Define the mission, make it official, build the program, get funding-ready and find the money, one step at a time. Published prices, plain language and a real person to call.
$275IRS fee for the short-form 501(c)(3) application
$50grant searches start here
0%of your award, ever
Before you file
Do you need a new nonprofit at all?
Sometimes the fastest way to do the work is not to start a new organization. If you want to begin quickly, test an idea or expect to stay small, a fiscal sponsor (an established 501(c)(3) that takes on your project) may fit better, or a partnership with a group already doing the work. If you do need your own nonprofit, the roadmap below shows every step. On the free call, we’ll tell you honestly which path fits.
The roadmap
Five stages from idea to funded
Do what you can yourself with the free steps in each stage. When you want help, every option has a fixed price, and you can stop after any stage.
1
Stage 1
Define it
Turn the cause into a clear mission.
Passion starts nonprofits. Clarity is what board members, volunteers and funders sign on to. Before any paperwork, know who you serve, what you’ll do and how you’ll know it worked.
Do it yourself
Name the people you’ll serve, and where
Write the problem in two sentences, with one local number that proves it
A nonprofit is a legal organization with a board, bylaws and filing duties, not just a good cause. Set it up right once, and keep up with the yearly filings that most often cost small nonprofits their status.
Do it yourself
Choose a name and check it’s available with your Secretary of State
Recruit a founding board (check your state’s minimum number of directors)
File articles of incorporation with your state, including the purpose and dissolution language the IRS expects for 501(c)(3) status
Adopt bylaws and a conflict-of-interest policy
Get your free EIN at irs.gov
Apply for 501(c)(3) status: Form 1023-EZ ($275) if you qualify, otherwise Form 1023 ($600). Apply within 27 months of forming so your exemption reaches back to day one
Open a bank account in the organization’s name
Check whether your state requires charitable solicitation registration before you ask for donations
Or let Groundwork help
Nonprofit Formation Support
State filing, EIN steps, starter bylaws and policy, and your 1023-EZ prepared if you qualify. You sign and submit.
The worst time to write your budget and need statement is the week a grant is due. Write the core documents once, write them well and reuse them all year.
Do it yourself
Build a first-year operating budget
Build a budget for your first program
Write a statement of need with local data and sources
Write a short organizational history and keep a current board list
New organizations lose the most time on grants they were never eligible for. Many foundations require a 501(c)(3) determination letter, and some ask for a year or more of financial history. Start close to home, and don’t rely on grants alone.
Do it yourself
Start with your community foundation and local businesses
Read every funder’s eligibility rules before you write a word
Look at what each funder has given before, and to whom
Keep one calendar of deadlines
Ask individual donors and sponsors, too: they’re often a new nonprofit’s first support
Or let Groundwork help
Grant Search
3 to 5 open grants you actually qualify for, with deadlines, amounts and a 6-month calendar.
We don’t measure a grant search by how long the list is. We look for opportunities your organization can realistically win.
Two ways to start
Choose your pace
The lean start
Get official without overspending
Mission & Vision Session
$195
Nonprofit Formation Support
$395
Grant Search
$50
$640 + state and IRS fees
For founders ready to do much of the work themselves, with help on the pieces that are easy to get wrong.
The planned start
Built for funding from day one
Grant Foundations Bundle (mission, budget, Readiness Kit)
$850
Nonprofit Formation Support
$395
Program Blueprint
$295
Grant Search
$50
$1,590 + state and IRS fees
For founders who want every core document done right once, ready for the first application.
Everything you pay here counts in full toward a Full Foundation Application or Annual Grant Partner if you move up within 90 days. Churches and faith-based organizations: 5% off every service. Not sure which fits? That’s exactly what the free call is for.
Free tool
Your new-nonprofit checklist
Tick items off as you go. Your progress is saved on this device.
The required costs are your state’s incorporation fee, which varies by state, and the IRS fee for 501(c)(3) status: $275 for Form 1023-EZ or $600 for Form 1023. An EIN is free. Some states also charge for charitable solicitation registration. Groundwork’s lean start below adds $640 for the help.
How long does 501(c)(3) approval take?
It depends on the form. In mid-2026 the IRS reported deciding 80% of Form 1023-EZ applications within 22 days and 80% of full Form 1023 applications within 191 days. Times change, so check the IRS’s “Where’s my application” page for the current numbers.
Can we use the short Form 1023-EZ?
Only if you qualify. Broadly, the short form is for organizations with $50,000 or less in annual gross receipts and $250,000 or less in assets, and you must complete the IRS eligibility worksheet first. Everyone else files the full Form 1023.
Can a brand-new nonprofit get grants?
Yes, but usually small, local ones at first. Many foundations require a 501(c)(3) determination letter, and some ask for a year or more of financial statements. A new organization’s best early funding is often a mix of local grants, sponsors and individual donors. Our Grant Search only lists grants you actually qualify for.
Do we need to start a new nonprofit at all?
Not always. If you want to start quickly, test an idea or expect to stay small, a fiscal sponsor may fit better: an established 501(c)(3) takes on your project so donors can give through it, usually for a share of the funds for its administration. You can still form your own nonprofit later.
Does a church need to apply for 501(c)(3) status?
No. The IRS treats churches that meet its requirements as tax-exempt without applying. Many apply anyway, because some funders and donors ask for an IRS determination letter. Churches and faith-based organizations get 5% off every Grants Department service.
What keeps a new nonprofit in good standing?
File your IRS annual return every year, even if you raised very little. Small organizations can usually file the free Form 990-N online. Missing three years in a row automatically revokes your tax-exempt status. Keep up with your state’s annual report and any charitable solicitation renewals too.
Is Groundwork a law firm?
No. Groundwork prepares documents and filings from the information you provide, for you and your board to review, sign and submit. We don’t give legal or tax advice. If your situation calls for an attorney or CPA, we’ll tell you.
Our pledge: fixed fees, never a percentage of your award, and no promises of funding. You review everything, and you sign and submit under your own name. Groundwork is not a law firm and does not provide legal or tax advice.
IRS fees, thresholds and processing times as published on irs.gov, checked October 2026. Rules change; confirm with the IRS and your state before you file.
Have a cause? Let’s build the organization behind it.
You don’t need to know every filing, budget and funder before you begin. Tell us what you’re trying to accomplish, and we’ll tell you what comes first.
