How to Start a Nonprofit in Hawaii

Hawaii is comprised of 8 islands, home to nearly 1.5 million people, and almost 7,000 nonprofits. Employing 53,000 Hawaiians (11.4% of the workforce) and generating $8.24 billion in annual revenues (Independent Sector), the Aloha State’s nonprofit sector is vital to the continued growth of the archipelago’s economy and the health and well-being of its people.Incorporating your nonprofit as a domestic nonprofit corporation is the first step to forming a nonprofit in Hawaii. Incorporation paperwork is filed via mail and sent to the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Business Registration Division. At the time of writing, the cost of incorporating a nonprofit in Hawaii is $25.00.In order to complete the incorporation process, your organization must have a physical address, the name and address of the organization’s incorporators, and the name and address of your organization’s Registered Agent. A Registered Agent is any person or entity located in Hawaii who is responsible for all business filings at the state level and generally serves as a representative to the organization.

A faster, easier option

Now that you have your Hawaii nonprofit corporation, you can use your state information and federal EIN to open a bank account for your nonprofit. However, setting up your nonprofit in Hawaii is just part of the process of becoming a formal tax-exempt organization. The next step is to file for a federal tax exemption using either IRS form 1023 or 1023-EZ.If you’re looking for a faster, easier way to go through these processes, look no further than ExemptMeNow. We take the frustration and anxiety out of the incorporation and tax-exemption processes by offering an easy-to-use, streamlined online platform. The average nonprofit takes over 100 hours to start, but we can help you reduce that time by up to 90% (and save money on professional fees and costly mistakes).Ready to get started? Sign up for a free account and get ready to incorporate your Hawaii nonprofit today!