How to File the Articles of Incorporation for a Montana Nonprofit

Last Updated: June 30, 2023 By TRUiC Team

Filing the Articles of Incorporation is a critical step in starting a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit in Montana. Whether you have been running a charity for a while or are just starting out, your nonprofit organization will need to fill out the Articles of Incorporation and file them with the State of Montana. This will allow you to file for 501(c)(3) status and reap the benefits of having an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Want to form a nonprofit elsewhere? Check out our other How to Start a Nonprofit guides.

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Starting a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Montana is easy, just follow these easy steps to file the Montana Articles of Incorporation:

If you are starting a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Montana, you have come to the right place. After reading the comprehensive guide for Montana nonprofit formation, follow this guide to file the Montana Articles of Incorporation with the Secretary of State.

What is covered in this guide:

Information you will need to file the Montana Articles of Incorporation
How to file the Montana Articles of Incorporation
Montana Nonprofit Formation FAQ

Information you will need to file the Montana Articles of Incorporation

To become a nonprofit corporation in Montana you must file the Articles of Incorporation with the Secretary of State. This must be done online.

Here is some of the information you should have handy before you start to file online:

1: The name you selected for your organization.

For help with selecting a name for your nonprofit read our comprehensive guide on how to name Montana nonprofit.

2: Information on the registered agent you selected.

For more information read our guide: What is a registered agent? and The Montana Registered Agent Guide.

3: Information on the directors you selected.

For more information read our guide: How to Select Your Nonprofit's Board of Directors and Officers and Montana Board of Directors.

4: Information on the purpose of your organization

NOTE: In order to qualify for 501(c)(3) status, the organization’s purpose must explicitly be limited to one or more of the following:

Charitable
Religious
Scientific
Literary
Testing for public safety
Fostering national/international amateur sports competition
Preventing cruelty to animals/children

5: Information on dissolution

To be eligible for 501(c)(3) status, you must convince the IRS that the organization’s assets will always only be used for the purposes approved under 501(c)(3) rules. To this end, you must include provisions ensuring that in the event your organization is dissolved, the assets of the organization will be used towards tax-exempt purposes.

Section 5 of this sample document provides an example of these provisions required for 501(c)(3) eligibility.

How to file the Montana Articles of Incorporation

You can submit the Articles of Incorporation by selecting "Articles of Incorporation for Domestic Nonprofit Corporation" on the Secretary of State's online portal.