Articles of Incorporation provide legal description to your NGO by establishing the existence of the organization as per government rules. The articles of incorporation define the purpose of your organization, along with describing the operational processes and membership details.
The number of articles required will largely depend on the country laws. While drafting the article of incorporation, check with the government authorities about the various forms that you require to fill. Depending on the complexity of the content you can either fill in the form or take legal advice from a legal expert.
What to include in the Articles of Incorporation? Most often, NGOs are required to provide the following information, while filling in the form:
Article I: Name of the organization. Be sure that you have discussed about the name and finalized on a few names for your organization.
Article II: Organization Purpose: Describe the purpose of your organization and reasons for establishing a NGO
Article III: Address of the Organization: Give complete contact details of the organization correspondence address. Include the name of the person the communication should be addressed to.
Article IV: Board Details: Mention the name and contact detail of the board members.
Article VI: Membership Information: If you plan to have some sort of membership in your NGO then give details of the membership process, the fees, member qualification etc.
Article VII: Stock Information: Some forms require you to give details of the stocks that your organization has.
Article VIII: Duration of existence: You need to mention the duration of existence of the NGO. Most often NGOs are everlasting or perpetual.
Writing and filing the articles of incorporation is crucial in determining the success of your organization. Take time to consult with experts to understand the incorporation process, before writing the article of incorporation. The articles of Incorporation are subjected to Country specific norms, therefore read the guidelines specific to your country.
Once you the have form filled, discuss it with the board members to seek their approval.