How to Start a Nonprofit | Where to Find Assistance

Professionals

• Attorneys
• State chapters of associations that serve accountants ("XYZ Society of CPAs") may have published resources or sponsor special programs for tax-exempt organizations.
• The local chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) near you may be able to steer you to local legal and accounting professionals who regularly work with tax-exempt organizations.

State

• State Associations of nonprofits resources specific to starting a charitable nonprofit:
  • Alabama Association of Nonprofits
  • Arkansas Coalition for Excellence
  • California Association of Nonprofits
  • Colorado Nonprofit Association
  • Connecticut Association of Nonprofits
  • Center for Nonprofit Advancement (DC)
  • Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement
  • Donors Forum (IL)
  • Idaho Nonprofit Center
  • Louisiana Association of Nonprofit Organizations
  • Maine Association of Nonprofits
  • Maryland Nonprofits
  • Michigan Nonprofit Association
  • Minnesota Council of Nonprofits
  • Montana Nonprofit Association
  • New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits
  • Center for Non-Profits (NJ)
  • North Carolina Center for Nonprofits
  • Nonprofit Association of Oregon - online guide and The Oregon Nonprofit Corporations Handbook
  • Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations
  • South Carolina Association of Nonprofit Organizations
  • Texas Association of Nonprofit Organizations
  • Utah Nonprofits Association
  • Wisconsin Nonprofits

• State-by-state resources for starting a nonprofit (Foundation Center)

Federal

• IRS Exempt Organizations hotline: 877-829-5500
• IRS Forms
• IRS: Applying for Tax Exemption, An Overview
• IRS: Lifecycle of an Exempt Organization

Publications and other resources

• Before you start: Have you considered fiscal sponsorship?
• Prepare your own 501c3 application - authored by former IRS agent Sandy Deja.
• LawForChange.org is a website resource that provides information on the legal requirements for creating a nonprofit corporation in various states. (Go to Legal Resources, then search by topic or jurisdiction.) Nolo offers affordable and easy-to-read publications with helpful tools for starting a nonprofit, including Forming a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit, 8 Steps to Forming Your Nonprofit, and other helpful publications on fundraising, regulations about fundraising, and managing human resources in a nonprofit.
• Starting a Nonprofit Organization - BoardSource (1999)
• Read about activities to avoid that put a nonprofit’s tax-exempt status at risk
• More guidance on maintaining your nonprofit’s tax-exempt status (About.com)
• What's the difference between a 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4)?  Read "Nonprofit Law Jargon Buster: Social Welfare Organizations" from Charity Lawyer's blog for clarification.