How to Start a Nonprofit in New Hampshire

The quaint small towns and beautiful expanses of wilderness in New Hampshire endear this state in the hearts of many. New Hampshire’s White Mountain National Forest is not only popular for its winter sports scene, but also for containing part of the Appalachian Trail and a vast array of wildlife such as black bears, moose, and elk.New Hampshire’s scenic landscapes not only make it a popular New England tourism destination but also play a role in the state’s growing field of environmental sustainability. Many nonprofit organizations are starting to focus on areas such as land conservation and renewable energy. This field is only growing; in fact, 98,532 of New Hampshire’s workers—that’s 13.8 percent—are currently employed by nonprofit organizations. (source: nhnonprofits.org)If you’re interested in joining the growing nonprofit scene in New Hampshire, you’ve come to the right place. How exactly do you go about the process of starting a New Hampshire-based nonprofit?The first thing to know is that there are three main steps to forming a nonprofit in New Hampshire:

1. Choose your board of directors.

2. Reserve your nonprofit’s name (or check name availability).

3. File for incorporation.

For detailed explanations on each of these steps, keep reading…

Step 1: Choose your Board of Directors.

Forming a Board of Directors is an essential first step toward forming any nonprofit. Your Board will act as the governing body of your nonprofit and will meet periodically to discuss and make decisions on behalf of your organization.At this initial stage, you need to appoint three people to your Board of Directors to fill the roles of President, Treasurer, and Secretary. Include the physical addresses of each of your directors; note that their Social Security numbers are not required.You may wish to appoint more than three people to your Board- this is fine, just know that you must appoint a minimum of three members at this time.Now that you’ve formed your Board of Directors, it’s time to move onto step 2!

Step 2: Reserve your nonprofit’s name (or check name availability).

The second thing you’ll need to do after forming a Board of Directors is to reserve the name of your nonprofit. This ensures that your organization’s name is available in your state, and it prevents someone else from incorporating an organization with the same name. To do so,, you’ll need to go to the New Hampshire Secretary of State website and fill out their name reservation form. As of 2018, the filing fee for this form is $15 by mail and online.You’ll need to input your organization’s full name, plus two alternative names (just in case the name you have chosen is already in use by someone else).Please note that while reserving your name is not technically required to apply for incorporation, you should still check to see if the name is available so that your application isn’t rejected. To check for name availability, go to the name availability search page on the NHQuickStart portal through the New Hampshire Secretary of State website.After you’ve reserved your nonprofit’s name or checked for name availability, you’re ready to move onto step 3: filing for incorporation.

Step 3: File for Incorporation

The final step in incorporating your New Hampshire nonprofit organization is to prepare and submit your incorporation application online through the New Hampshire Secretary of State website. New Hampshire has recently added an online platform for business registration called NH QuickStart, where you can fill out all of the necessary incorporation and tax-exemption forms. As of 2018, the filing fee for the form is $25.When filling out your incorporation form, you’ll need to include:

• A primary address (this must be a valid physical address)

• Mission statement/purpose

• Name and address of your registered agent (must be a resident of the state)

Once you’ve submitted your application to the New Hampshire Secretary of State Department, you should receive a response within 10 business days. If your application is approved, you’ll receive your Articles of Incorporation.Congratulations on incorporating your New Hampshire nonprofit!

A faster, easier option

Now that you have your New Hampshire nonprofit corporation, you can use your state information and federal EIN to open a bank account for your nonprofit. However, setting up your nonprofit in New Hampshire is just part of the process of becoming a formal tax-exempt organization. The next step is to file for a federal tax exemption using either IRS form 1023 or 1023-EZ.

If you’re looking for a faster, easier way to go through these processes, look no further than Resilia. We take the frustration and anxiety out of the incorporation and tax-exemption processes by offering an easy-to-use, streamlined online platform. The average nonprofit takes over 100 hours to start, but we can help you reduce that time by up to 90% (and save money on professional fees and costly mistakes). Ready to get started? Sign up and get ready to incorporate your New Hampshire nonprofit today!