The first step in forming a 501(c)(3) charity in Maine is to file your Articles of Incorporation. This article will help you through the 11 steps necessary to submit the Articles of Incorporation in Maine and formally create a charity.
Form MNPCA-6 (D) – Nonprofit Articles of Incorporation is required to form a domestic nonprofit company in Maine. This tutorial covers every step you need to take to properly complete this paperwork and get started on the path to founding a Maine charity.
The first step in completing the Maine Articles of Incorporation is to enter the name of your organisation. If you haven’t yet decided on a name for your organisation, these are the prerequisites for naming a nonprofit in Maine:
You may register for a trademark for your organisation after you have confirmed that no one else has previously trademarked your selected name.
Check the relevant box and then describe your nonprofit’s objective to confirm whether it is a public benefit corporation or a mutual benefit company.
To be qualified for 501(c)(3) status, your nonprofit’s mission must incorporate one or more of the following characteristics:
In Maine, the Articles of Incorporation must be filed with a registered agent. This position may be filled by either a commercial registered agent (CRA) or a noncommercial registered agent. A registered agent’s duties include receiving and sending service of process paperwork for the company as well as acting as the entity’s point of contact. Your company cannot act as its own registered agent.
This section’s requirements include:
You are verifying that you have acquired your registered agent’s permission to their appointment by submitting your Articles of Incorporation with the state.
Article five should provide the number of directors who will serve on the board of your organisation. Three is the bare minimum.
Check the relevant box in item six to indicate whether or not your organisation will have members.
If your organisation will have one or more membership classes, you must send an attachment including all of the information needed by 13-B MRSA 402.
Article seven allows you to certify that no significant portion of your nonprofit corporation’s operations will include propaganda, political campaigns, or seeking to influence legislation.
Check this box if this article applies to your charitable organisation.
Check the box in article eight if you intend to provide any extra attachments, such as statements supporting your nonprofit’s eligibility for 501(c)(3) status as defined by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Your nonprofit’s Articles of Incorporation must contain a statement of how the organization’s assets will be dispersed upon dissolution in order to qualify for 501(c)(3) status.
Dissolution assets must only be distributed for authorised, tax-exempt uses. Refer to the sixth section of the IRS’ proposed wording for corporations and organisations for further information on the requirements of dissolution and 501(c)(3) status.
In this part of your Articles of Incorporation, you must provide the name, address, and signature of at least one incorporator.
Provide the name, major business address, and signature of an officer of the company if you have a corporate incorporator.
Fill in the blanks with the following information for your Filer Contact Cover Letter:
Maine Articles of Incorporation may only be filed via mail.
