Non-Profit Corporations

Generally, Georgia Non-Profit Corporations must be organized and operated exclusively for religious, educational, charitable or scientific purposes. No private individual may receive profit or gain from the activities or holdings of the Corporation, other than as reasonable salary received for work actually performed for the Corporation. A Corporation cannot operate as a non-profit and then later decide to dissolve itself, dividing up the assets among the officers or members. Upon dissolution, all assets must go to another tax exempt, non-profit organization.

Proper use of non-profit status may include churches, private schools, youth programs, museums, food banks, job skills training programs or medical research facilities.  Subject to specific criteria, the organization may produce income,  but no individual or member may receive personal gain from this income, reasonable regular salaries excepted.

A corporation certified as Non-Profit by the Georgia Secretary of State, does not automatically garner IRS recognition for its non-profit status nor guarantee tax exempt donations to the organization.  With few exceptions, federal recognition of exemption under the Internal Revenue Code depends upon filing an Application for Recognition of Exemption.