer of the State-registered political committee described in paragraph (a)(3)(iv) of this section;

(2) The certification states that within the current election cycle, the organization or political committee has not made, and does not intend to make, expenditures or disbursements in connection with an election for Federal office (including for Federal election activity); and

(3) The certification states that the organization does not intend to pay debts incurred from the making of expenditures or disbursements in connection with an election for Federal office (including for Federal election activity) in a prior election cycle.

(e) If a State, district, or local committee of a political party or any person described in paragraph (b) of this section has actual knowledge that the certification is false, the certification may not be relied upon.

(f) It is not prohibited for a State, district, or local committee of a political party or its agents to respond to a request for information about a tax-exempt group that shares the party's political or philosophical goals.

[67 FR 49120, July 29, 2002, as amended at 70 FR 12789, Mar. 16, 2005; 79 FR 77850, Dec. 29, 2014]