How to Start a Nonprofit in Maryland

Maryland is known for the amazing seafood and being the birthplace of Babe Ruth. It is also known for its booming nonprofit sector. According to a 2013 report, there are over 32,000 nonprofits across the state and one in ten residents are employed by a tax-exempt organization. Nonprofit success in Maryland does not seem to be stopping and Marylanders are continuing to grow the nonprofit sector in order to better the community statewide.To go ahead and start your Maryland nonprofit, follow these easy 3 steps:

1. Choose initial directors
   1. When filing the proper paperwork, you are required to have a minimum of three board of directors (president, secretary, and treasurer). The name and physical address of each director are also required.
2. Appoint a registered agent
   1. A registered agent acts as the middleman between your corporation and the government. Your registered agent must be a current resident in Maryland.
3. Prepare and file your nonprofit’s Articles of Incorporation
   1. Your Articles of Incorporation must be filed with the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation office. The filing fee is $170 by mail and an extra $50 if expedited. The following information is needed when filling out this form:
      1. Name of your organization
      2. Primary physical address
      3. Mission statement
      4. Purpose Clause
      5. Dissolution clause
      6. A short description of your organization
      7. The name and address of your registered agent, incorporators and each member of your board of directors
   2. You can mail your completed forms to:

State Department of Assessments and Taxation, Charter Division301 W. Preston Street; 8th FloorBaltimore, MD 21201-2395

A Faster, Easy Way to Start Your Nonprofit in Maryland

Now you have your Maryland 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 Maryland 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.The average nonprofit takes 100+ hours of time and often several thousand dollars in professional fees to create. In the past, you were faced with locating, understanding, and filing the forms yourself or hiring an expensive attorney who likely doesn’t specialize in nonprofits.ExemptMeNow is the only secure, fully automated, online platform for creating your Maryland Nonprofit Corporation.