how do you register as a non-profit organization?
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The small business administration site at http://www.sba.gov has information on starting up all sorts of businesses.  Check there first.\n\nAs well, The Foundation Center has a number of free resources for starting a nonprofit organization.\n\nFrom the Foundation Center: Forming a new nonprofit is a process that involves two distinct stages. Generally, you will need to establish your organization by filing articles of incorporation with the appropriate agency in your state (usually the secretary of state). You will also need to secure federal income tax exemption by filing the appropriate forms with the Internal Revenue Service. \n\nsee whole article and list of resources, including an online tutorial about how to start a nonprofit at http://fdncenter.org/getstarted/faqs/html/starting_nonprofit.html\n\nThe IRS page with information for charities/nonprofits is here: http://www.irs.gov/charities/index.html
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You define it.   One is big enough.   Define your corporation, it's board, it's membership requirements, the products, mission, services.   It's a free country.  \n\nYou do not need any legal thing.  Down the road, you and your board of directors will define your organization clearer, and decide what corporate structure that you need.    A simply DBA might do the trick for many years.   But if you want to attain a non-profit status, you might have to incorporate further.   \n\nJust get started and DO something.
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Have a clear goal/purpose for the organization.  Get experienced volunteers on board to help you. You will need by-laws as well as incorporating documents.\n\nDepending upon the state, you may be able to file through the mail or internet. Try corporation comission, tax board or other regulatory agency. Usually your state web site is the best place to start. Articles of incorporation can be very simple, just fill in the blanks. You may need to do a name search to make sure no one else has your organization's name.\nIf you wish to be tax exempt check with your state tax board and irs.gov.\nYou will have to meet different qualifications depending upon which type of exemption you are looking for.\nTake some time now and fill out all the paper work. Keep a calandar of what forms are due when.  Your organization will have yearly and possibly quarterly forms that they must fill out. Make everyone aware of this.\nIf you plan to have a small budget the expenses are low but even a larger organization should be under $500 or so.
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I used to work for a non-profit.  Try the following:\n\nhttp://www.501c3.org/faqs.html\n\nhttp://www.form1023help.com/\n\nhttp://nonprofitsupportcenter.com/helpdesk/users/kb.php?id=10029&category_id=1&sid2=
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I have found a website that compiles various resources on starting a non profit. I especially like the Minnesota Council of NonProfits because the site gives information on governance, developing strategic alliances, fund raising and other ingredients of successfully running a non profit. \n\nhttp://www.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/znpbib.htm\n\nAs for funding your non profit, I suggest you check out Foundation Center to help you gain ideas on how to properly establish your organization and get support from private foundations. They have the most extensive database of private donors, and they publish a magazine that can be very helpful to your new non profit.\n\nhttp://fdncenter.org/getstarted/tutorials/establish/index.html\n\nI was previously involved in the setup of a non profit, and we were able to get a pro-bono lawyer who set up everything for us, including getting the 501c3 tax status. Contact other non profits in your area and check if there are lawyers willing to work for free to get you started. \n\nNon profits are just like any business - you need to get the word out in order to get the needed funding to help support your activities. Here are some tips to help you market your non profit:\n\n1. Determine your your target audiences: who are the groups and audiences that your non profit wants to reach. Remember that one target group may respond differently to a marketing message as another group so make sure that each strategy is tailor made for each audience.\n\n2. Develop a communications strategy, creating timelines for marketing efforts such as newsletters, press releases, special events, and others.\n\n3. Develop a visual image. Prepare your logo and other branding tools - and use them consistently across various mediums. Make sure that you repeat your branding messages, slogans in everything you make from brochures to newsletters.\n\n4. Employ multiple communications tactics: Nonprofit organizations often target several audiences, which may respond to different approaches. Various communications campaigns can help establish and maintain a more widespread positive image.\n\n5. Select and use appropriate media: Plan to use a combination of approaches best suited to reaching your targeted audiences and that make best use of your financial resources. Include a variety of methods including phone calls, letters, e-mail, newsletters, PSAs, press releases, and editorials.\n\nFor detailed information on how to start a non profit, I suggest you read the following books:\n\n- Starting and Running a Nonprofit Organization -- by Joan M. Hummel\n- Starting and Running a Non-Profit Made Easy by Entrepreneur Press, David H. Bangs\n- Starting & Building A Nonprofit: A Practical Guide by Peri Pakroo
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What exactly do you mean by a paid charity?\nDo you mean a for-profit organization that helps the needy?\nDo you mean a not-for-profit organization with paid employees?\n\nNot really sure. In either case, you would probably want to contact your state or local government offices regarding business development, trade-name registration, etc. Your state might have a business committee that could help, or even the chamber of commerce.\n\nNon-profit businesses must follow quite strict rules. Get help so that you don't run afoul of the law.
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The official website of the state of TN has a guide for filing a non profit organization http://www.tennessee.gov/sos/forms/fg-np.pdf . You can find all the forms for filing non profits here http://www.tennessee.gov/sos/bus_svc/forms.htm#nonprofit\n\nI have found a website that compiles various resources on starting a non profit. I especially like the Minnesota Council of NonProfits because the site gives information on governance, developing strategic alliances, fund raising and other ingredients of successfully running a non profit. \n\nhttp://www.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/znpbib.htm\n\nAs for funding your non profit, I suggest you check out Foundation Center to help you gain ideas on how to properly establish your organization and get support from private foundations. They have the most extensive database of private donors, and they publish a magazine that can be very helpful to your new non profit.\n\nhttp://fdncenter.org/getstarted/tutorials/establish/index.html\n\nI was previously involved in the setup of a non profit, and we were able to get a pro-bono lawyer who set up everything for us, including getting the 501c3 tax status. Contact other non profits in your area and check if there are lawyers willing to work for free to get you started. \n\nFor detailed information on how to start a non profit, I suggest you read the following books:\n\n- Starting and Running a Nonprofit Organization -- by Joan M. Hummel\n- Starting and Running a Non-Profit Made Easy by Entrepreneur Press, David H. Bangs\n- Starting & Building A Nonprofit: A Practical Guide by Peri Pakroo
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Check your state's Secretary of State website (typically, there is a link from your local state government webpage).  They should have forms online or a way to get forms for registering your business.  Check it also to see if there are any other licenses necessary for registering your business.  You might also consider contacting an attorney to assist with the initial start up documents necessary.
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You have to have it state their name, description of service provided.  Amount of item donated (if it be time, mileage or actual item)\n\nIt has to have your tax exempt Company name and number on it and signed.\n\nPreferably on letterhead from the organization
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Just register your business with the secretary of states office. \n\nHere is the link on the steps you need to take. The last step includes finding out if you need other licenses.\n\nhttp://www.ss.ca.gov/business/resources.htm
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First off what I would do is do a community center and find out the diffrences between not for profilt and non profit because on one you are allowed to make money but on the other you are not i cannot remember the diffrence however if you do it that way you are looking at a liot of goverment assistance and tax breaks
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Check out the Small Business Administration web page at http://sba.gov/starting_business/index.html - they have a huge listing of resources for starting any kind of business.\n\nAs well, FirstGov for nonprofits site at http://www.firstgov.gov/Business/Nonprofit.shtml has some resources you might find useful.\n\nFinally, there are a number of relevant articles at About.com here: http://nonprofit.about.com/od/nonprofitstartup/\n\nGood luck in your venture!
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:{\nIf it is a church you do not have to. The government does not control churches. (separation of church and state)\nIf it is a ministry or charity you should register it as a 501 c3 corporation with the IRS and the Corporation Commission.
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Forming a nonprofit corporation is much like creating a regular corporation, except that nonprofits have to take the extra steps of applying for tax-exempt status with the IRS and their state tax division. Here is what you need to do:\n\nChoose an available business name that meets the requirements of state law. \n\nFile formal paperwork, usually called "articles of incorporation," and pay a small filing fee (typically under $100). \n\nApply for your federal and state tax exemptions. \n\nCreate corporate "bylaws," which set out the operating rules for your nonprofit corporation. \n\nAppoint the initial directors. (In some states you must choose your initial directors before you file your articles, because you must list their names in the document.) \n\nHold the first meeting of the board of directors. \nObtain licenses and permits that may be required for your corporation. \n\nChoose a Business Name:\n\nBefore you form your nonprofit corporation, you need to decide on a name that complies with the rules of your state's corporate filing office. The information packet you receive from the filing office should contain your state's rules, but the following guidelines commonly apply:\n\n--The name of your nonprofit cannot be the same as the name of another corporation on file with the corporations division. \n--The name must end with a corporate designator, such as "Corporation," "Incorporated," "Limited," or "Corp.," "Inc.," or "Ltd." (This is required in only about half of the states.) \n--The name cannot contain certain words prohibited by the state, such as Bank, Cooperative, Federal, National, United States, or Reserve. \n\nYour state's corporations division can tell you how to find out whether your proposed name is available for your use. Often, for a small fee, you can reserve the name for a short period of time until you file your articles of incorporation.\n\nContact Your State's Corporations Division:\n\nYour state's corporate filing division, usually part of the secretary or department of state's office, will often send you a packet of nonprofit materials that will be immensely helpful to you in forming your nonprofit. This packet may include sample or fill-in-the blank articles of incorporation, your state's nonprofit corporation laws, a filing fee schedule, and forms and instructions for checking the availability of your proposed business name. Contact your state's corporate filing office to obtain this packet.\n\nIn addition to confirming that another corporation in your state isn't already using your proposed name, you must make sure your name won't violate a trademark owned by another company (in your state or out of state). To do this, you'll need to conduct a trademark search. For information about trademark law and name conflicts, see Naming Your Business.\n\nOnce you've found a legal and available name, you aren't usually required to file or reserve the name with your state -- when you file your articles of incorporation, your nonprofit's name will be automatically registered.\n\nPrepare and File Your Articles of Incorporation:\n\nAfter you've decided on your business name, you must prepare and file "articles of incorporation" with the corporate filing office. This document goes by a different name in a handful of states; your state may instead use the term "articles of organization," "certificate of incorporation," "certificate of formation," or "charter."\n\nYour state's corporate filing office will usually provide you with nonprofit articles of incorporation -- either a fill-in-the-blank form or a sample on which you can base your articles. Although preparing this document isn't difficult, you do need to include specific language to ensure that you'll receive tax-exempt status. Your state's nonprofit format
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Go to Grants.gov http://www.grants.gov - the centralized website where all federal grant applications are processed - require that you first be registered to submit grants. Registration entails the following steps:\n\n- Request a DUNS Number    \n- Register with Central Contractor Registry (CCR)    \n- Authorize your Organization's Representatives    \n- Login as an E-Business Point of Contact (POC) \n\nYou need to have the number of the grant that you are interested in applying. You can get this from Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance http://www.cfda.gov
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I suggest you check out Foundation Center to help you gain ideas on how to properly establish your non profit organization\nhttp://fdncenter.org/getstarted/tutorials/establish/index.html\n\nThe Michigan Nonprofit Association has a great "How to Start a Nonprofit" report that you can view or download. They also have a lot of resources from grant listings to others that can help you in your goal of starting a non profit organization\n\nhttp://www.mnaonline.org/starting.asp\n\nYour best bet is to seek for private grants or grants from private foundations.\n\nThe best resource for this is Foundation Center http://www.fdncenter.org . They have a very good database covering all organizations giving grants and you can find foundations that are interested in supporting your type of cause. However, it's a subscription based website ($19.95 per month I think is the cheapest subscription price). But it certainly is worth the fee. You can subscribe one month, and make sure you get all the info you need and then stop the subscription.\n\nIf you want to try federal sources, you can go to the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) http://www.cfda.gov and Grants.gov http://www.grants.gov - these are two sites created by the federal government to provide transparency and information on grants. \n\nCFDA has several ways to search for grants. I suggest you search by beneficiary and select Private Non Profit Organization and you can find listings of grants available http://12.46.245.173/pls/portal30/CATALOG.BROWSE_BENEF_RPT.show\n\n\n\nhttp://www.cfda.gov\nhttp://www.grants.gov\nhttp://gtionline.fdncenter.org\nhttp://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol66/grants.htm\nhttp://www.sba.gov/expanding/grants.html
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There is some very useful information at the Foundation Center website.  The FAQ on how to establish a nonprofit organization is here at http://fdncenter.org/getstarted/faqs/html/starting_nonprofit.html  (or go to Get Started - FAQS from the main page).  The FAQ also lists resources for obtaining additional information.\n\nSee here for Boardsource resource on starting a nonprofit  http://www.boardsource.org/clientfiles/EBooks/Vision.pdf\n\nBest of luck to you!