Non-Profit? Why make it!

 


Hey everyone!


I have been stewing on starting a non-profit, have a decent number of ideas but not so much the avenues of continuous funding for services rendered. That being said, looking into how to start a non-profit is interesting enough to merit a look into. In the state of Florida it seems to be relatively simply laid out on the official government website.

  1. Review the instructions for filing the Articles of Incorporation for Florida Non-Profit Corporations.
  2. Gather all information required to complete the form.
  3. Have a valid form of payment.
  4. If additional space is needed to meet IRS filing requirements, prior to filing contact the Department of State at NewFilingsCorpHelp@DOS.MyFlorida.com for appropriate instructions.

So there you have it, a shameless copy and paste! That being said, what exactly are the Articles of Incorporation? Tucked away behind that first hyperlink are a series of questions that would need to be filled out to attempt to establish non-profit status.

Corporation name
The name must include Corporation, Incorporated, Corp., or Inc.
Principal place of business address
Could be my home.
Mailing address
Registered agent name and address
Could be me.
Registered agent name and address
Registered Agent's Signature
The signature confirms the agent is familiar with and accepts the obligations of s.617.0501, F.S.
Corporate Purpose
A non-profit corporation is required to list a specific purpose. If the non-profit will be seeking 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status from the IRS, specific language is required.
Officer/Director
If individuals are listed, enter as Last Name, First Name, Middle Initial.
If listing directors: list at least 3 directors. 
If this entity will be opening a bank account, most financial institutions require this information to be designated in the Department of State’s records.
Manner of Election
Effective Date
A corporation’s existence begins on the date the Division of Corporations receives and files your Articles unless your Articles of Incorporation specify an acceptable alternate “effective” date.
Incorporator's Signature
Must be signed by at least one person acting as the incorporator.
Correspondence name and email
Certificate of Status
This item is not required.
Certified Copy
This item is not required.
Annual Report
Every corporation is required to file an annual report to maintain an “active” status in our records.
If the corporation fails to file the report, it will be administratively dissolved. 
The filing period for annual reports is January 1st to May 1st of the calendar year following the corporation’s date of filing or, if listed, its effective date.

Honestly, looking at this, it's not that bad! That being said, having to submit an annual report around tax time is a bit of a bummer. Florida had the specific necessity for there to be a minimum board of directors of 3, however this changed recently depending on the type of non-profit that is being run. As of July 1st, this year, non-profit corporations that are not tax exempt may have a single director. But in order to do this, you'd have to give up the 501(c)(3) filing, which means that potential donors wouldn't be able to deduct donations from their taxes.

While this is all good, the single biggest takeaway I have gained is the following line "The Division of Corporations strongly recommends that legal counsel reviews all documents prior to submission." (
Florida Department of State). I am still definitely interested in forming a non-profit, but now really know some legal counsel might be the best for appropriate submission standards.

References

Florida Department of State. “Instructions for Articles of Incorporation (FL Non-Profit) - Division of Corporations - Florida Department of State.”

Giddings, Drew. “How to Start a Nonprofit in Florida: Step-by-Step Guide (2026).” Giddingsconsulting.Com, Giddings Consulting Group, 11 Apr. 2026, https://giddingsconsulting.com/blog/how-to-start-a-nonprofit-in-florida/. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

Neumann, Julia. “The Florida Nonprofit Corporation Act: An Overview of Changes to Chapter 617.” Dean Mead, 9 June 2026, https://www.deanmead.com/the-florida-nonprofit-corporation-act-an-overview-of-changes-to-new-chapter-617/. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Species Collection

Image
  Hey Everyone! This time I want to focus on cataloguing some species within the yard to get a comprehensive list going so that when the yard is plotted, we can allocate species to each location. In order to determine which application to use for identification, I have three control species, those being 2 native and 1 non-native. Those species being Firebush (Hamelia patens), Sunshine Mimosa (Mimosa strigillosa), and Confederate Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides).  Plant ID 54.9% identified for Sunshine Mimosa 2nd highest was Mimosa pudica at 26.5% 81.2% identified for Firebush 2nd highest was Celosia argentea var. plumosa at 10.1% 21.9% identified for Confederate Jasmine 2nd highest was Trachelospermum Asiaticum, another species of Asiatic Jasmine Honestly quite pleased with how that turned out, more accurate than I was expecting considering my questionable camera quality for the Confederate Jasmine. For a good app alternative I've decided to give Seek a try...
Read more

Soil Survey Website

Image
 Hey everyone! This just about summarizes the properties soil distribution, granted it's a little out of date, despite data sets being from last year. The last time the area was sampled was ~10-16 years ago, not that it would change that much. This site though is super nifty, and I can see how it'd be a great tool for assisting with construction and planning. Interestingly, some of the lines put on the map for soil delineation may have been used by our insurance to try to get flood insurance out of us, despite us having no flooding issues, even in some of the worst hurricanes, storms, and weather events, which have since been disputed and withdrawn. We had been considering adopting one of our state's keystone animals, the gopher tortoise, but looking at the chart now, it seems we don't exactly have the best place for them to setup, despite the presence of other burrowing creatures.
Read more