Choosing a name for your 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization is the first step in our complete guide, How to Start a Nonprofit in Indiana. One of the most important decisions any founder will make is selecting the right name. We’re here to help with our full guide to choosing, validating, and registering an Indiana nonprofit name in four easy steps.
Check out our other guides for a look at How to Start a Nonprofit Organization or How to Name a Nonprofit in other states.
Recommended: Use our Business Name Generator to brainstorm hundreds of catchy names (with available URLs) for your nonprofit.
Name Your Nonprofit in 4 Easy Steps
Naming your Indiana nonprofit is easy. Just follow these four simple steps to secure the best name for your 501(c)(3).
SKIP AHEAD
Step 1: Choose the Right Name for Your Nonprofit
Step 2: Follow the Nonprofit Naming Rules in Indiana
Step 3: Check if Your Business Name is Available
Step 4: Register Your Nonprofit Name
Use our 501(c)(3) Lookup Table to see if your nonprofit’s name is already in use.
Step 1: Choose the Right Name for Your Nonprofit
Selecting the right name for your organization is an important task. In order to choose the name that best represents your nonprofit’s mission and purpose, we recommend following these guidelines:
- Be specific. A nonprofit’s name should be direct and specific enough to convey its mission. Avoid using vague words or terms that could confuse donors and prospective clients about your organization’s purpose.
- Make it memorable. Memorability is essential when selecting a name for any business. For nonprofits, selecting a name that will stick in the minds of those who come across it will not only improve your organization’s exposure among donors and volunteers but also make it easier for potential clients to find your services.
- Keep it professional. Nonprofits rely heavily on their public image in order to attract donors or clients who may use their services — and their first impression will stem from your organization’s name. For this reason, your nonprofit needs a professional name that communicates a serious dedication to its mission and purpose.
- Make it emotional. Whether your organization provides services for animals, displaced persons, or any other community, emotion and charity have a strong bond. Selecting a name that appeals to the emotions of both donors and clients will help build trust as well as your organization’s credibility.
We recommend selecting at least four to five names that fit your criteria before you start researching their availability. This approach will increase your chances of securing a unique and available name.
Recommended: Use our Business Name Generator to help you find an available and unique name in your state.
Step 2: Follow the Nonprofit Naming Rules in Indiana
Corporation Name Requirements
Your Indiana nonprofit name must adhere to the guidelines laid out in Section 23-0.5-3-1 and Section 23-0.5-3-2 of the Nonprofit Corporation Act:
Sec. 1 (a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (d), after December 31, 2017, the name under which a domestic filing entity may be formed, the name under which a foreign entity may register to do business in Indiana, a name reserved under section 3 of this chapter, or an assumed name registered under section 4 of this chapter must be distinguishable on the records of the secretary of state from any:
(1) name of an existing domestic filing entity;
(2) name of a domestic filing entity that has not been administratively dissolved for more than one hundred twenty (120) days;
(3) name of a foreign entity registered to do business in this state under IC 23-0.5-5;
(4) name reserved under section 3 of this chapter, IC 23-1-23 (before its repeal), IC 23-16-2-2 (before its repeal), IC 23-17-5 (before its repeal), or IC 23-18-2-9 (before its repeal);
(5) assumed name registered under IC 23-15-1-1(e) (before that chapter’s repeal); or
(6) assumed name registered under section 4(e) of this chapter.
(b) If an entity consents in a record to the use of its name in a form satisfactory to the secretary of state, the name of the consenting entity may be used by the entity to which the consent was given. Consent may not be given for the use of a reserved name.
(c) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (d), in determining whether a name is the same as or not distinguishable on the records of the secretary of state from the name of another entity, words, phrases, or abbreviations indicating the type of entity, such as “corporation”, “corp.”, “incorporated”, “Inc.”, “company”, “co”, “professional corporation”, “PC”, “P.C.”, “professional service corporation”, “PSC”, “P.S.C.”, “Limited”, “Ltd.”, “limited partnership”, “LP”, “L.P.”, “limited liability partnership”, “LLP”, “L.L.P.”, “limited liability company”, “LLC”, “L.L.C.”, “limited liability company-s”, “LLC-s”, or “L.L.C.-s”, may not be taken into account.
Sec. 2 (a) The name of a business corporation or nonprofit corporation must contain the word “corporation”, “incorporated”, “company”, or “limited”, or the abbreviation “Corp.”, “Inc.”, “Co.”, or “Ltd.”, or words or abbreviations of similar import in another language. The name of a business corporation that is a professional corporation must contain the words “Professional Service Corporation” or “Professional Corporation” or abbreviations of these words. In addition, only a professional corporation in which all shareholders are physicians licensed under IC 25-22.5 may use the term “medical” in its corporate name. A licensing authority may by rule adopt further requirements than those specified in this subsection as to the names of professional corporations organized under this article.
Putting It Into Practice
Most nonprofits in Indiana are organized as corporations, but you can choose to organize a nonprofit in four other ways: an unincorporated association, a trust, an association, or a limited liability company (LLC). Each option has specific naming requirements you must follow.
For the purposes of this article, we’ll focus on the requirements for naming a nonprofit corporation.
Incorporating is the most common way to organize a nonprofit. While naming rules for corporations vary by state, some requirements apply nationwide. State standards in Indiana include:
- Your corporation’s name must be distinguishable from any other name on record within the state of Indiana, including any reserved names.
- Your corporation’s name must include “Inc.”, “Ltd.”, “Incorporated”, or “Company”
Tax Exemption Requirements
If you plan to file for tax-exempt status with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), pay close attention to the wording you use in your nonprofit’s name. Any words that imply a political or lobbying affiliation may hinder your ability to file for 501(c)(3) status.
Step 3: Check If Your Business Name Is Available
After you chose one or several name options for your nonprofit, you’ll need to make sure it’s available. Every nonprofit must have a distinguishable name so it’s helpful to confirm the availability of your desired name prior to incorporation.
The top four searches you should perform include:
Indiana Business Search
To operate a nonprofit corporation in Indiana, its name must be unique. You can easily check if your chosen name is available by performing a search using the Indiana Business Search tool.
Domain Name Search
We strongly recommend that you also check to see if your business name is available as a web domain (URL). Even if you don’t plan to create a business website today, you may want to buy the web address to prevent others from acquiring that domain name. It’s a free search.
Federal Trademark Search
You can easily check if someone already trademarked your chosen nonprofit name by using the federal Trademark Electronic Search System. This is important even if you don’t plan to incorporate your nonprofit right away.
Once you confirm that no one else already trademarked your chosen name, you can apply for a trademark for your nonprofit.
If you need help with getting a logo for your nonprofit, try branding your business with our Free Logo Generator! Get a unique logo in minutes and start building your nonprofit’s brand immediately.
Web and Social Media Search
A strong social media presence will play a key role in expanding your reach to potential donors or clients that will use your services. That makes it important to search the web and popular social media platforms for your desired name before registering it to ensure it’s available on all the platforms where you plan to promote your organization.
Step 4: Register Your Nonprofit Name
After you choose your nonprofit’s name and confirm its availability, the next step involves registering the organization’s name. You have a few options to achieve a name registration:
Recommended: Read our full, step-by-step guide on How to Register a Business Name in Indiana.
File for a Name Reservation
In Indiana, domestic nonprofit corporations are not required to file for a name reservation before incorporation. However, reserving a name can prove beneficial — especially if you aren’t ready to incorporate, but want to ensure the availability of your chosen name.
To file a name reservation in the state of Indiana:
- Applying online via Indiana’s INBiz website and paying a $20 filing fee.
Name reservations for nonprofit corporations in Indiana last 120 days and can be renewed online once it expires along with an additional $20 filing fee.
Form a Corporation
Incorporating is the most common way to organize a nonprofit and, once you select a name, it’s the next step in making your nonprofit official. Forming a corporation in Indiana involves a few easy steps:
- Name Your Corporation
- Choose a Registered Agent
- Choose Your Corporation’s Initial Directors and Share Structure
- File the Formation Documents
- Get an EIN
File for a DBA Name
Filing an assumed business name, also called a doing business as (DBA) name, in Indiana allows your nonprofit to operate using a different name than its legal, registered business name. This can prove especially helpful if you want to change the name of an existing organization without filing an amendment to your Articles of Incorporation.
To learn how to file a DBA or assumed business name in Indiana, check out our step-by-step guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I start a nonprofit corporation in Indiana?
To officially incorporate a nonprofit in Indiana, you must file the Articles of Incorporation with the Indiana Secretary of State, Business Services Division. You also must complete several other essential steps before you file that formation document, which you can find in our step-by-step guide to starting a nonprofit in Indiana.
How much does it cost to start a nonprofit corporation in Indiana?
To file the Articles of Incorporation in Indiana, you can expect to pay $100 in filing fees by mail or in person or $98 if you file online.
How do I find nonprofits in Indiana?
Use our handy Indiana 501(c)(3) Lookup Table to find nonprofits in Indiana. You can use this tool to see if your preferred nonprofit name is in use or not.