Thanks, Pat. 

Is it that they get a certain percentage above the amount of the donations, or does every "charity" get the same amount from the government?  It seems that "charity" is very broadly defined.  In the USA, that would mean you are actually feeding the poor, or doing educational training or something.  It is beyond bizarre that EV could in any way quailfy.

The "church status" for EV in the USA isn't that difficult to underwstand if you know about the "separation" concept so imbued in the US, in opposition to established churches in places like the UK.  It's being challenged by right-wing Christians in this country, but basically it's strickly hands off by the government when it comes to religion, whether restriction or promotion.  The government can't tax them and can't tax donations to them, but it would be unthinkable that the government could give them money.

The downside of that is that "churches" can do pretty much whatever they want.  Many people believe that is why the US is a much more religious country than most others.