How to Start a Non-Profit Small Business in Atlanta

Atlanta is the home of many small business and non-profits.

A non-profit organization is a group or organization established for the purposes of generating profit for a cause or specific purpose other than generating profit to be distributed to its members, directors or officers. Non-profit organizations can include churches, public schools, public charities, hospitals, museums and professional associations. Every state defines non-profit differently and governs them accordingly. Non-profit organizations are not tax exempt. Taxes are required to be paid on an annual basis unless a tax-exempt status has been filed and approved by the IRS for the non-profit organization.

Things You'll Need

• Articles of Incorporation
• Fee(s)

Instructions

1. Reserve the name for the non-profit organization with the Secretary of State in Georgia. A $25 nonrefundable filing fee is needed for the database search and to reserve the name. A name reservation number will be issued and is good for 30 days from the date of the initial reservation inquiry.

2. Wait to receive official notification of whether or not the name is available before proceeding. An in-depth search in addition to the online name search has to be conducted before the name reservation can be confirmed. The official document will contain the exact organization name, the name reservation number and the signature of the filer.

3. Prepare the articles of incorporation for the non-profit organization. A clear mission statement, a list of board members and the purpose of forming the organization need to be clearly stated. Consulting a filing attorney is recommended by Georgia's Secretary of State to ensure proper filing procedures are adhered to. A top official must sign with name and title. The letter should also include whether or not the non-profit will have members.

4. File the articles of incorporation with the Georgia Secretary of State's Corporate Division before the 30-day name reservation status expires. An original copy of the articles and one copy along with a nonrefundable $100 filing fee should be submitted online or hard copies sent to 315 West Tower, 2 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Atlanta, GA 30334-1530. The filing fee can be paid by check if mailing forms in or via credit card or debit card online.

5. Publish a notice of Intent to Incorporate with a county newspaper that is listed with the county clerk's office. Publishing fees vary and will depend on the newspaper. The Intent to Incorporate notice needs to be published at the same time as the articles of incorporation are filed.

6. Receive a certificate of incorporation in the mail within five to seven business days depending on the load of the Divisions of Corporations office. Certificates can take up to 12 business days to be processed and mailed. If any problems occur with the application, the filings will be returned to the applicant for corrections to be made within 60 days.

7. File an initial annual registration form with the Georgia Secretary of State within 90 days of incorporation listing three principal officers. The form can be found at georgiacorporation.org and costs $30 to file.

References

• Georgia Secretary of State
• Name Reservation Form

Resources

• Georgia Center for Non-Profits