Starting a Nonprofit

I founded a nonprofit on October 10^th, 2025. By “founded” I mean that it became officially incorporated, recognized by the state of Maryland as a legal entity.

Filing the articles of incorporation seemed straight forward until realizing the addresses on the documentation would be available to the public. I needed to hire a registered agent and determine the primary business address of our office.

A registered agent is a person or entity that accepts lawful mail on behalf of the business owner, and I hired one. I had a difficult time finding explicit rules stating what would or wouldn’t pass for an office address, but through trial and error, I learned that P.O. boxes and mailboxes didn't pass, at least in Maryland. "Virtual offices” passed - a physical address that can be put on documentation but doesn't give access to any physical space, generally. Using my registered agent's address technically worked for both items in my articles of incorporation though everything I read said that it wouldn't. Some online chatter claimed that the IRS needed to see a physical address on the paperwork so that they could find us there, if so needed. I used my registered agent's address for both until settling on a coworking space that included 24/7 access and a phone number. Switching my office address post-incorporation though required filing an amendment to the IRS along with a fee.

I’d spent the seven or eight months prior to incorporation setting up the dominos, shaping exactly what I wanted my nonprofit to be while learning how to execute. Within a month from now, Exist With Initiative, Inc. will apply for 501(c)(3) status (also known as tax exemption), the most salient part in becoming a reputable nonprofit.