Massachusetts Nonprofit Articles of Incorporation

Nonprofit articles of incorporation is the document filed to create a Massachusetts nonprofit corporation.

Preparing and filing your articles of incorporation is the first step in starting your nonprofit corporation. Approval of this document secures your corporate name and creates the legal entity of the nonprofit. Only after this approval can you apply for 501c, apply for fundraising licenses, open a bank account, and otherwise conduct business.

Benefits

Incorporating provides many important benefits:

• Limits the liability of directors, officers, and shareholders
• Fulfills statutory requirements to register your organization's name
• Is a prerequisite for applying for 501(c) tax exemption
• Provides governance and adds credibility to the business or organization

Fast Facts

Other Helpful Massachusetts Facts

As you are preparing to incorporate, keep in mind the following requirements specific to Massachusetts, keep in mind:

Massachusetts Directors

• Number: minimum 1
• Qualifications: Natural persons. No residency requirement. No membership requirement.
• Term: minimum 1 year, maximum 5 years
• Quorum: majority
• Committee: minimum 1 director

Massachusetts Officers

• A president, a treasurer, and a clerk are required.
• The president must be a director.
• The clerk must be a Massachusetts resident unless a resident agent was appointed.

Massachusetts Members

• Members: If there are no members then the directors are members.
• Quorum: majority of entitled votes