Private nonprofit formation service. Not the IRS and not affiliated with any government agency.
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Nonprofit formation and 501(c)(3) applications

Start your nonprofit and get your 501(c)(3) right the first time.

We form nonprofit corporations, prepare Form 1023 and 1023-EZ applications, register you with the states where you raise money and set up the policies that keep you in good standing. You focus on the mission.

Tell us about your nonprofitRead the step-by-step guide

  • Fixed quote before work starts
  • Documents written for your mission
  • Help when the IRS has questions

The road to 501(c)(3), in seven steps

The full guide →
  1. 1Decide if a nonprofit fitsA new 501(c)(3), fiscal sponsorship or another structure.
  2. 2Incorporate in your stateArticles with the purpose and dissolution clauses the IRS looks for.
  3. 3Adopt bylaws, seat a boardBylaws, officers, a conflict of interest policy and minutes.
  4. 4Get an EINFree from the IRS, after the corporation exists.
  5. 5Apply for 501(c)(3)Form 1023 or 1023-EZ, ideally within 27 months of forming.
  6. 6Register with your stateCharity registration and state tax exemptions.
  7. 7Stay exemptAnnual returns, donor receipts and good governance.
Free tool

Which application do you file?

Answer a few questions to see whether you file Form 1023, the shorter 1023-EZ, a Form 1024 or Form 8976, or no application at all. Nothing leaves your browser.

1023-EZ$275 IRS fee. Small charities: receipts up to $50,000 a year and assets up to $250,000.1023$600 IRS fee. The full application for every other 501(c)(3), churches included if they apply.8976$50 IRS fee. Notice every 501(c)(4) files within 60 days of forming.1024$600 IRS fee. Business leagues, social clubs and other 501(c) types.

Which application do I file?

Open full tool →
Gross receipts
Services

Everything a new nonprofit needs

From the articles of incorporation to the determination letter, and the state filings and policies that come after it.

All services →
Formation

Nonprofit formation

We prepare articles of incorporation with IRS-ready purpose and dissolution clauses, bylaws, first-meeting minutes and your EIN application, so your corporation is ready to apply for exemption.

Form 1023

Form 1023 preparation

We review your eligibility, write the activities narrative, build the financial data and schedules, assemble attachments and help you respond if the IRS asks for more information.

Form 1023-EZ

Form 1023-EZ

We start with the IRS eligibility worksheet and tell you if you do not qualify or should not use the short form, then prepare and file Form 1023-EZ and explain what comes next.

Other 501(c)

501(c)(4) and other exemption

We file the Form 8976 notice that every new 501(c)(4) owes the IRS within 60 days, and prepare Form 1024-A or Form 1024 for social welfare groups, business leagues, social clubs and others.

State filings

State charity registration

We handle initial charitable solicitation registrations and renewals in the states where you raise money, file state tax exemption applications and keep track of every renewal date.

Governance

Bylaws and governance policies

We draft or review your bylaws and prepare the conflict of interest, whistleblower, document retention, gift acceptance and compensation approval policies that Form 990 asks about.

Compliance

Annual nonprofit compliance

We build a calendar of your federal and state deadlines, keep your minutes and policy reviews on schedule, coordinate your annual Form 990-family return and give you donor acknowledgment templates.

Reinstatement

Reinstatement after automatic revocation

If your exemption was automatically revoked for three years of missed returns, we choose the right Rev. Proc. 2014-11 path, prepare late returns and the reasonable cause statement, and file the application.

How it works

A clear process from start to finish

You always know what we need from you, what it costs and what happens next.

  1. 1Tell us where you areAn idea, a new corporation, an application in progress or a problem with the IRS. A short form or a few emails is enough to start.
  2. 2Plan and fixed quoteWe tell you what your organization needs, in what order, and what it costs. Nothing starts until you approve.
  3. 3Documents draftedArticles, bylaws, policies and the application narrative are written for your mission, not copied from a template.
  4. 4You review everythingWe walk you through each document and the answers on the application, and your board adopts what it needs to.
  5. 5Filed with your signatureState filings and the IRS application are submitted with your approval and an officer's signature, and you get copies of everything.
  6. 6Follow-throughIf the IRS or the state asks questions, we help you answer them, and we leave you with a calendar of what comes next.
Why 501Nonprofit.com

Built around the questions the IRS asks

An exemption application is read by an IRS specialist who checks your documents against your activities and your budget. The work is making those three tell the same story.

Tell us about your nonprofit
  • Documents that match. Purpose and dissolution clauses, bylaws and policies drafted so they line up with what the application says you will do.
  • A narrative an examiner can follow. Who you serve, how, where, how often and who pays for it, in plain, specific language.
  • Numbers that make sense. Realistic budgets for the years the IRS asks about, consistent with your fundraising plans.
  • Plain English, fixed quotes. You know what each document does, what you are signing and what it costs.
Guides

Learn the rules before you file

Plain-English guides, each checked against the IRS and state sources it cites.

All guides →
Animal rescue volunteer setting up an online donation page on a laptop.
Charity registration

State charitable solicitation registration

Most states require a charity to register before it asks residents for money. Here is how registration works, common exemptions, online fundraising, and three state examples.

Frequently asked questions

Is a nonprofit the same as a 501(c)(3)?

No. "Nonprofit" is a status under state law: you form a nonprofit corporation with your state. "501(c)(3)" is federal tax exemption that the IRS recognizes after you apply, and it is what makes most donations tax-deductible. Most charities need both. See the full sequence.

How long does it take to get 501(c)(3) status?

It depends on the form and the IRS queue. The IRS publishes current figures on its "Where's my application" page; in the update it last posted (June 2026), 80% of Form 1023-EZ determinations were issued within 22 days and 80% of Form 1023 determinations within 191 days. A complete, well-prepared application avoids the extra delay of IRS follow-up questions. More on timing.

What does it cost to start a nonprofit?

The IRS user fee is $275 for Form 1023-EZ and $600 for Form 1023. Your state charges its own fee to file articles of incorporation, and many states charge for charity registration. Our work is billed at a fixed quote you approve before anything starts. Ask for a quote.

Should we file Form 1023 or Form 1023-EZ?

Form 1023-EZ is only for small organizations that answer No to all 34 questions on the IRS eligibility worksheet, starting with receipts of $50,000 or less a year and assets of $250,000 or less. Everyone else files Form 1023. Even eligible organizations sometimes choose the full form. Compare the two.

Can our exemption be backdated to when we formed?

Yes, if you file within 27 months after the end of the month you were legally formed and the IRS approves the application. After that, exemption generally starts on the date you file unless you qualify for relief on Form 1023. Find your deadline.

Do you work with organizations in every state?

Yes. The federal application is the same everywhere and is filed online, and we prepare the state formation and registration filings for the state where you organize and the states where you raise money.

Free tools

27-month deadline

The last day to apply and keep exemption back to your formation date.