How to Start a Nonprofit in Indiana

The Hoosier State is best known for its beautiful stretches of farmland and the Indianapolis 500 auto race, but agriculture and automobiles aren’t the only things driving the state’s economy. Indiana is home to a bustling nonprofit sector that consists of 33,000 nonprofits, employs over 230,000 Hoosiers, and generates $45.7 billion in annual revenues (Independent Sector).Before incorporating your nonprofit as a domestic nonprofit corporation with the Secretary of State’s office, you must choose a name for your nonprofit and select three initial directors to serve on your nonprofit’s board. To ensure that the proposed name of your nonprofit is available, you can perform a search on InBiz, the online portal for business filings in Indiana.Selecting your initial board of directors is the next preliminary step before incorporating your new nonprofit. You should select at least three people to serve on your board initially. While it is ultimately up to you and your board to decide what the titles and responsibilities of each member will be, selecting a President, Secretary and Treasurer is a good starting point. A nonprofit board President presides over all board meetings and is generally responsible for supervising all activities related to the organization. The Secretary of the board typically maintains minutes of all board meetings and communicates important announcements to members of the board. The Treasurer acts as the Chief Financial Officer of the board, supervising financial decisions, maintaining accurate financial records, and filing taxes annually on behalf of the nonprofit.Once you have a unique name and three outstanding individuals committed to the mission and vision of your nonprofit, you’re ready to incorporate! The cost of incorporating a nonprofit in Indiana is $50.00.The following information is required in order to incorporate your nonprofit in Indiana:

1. A name for your organization that is not currently in use by another Indiana corporation.

2. Your organization should have a physical address that is not a P.O. Box. This address should be located in Indiana.

3. An Indiana-based registered agent’s name and address should be listed on the application for incorporating your nonprofit. A registered agent is the person who receives important legal documents for your nonprofit.

4. A mission statement, including the required IRS purpose and dissolution clauses.

5. The names and address of the organization’s incorporator(s). Incorporators prepare the organization’s articles of incorporation, which are received upon the completion of filing for incorporation.

The next step is to get 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, which is done at a federal level. However, before that, you must obtain an EIN.If you’re an Indiana resident looking to join the state’s nonprofit sector by starting your own organization, Resilia has the tools and resources to help you incorporate your Indiana nonprofit, and the process has never been easier. Click here to get started today!