Articles of Incorporation

So you now have your name & purpose for your nonprofit organization, what next? Well, it’s time to register your nonprofit with the Secretary of State by filing your Articles of Incorporation. Articles of incorporation can be drafted by yourself or filed electronically, and vary from state to state, but they all must have minimum requirements which compose of six parts:

1. Name of nonprofit organization- The name should be unique, easy to remember, and must have an organization or .org at the end if you’re a nonprofit organization.
2. Business address- Business address cannot be a p.o.box or in care of an individual or entity. The address must be in the state in which you wish to incorporate.
3. Service of process- Must either be a individual or corporation/ must include agents name, and full address in the state in which you wish to incorporate.
4. Purpose Statement- The purpose statement is composed of two parts. 4a: states “ This corporation is a nonprofit public benefit corporation and is not organized for the private gain of any person. It is organized under the nonprofit public benefit corporation law for “: on the articles you can check the box for public purposes, charitable purposes, or both. 4b: The specific purpose of the corporation.
5. Additional Statements- There is four additional statements that are pre stated statements that should not be altered. The statements are as followed:

a. This corporation is organized and operated exclusively for the purposes set forth in Article 4 hereof within the meaning of internal revenue code section 501c3.

b. No substantial part of the activities of this corporation shall consist of carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and this corporation shall not participate or intervene in any political campaign( Including the publishing or distribution of statements) on behalf of any candidate for public office.

c. The property of this corporation is irrevocably dedicated to the purposes in article 4 hereof and no part of the net income or assets of this corporation shall ever inure to the benefit of any director, officer, or member thereof or to the benefit of any private person.

d. Upon the dissolution or winding up of this corporation, it’s assets remaining after payment, or provision for payment , of all debts and liabilities of this corporation shall be distributed to a nonprofit fund, foundation or corporation which is organized and operated exclusively for charitable ,educational and/or religious purposes and which has established its tax-exempt status under internal revenue code section 501c3.

6 signatures- All incorporators must sign the articles of incorporation.

See video lesson for articles of incorporation for step-by-step walk through on Secretary of State website.