articles-of-incorporation-nonprofit

name	articles-of-incorporation-nonprofit
title	Articles of Incorporation — Non-Profit Corporation
description	Drafts filing-ready Articles of Incorporation for U.S. non-profit corporations satisfying state corporate law and the IRS organizational test under IRC § 501(c)(3). Enforces mandatory exempt-purpose language, private inurement prohibition, dissolution clause, and political activity limitations. Use when forming a new non-profit, charitable corporation, or tax-exempt entity seeking 501(c)(3) recognition.
author	CaseMark
author_url	https://github.com/CaseMark/skills/tree/main/skills/legal/articles-of-incorporation-nonprofit
license	Apache-2.0
version	0.1.0
execution_mode	open
jurisdiction	us
practice	corporate
language	en
tags	["agreement","drafting","research"]

Articles of Incorporation — Non-Profit Corporation

Draft filing-ready Articles of Incorporation for a U.S. non-profit corporation satisfying state formation requirements and the IRS organizational test under IRC § 501(c)(3).

Prerequisites

Collect before drafting:

1. Corporate name — confirmed available via Secretary of State entity search
2. State of incorporation — determines controlling statute, mandatory provisions, fees, formatting
3. Registered agent — legal name + physical in-state street address; written consent if state requires
4. Incorporators — legal names and mailing addresses (typically 1–3; check state minimum)
5. Mission and programs — activities, beneficiaries, geographic scope (sufficient for Form 1023)
6. Governance model — membership vs. directorship; director count/range; officer titles; terms
7. Effective date — immediate upon filing or delayed (confirm state max lead time)

Quick Start

1. Confirm name availability at Secretary of State
2. Draft articles I–VIII in sequence below
3. Verify each provision against the state's non-profit corporation statute
4. Include all three Article IV tax-exemption blocks — these are non-negotiable for 501(c)(3)
5. Format per Secretary of State requirements (margins, font, cover sheet)

Article Sequence

I — Corporate Name

The name of the corporation is [FULL LEGAL NAME].

• Include state-required designator ("Inc.", "Corp.") if mandated
• Name must not imply commercial, political, or non-charitable character
• Re-confirm availability immediately before filing; reservation may be needed

II — Registered Office and Agent

The address of the initial registered office is [STREET ADDRESS, CITY, STATE, ZIP].
The initial registered agent at such address is [FULL LEGAL NAME].

• Must be physical in-state address (no PO boxes)
• Attach agent consent form if state requires

III — Purposes

Lead with IRS organizational test language, then specific mission:

This corporation is organized exclusively for charitable, educational, religious,
and/or scientific purposes within the meaning of IRC § 501(c)(3), as amended, or
the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue law.

Specifically, the corporation's purposes include: [PROGRAMS, TARGET POPULATION,
GEOGRAPHIC SCOPE — sufficient for Form 1023 scrutiny].