state laws (U.S) require minimum three category of people to form a nonprofit organization.
- Founders
- Directors
- Officers
Often, the same person can play all three roles.
Founder’s requirement/ Minimum number of Founders
| State |
Minimum number of incorporators |
| Alabama |
Persons (one or more), partnerships, domestic corporations or foreign corporations, whether for profit or not for profit |
| Alaska |
One or more person |
| Arizona |
One or more person |
| Arkansas |
One or more person |
| California |
One or more person |
| Colorado |
One or more person
18 years or older. |
| Connecticut |
One or more person |
| Delaware |
One or more person |
| District of Columbia |
3 or more persons |
| Florida |
One or more person |
| Georgia |
One or more person |
| Hawaii |
One or more person |
| Idaho |
One or more person |
| Illinois |
Either be a natural person above the age of 18 or a domestic or foreign business entity |
| Indiana |
One or more person |
| Iowa |
One or more person |
| Kansas |
One or more person |
| Kentucky |
One or more person |
| Louisiana |
One or more natural person or a business entity |
| Maine |
One or more person |
| Maryland |
One or more person 18 years or older |
| Massachusetts |
One or more person |
| Michigan |
One or more person |
| Minnesota |
One or more adult and a natural person |
| Mississippi |
One or more person |
| Missouri |
Minimum 1 natural person 18 + age. Business entities not allowed to start a non-profit organization in Missouri |
| Montana |
One or more person |
| Nebraska |
One or more person |
| Nevada |
One or more natural person |
| New Hampshire |
Minimum 5 or more people are required to act as incorporators |
| New Jersey |
One or more person |
| New Mexico |
One or more person |
| New York |
One or more natural persons of at least 18 years of age |
| North Carolina |
One or more person |
| North Dakota |
One or more incorporators must be at least 18 years of age. |
| Ohio |
One or more person |
| Oklahoma |
3 or more individuals or partnership, association, or corporation |
| Oregon |
One or more incorporators at least 18 years age or an organization(corporation, partnership, association) |
| Pennsylvania |
One or more individual at
least 18 years of age or a business entity |
| Rhode Island |
One or more person |
| South Carolina |
One or more person |
| South Dakota |
Minimum of three (3) or more natural persons who have attained the age of majority |
| Tennessee |
One or more person |
| Texas |
One or more ‘organizer’ who may either be a person (18 years +) or a corporation or any other legal entity. |
| Utah |
One or more individual (aged 18 years or older)
who may or may not be a domicile of Utah |
| Vermont |
One or more individual who has attained the
age of majority. Organizations cannot be incorporators |
| Virginia |
1 or more person |
| Washington |
One or more adult person(s) (18 years+) |
| West Virginia |
1 or more natural person |
| Wisconsin |
1 or more natural person |
| Wyoming |
1 or more person |
Also see:
starting a NPO: founder’s requirements
state laws (U.S) require minimum three category of people to form a nonprofit organization.
Often, the same person can play all three roles.
Founder’s requirement/ Minimum number of Founders
18 years or older.
least 18 years of age or a business entity
who may or may not be a domicile of Utah
age of majority. Organizations cannot be incorporators
Also see:
Nonprofit for Newbies
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