New Hampshire Nonprofit Articles of Incorporation

Nonprofit articles of incorporation is the document filed to create a New Hampshire nonprofit corporation.

Preparing and filing your articles of incorporation is the first step in starting your nonprofit corporation. Approval of this document secures your corporate name and creates the legal entity of the nonprofit. Only after this approval can you apply for 501c, apply for fundraising licenses, open a bank account, and otherwise conduct business.

Benefits

Incorporating provides many important benefits:

• Limits the liability of directors, officers, and shareholders
• Fulfills statutory requirements to register your organization's name
• Is a prerequisite for applying for 501(c) tax exemption
• Provides governance and adds credibility to the business or organization

Fast Facts

Other Helpful New Hampshire Facts

As you are preparing to incorporate, keep in mind the following requirements specific to New Hampshire, keep in mind:

New Hampshire Directors

• Number: minimum 5 voting members
• Qualifications: At least 5 voting members who are not of the same immediate family or related by blood or marriage (some exceptions). No residency requirement. No membership requirement.
• Quorum: majority
• Committee: minimum 2 directors

New Hampshire Officers

• Defined in bylaws or board resolution. One officer prepares minutes of the directors' and members' meetings and authenticates records of the corporation.
• Two or more offices may be held by the same individual.

New Hampshire Members

• Members: optional. No members by default.
• No voting rights except as defined in articles or bylaws.
• Annual meeting: required
• Quorum: majority of entitled votes