North Carolina 501c3 Nonprofit Corporation Formation

If you’re ready to form a 501c3 Nonprofit in North Carolina, you should know that there are two levels of government involved and two distinct steps to forming a 501c3 nonprofit corporation. First, you’ll register your basic North Carolina Nonprofit Articles of Incorporation with the Secretary of State’s office. Once your nonprofit corporation is legally formed at the state level, you’ll apply for 501c3 Nonprofit status with the IRS. You can only operate as a tax-exempt organization once your corporation has officially obtained that status.

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Forming a North Carolina Nonprofit Corporation

In your Nonprofit Articles of Incorporation, which you will file with the Secretary of State’s office, you will need to include the following:

  • Name of your nonprofit corporation
  • Statement, if applicable, that your corporation is formed for charitable or religious purposes
  • Name and address of the registered agent (and mailing address, if different)
  • Name and address of the incorporator
  • Statement that the corporation either will have members or will not have members
  • Provisions regarding distribution of assets upon dissolution
  • Any other provisions you wish to include
  • Incorporator’s name and address
  • Principal office address (and mailing address, if different)

After your Articles of Incorporation have been registered with the state of North Carolina, you may apply for your 501c3 nonprofit status with the IRS.

A specific purpose statement is not required by the state of North Carolina in order to register your Nonprofit Corporation at the state level, but specific purpose language may be required by the IRS in order to receive 501c3 nonprofit status.

Let ClickAndInc.com set up your Nonprofit Corporation in North Carolina for you. We make sure to include all necessary IRS language from the very beginning so that you don’t have to amend your articles.

Applying for 501c3 Tax-Exempt Status from the IRS

There is a great deal of information the IRS will need about your business in order to grant you tax-exempt status. Some of the information you can expect to provide is as follows:

  • Form 1023
  • Articles of Incorporation, including specific 501c3 language
  • Three years of donation estimates
  • Detailed description of your business activities
  • Three years of expense estimates
  • Bylaws
  • Conflict of Interest form
  • Information about any organization from which you are involved in fundraising or donations
  • Depending on the amount of compensation they are to receive, a list of any independent contractors or officers
  • Copies of any leases or contracts with any of the above persons

This is by no means a comprehensive list of the information the IRS will require. Depending on your intended business activity, you may be required to provide further information or documentation.

When you use Click and Inc to file your 501c3, we make sure the required 501c3 language is present in your state Articles of Incorporation from the very beginning. Learn more about forming a 501c3 Nonprofit.

Further Responsibilities of a North Carolina Nonprofit Corporation

All incorporated entities in North Carolina, whether nonprofit or for-profit, must submit an Annual Report to the Secretary of State’s office. Failure to do so may result in fees or penalties.

If any of the information provided to either the state or the IRS changes, it is important that you file the appropriate amendment document with one or both levels of government. Failure to do so may result in fees or penalties.

North Carolina Startup Quicklinks

For information on other types of businesses in North Carolina, please explore the links below.