Legal Documentation...
Articles of Incorporation...
Articles of Incorporation go by different names in different
municipalities, but remain the primary means of organization in the
United States and Canada. Each state or province has different specific
requirements and procedures that must be adhered to; this information
can be obtained from most local government offices (county clerk,
recorder, etc). Occasionally a municipality will simply require a form
to be completed for incorporation, but in most instances, Articles of
Incorporation will need to be written. Approval comes in the form of a
certificate, a seal, a stamp or a signature, depending on your
location.
Bylaws...
Bylaws are the written plan of organization made by the Board of
Directors in an organization; they are the legal structure and operating
procedure. Bylaws serve as a constitution, outlining the means of
achieving organizational goals and mission, therefore those objectives
must be defined before Bylaws can be crafted. They should be
sufficiently specific to maintain clear divisions of responsibility, but
also general enough to allow flexibility. Some municipalities mandate
the filling of adopted Bylaws as a condition of incorporation, most do
not.
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