There is a bit of steam in the air about this (pun intended) on soakersforum.com, with much of the angst directed to how the private donors which paid the $6.5 million might not expect or receive preferred access.
A bit of background includes the fact that the original founders of the for-profit LLC which owns and operates Burning Man formed a separate Section 501(c)(3) organization, a qualified public charity, to acquire and hold Fly Ranch. This charitable not-for-profit status is granted by the IRS after a thorough review of the application, including overall program operating plans. One of the core requirements for charitable not-for-profit status is that no assets or income may "inure" to the benefit of private individuals involved in the organization as directors, volunteers, or employees, and that the assets and income must be held and handled in the manner required by the approved application. I am certain the annual income tax returns for the organization are public records and I suspect the application is as well.
Since charitable not-for-profit status allows donors to claim income tax deductions for their contributions to the organization (much like the Red Cross, Sierra Club, churches, United Way), retention of such status by strict adherence to the operating standards of the application is of paramount importance, where failure to do so can cause the charitable not-for-profit status to be revoked by the IRS. Given the size and scope of the Burning Man organization (and the for-profit LLC was donated to the not-for-profit as a subsidiary with the intent that it continue to operate the annual spectacle on the playa), one might assume that many thousands of individuals and organizations will be watching the developments closely.
Foy
