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A nonprofit corporation is one that is organized for charitable or benevolent purposes. These corporations include certain hospitals, universities, churches, and other religious organizations. A nonprofit entity does not have to be a nonprofit corporation, however. Nonprofit corporations do not have shareholders, but have members or a perpetual board of directors or board of trustees.
The proper form and necessary content of articles or certificates of incorporation for a nonprofit corporation depend largely on the requirements of the state nonprofit corporation act in the state of incorporation. Typically nonprofit corporations have no capital stock and therefore have members, not stockholders. Because federal tax-exempt status will be sought for most nonprofit corporations, the articles or certificate of incorporation must be carefully drafted to include specific language designed to ensure qualification for tax-exempt status.