How to Register a Charity Organization
A charity organization is dedicated to raising money through several different sources to benefit a larger cause. A charity organization can be created for something as small as raising a couple hundred dollars for a friend's illness, to raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for heart disease or cancer. To register a nonprofit charity organization to receive tax allowances and for donors to write off their contributions in their taxes, you must go through a several step paper work process through your state.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Business plan, purpose, mission statement
- Articles of Incorporation form
- SR-4 form from IRS
Instructions
-
-
1
Formulate the business plan, purpose and mission statement for your charitable organization, because you will need this information it when writing about and explaining your charity. Make sure to include all the people involved if there is more than you.
-
2
Contact your Secretary of State to obtain a nonprofit organization registration form (via mail or you can pick it up) to register the articles of incorporation for your charity with your state. Some states require a small fee to process this registration form. Always specify your nonprofit as a charity organization.
-
-
3
Provide information about the purpose of your charity organization in the articles of incorporation so the Secretary of State's office can decide whether your charity is tax-exempt worthy. It is important to show, in writing, that the money made by your charity will be used for the charity's mission statement, and not given to individuals working within the charity.
-
4
File the articles of incorporation with the Secretary of State's office for your charity, although, some states may need it submitted to the Department of Labor. Wait for the form to be processed and approved (the waiting time will vary by state).
-
5
Apply for your charity's Employer Identification Number with the IRS after the forms are approved by the state. You can do this with an SR-4 form, which requires basic information about the charity organization and the state's approval.
-
6
Contact the Secretary of State and speak to the office that deals with charitable solicitation privileges in the state. This is necessary because your organization must be registered with this office so you can solicit donations from businesses, group and people without any trouble. The registering process for this varies from different states. Some cities do not even require you to have them.
-
7
Apply for sales tax exemption through your state and the IRS.
-
1
References
Resources
- Photo Credit paperwork image by Pix by Marti from Fotolia.com
