An Ohio nonprofit needs a board of directors to oversee operations. The State of Ohio requires nonprofits to have at least three directors on the board. The nonprofit board positions of president, secretary, and treasurer must be filled, but do not need to be held by directors.
An effective board size should be small enough to make decisions quickly while also allowing for sufficient diversity of opinion and experience. Generally, a board of three to five members is ideal. Too many members can make decision-making difficult, and too few may not provide the necessary insight and expertise.
The board shall consist of not less than five directors, elected by and from the members, unless the number of members is less than five, in which case, the number of directors may equal the number of members.
Ohio Rev Code § 1701.11 states that a corporation's directors MAY adopt regulations. But Ohio statutes don't explicitly state that bylaws or regulations are required. However, bylaws are essential for a well-functioning corporation.
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 IRS generally requires a minimum of three board members for every nonprofit, but does not dictate board term length. What is important to remember is that board service terms aren't intended to be perpetual, and are typically one to five years.
Ohio requires charitable organizations located in Ohio and groups that ask Ohioans for contributions to register and file annual reports. Go to OhioAttorneyGeneral for more information. Apply for a nonprofit postal permit.
Charter and Bylaws respectively, mean with respect to any corporation, those instruments that, among other things, (i) define its existence, as filed or recorded with the applicable Authority, including such corporation's Articles or Certificate of Incorporation, and (ii) otherwise govern its internal affairs, in each ...