1) What does it take to start a nonprofit organization? File articles of incorporation with the Secretary of State; Convene a meeting of the board at which by-laws are adopted; Apply to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for Federal, tax-exempt status; Obtain any required municipal or State operating permits / licenses;
Corporations are legally required to adopt bylaws in Texas – Section 21.057 of the Texas Business Organizations Code states that the board of directors of a corporation shall adopt initial bylaws. So, if your company gets caught in a legal battle without bylaws, you could face some serious legal consequences.
The Texas Business Organizations Code requires a nonprofit corporation to have at least three directors, one president, and one secretary. The same person cannot be both the president and secretary. Officers and directors must be natural persons, but may be known by other titles.
Mail to IRS EO Classification, Mail Code 4910DAL, 1100 Commerce St., Dallas, TX 75242-1198 Fax to 214-413-5415, or Email to eoclass@irs. The IRS takes all complaints seriously and scrutinizes all referrals. For more information, go to: /IRS.
Your bylaws should help you resolve internal conflict, and demonstrate your commitment to responsibly managing donations to both the IRS and the general public. Not all states require nonprofits to draft these governing documents, but Texas does.
Texas does require bylaws for all nonprofit corporations that must be adopted at the first organizational meeting of the organization's board of directors. However, the Texas Secretary of State doesn't require nonprofits to file their bylaws with the state.
Traditionally, when starting a nonprofit, the best choice for legal structure is to form a nonprofit corporation at the state level and to apply for 501(c)(3) tax exemption at the federal level.
The Texas Business Organizations Code requires a nonprofit corporation to have at least three directors, one president, and one secretary. The same person cannot be both the president and secretary. Officers and directors must be natural persons, but may be known by other titles.