Best States to Form Your Nonprofit: A Complete Guide
You need to pick one state for your nonprofit. The most straightforward approach is to consider whether you should file in your home state.
1 min read
There are two parts to choosing a name for your nonprofit. You have to make sure it's available in your state and that it doesn't infringe on another trademark. We'll cover "availability in your state" here.
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Search Nonprofit Name in Your Filing State
To check your state availability, perform a “business entity search” on your state government’s website. Do this by searching “[your state] entity search." Alternatively, you can call your state’s office to check your name against existing names.
Do You Need A Fictitious Name?
Suppose your nonprofit's preferred name is taken. Or, maybe you're unsure what name you want to give your nonprofit. In that case, an easy alternative is to name it something as simple as your legal name followed by “Inc.” or another derivative (assuming that’s available).
Later, if you want to operate under a different name besides your legal name, you can file for a "Fictitious Name" (sometimes called "D/B/A" or "Assumed Name"). Once filed, you can tell other people that your nonprofit's name (or brand) is the new name.
Legal Essentials for Starting a Nonprofit
Do I need a business lawyer?
The biggest question now is, "Do I need a business lawyer?” For most businesses and in most cases, you don't need a lawyer to start your business. Instead, many business owners rely on Legal GPS Pro to help with legal issues.
Legal GPS Pro is your All-In-One Legal Toolkit for Businesses. Developed by top startup attorneys, Pro gives you access to 100+ expertly crafted templates including operating agreements, NDAs, and service agreements, and an interactive platform. All designed to protect your company and set it up for lasting success.
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Protect your business with our complete legal subscription service, designed by top startup attorneys.
- ✅ Complete Legal Toolkit
- ✅ 100+ Editable Contracts
- ✅ Affordable Legal Guidance
- ✅ Custom Legal Status Report
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How to Draft Articles of Incorporation for Your Nonprofit
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Nonprofit Membership Model: Pros, Cons, and How to Maximize Impact
Your nonprofit must be established as a member or nonmember nonprofit. And you have to decide that choice when you're drafting your Articles of...