Non-Profit Organization Creation


Azviolet
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Hello everyone!

I have decided to use my extensive volunteerism background to make a bigger impact on the community.

My passion is justice system reform, effecting change to ensure that each individual is truly treated fairly (unlike what our society has created in the U.S. with the cops and robbers mentality). We need to fund alternatives to throwing people into prisons instead of treatment programs for the issues they have with drugs and alcohol. The revolving door is not serving humanity as a whole. Obviously our prisons are over-crowded because our system is flawed, and human beings are failing to help one another before it comes to a prison scenario.

I want to incorporate my non-profit organization in order to have validity when working in the community. We will speak in the community, with legislators, support bills that make sense for reform, etc.

Is this something that could (or should) be done with my Minister credential? I am wondering if I should file for incorporation and follow the IRS instruction for churches or just do it as an individual.

Has anyone out there started a non-profit with their credential? Thank you for your assistance!

Jodi

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Hello everyone!

I have decided to use my extensive volunteerism background to make a bigger impact on the community.

My passion is justice system reform, effecting change to ensure that each individual is truly treated fairly (unlike what our society has created in the U.S. with the cops and robbers mentality). We need to fund alternatives to throwing people into prisons instead of treatment programs for the issues they have with drugs and alcohol. The revolving door is not serving humanity as a whole. Obviously our prisons are over-crowded because our system is flawed, and human beings are failing to help one another before it comes to a prison scenario.

I want to incorporate my non-profit organization in order to have validity when working in the community. We will speak in the community, with legislators, support bills that make sense for reform, etc.

Is this something that could (or should) be done with my Minister credential? I am wondering if I should file for incorporation and follow the IRS instruction for churches or just do it as an individual.

Has anyone out there started a non-profit with their credential? Thank you for your assistance!

Jodi

Hi Jodi,

I'm not sure what state you are in but in Michigan it is very easy to start a non-profit organization. Your state may even have the forms available to download or file online. Usually the simplest method is to form a Limited Liability Company ("LLC") rather than a corporation. If there is more than one person in the LLC you probably should have an Operating Agreement that spells out the rules of the LLC. That involves an attorney or the use of a standard Operating Agreement form from somewhere. If you are the only person in the LLC, you don't need the Operating Agreement, at least, at first. You will if the organization grows to the point where there are issues of managing money and succession after you are gone.

You don't need the ULC ordination, or any ordination, to have your organization apply for and qualify for a 501 C-3 (charitable) organization with the IRS. And you don't even need that designation until you are handling money, and you want your donors, including yourself, to be able to deduct the contributions as a charitable deduction from the donor's income tax. So you can start or keep on with your work right now. The only advantage of the IRS 501 C-3 charitable designation is that donations to your organization are tax deductable. (The designation also gives you some credibility, if that's an issue.)

Good luck with your good work.

Regards, Carl

Edited by Carl Harry Carlson
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