Where can I find examples of nonprofit bylaws?

Sample nonprofit bylaws are usually difficult to find, via print or the Internet, because they are typically very specific to the individual organization and its mission. However, there are some resources available for finding sample nonprofit bylaws.

• The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits (http://www.mncn.org/bylaws.htm) has its bylaws available on its site, as well as sample bylaws for an organization with members and for an organization without members.

• The Klingon Language Institute (http://www.kli.org/kli/KLI.Bylaws.html), a Pennsylvania nonprofit, offers these sample bylaws (in English).

• United Church of God (http://www.ucg.org/about/bylaws.htm), a California nonprofit religious corporation, has its bylaws on its site.

• The RECA Foundation (http://www.recafoundation.org/bylaws.htm), a nonprofit from Washington State, has posted a bylaws template online.

• The Vegetarian Union of North America (http://www.ivu.org/vuna/members/bylaws.html) has a Maryland branch that has posted its bylaws on its site.

• The New York State Museum (http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/charter/bylaws.html) has bylaw samples for both a historical society and a museum.

• Greater Pittsburgh Chapter of the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (http://www.rcco.pitt.edu/educ/acrp/Bylaws.html) has also posted its bylaws on its site.

• You can also try a number of Internet search engines such as Google using the keywords "sample nonprofit bylaws".

The following resources contain additional information on sample nonprofit bylaws:

• Tesdahl, D. Benson. The Nonprofit Board's Guide to Bylaws: Creating a Framework for Effective Governance. Washington, DC: BoardSource. 2003. Provides a basic definition of bylaws and an overview of the issues and areas bylaws should address. Gives examples to illustrate the relationship between state law and bylaws, and also explains how to amend the bylaws. Includes a sample conflicts-of-interest policy and a bibliography.

• Warda, Mark. How to Form a Nonprofit Corporation. 3rd ed. Naperville, IL: Sphinx Publishing. 2004. Provides basic information about the steps involved in establishing a nonprofit organization, and the methods for protecting tax-exempt status. Covers start-up procedures, applying for tax exemption, running a nonprofit corporation, and fundraising. Numerous checklists and worksheets are included. Appendices include state-by-state list of nonprofit laws, a sample document of by-laws, and nonprofit legal forms.

For other books and articles that contain sample nonprofit bylaws, try searching our Catalog of Nonprofit Literature (CNL), the Center's bibliographic database. You could begin by searching on the subject "Nonprofit organizations--establishment and termination" or by using the terms "bylaws", "by-laws", or "sample" in the keyword field.

Many of the books and articles found through CNL can be located in Center Libraries and some Cooperating Collections. It is best to call ahead to verify a specific library's holdings.

Keep in mind that sample bylaws are specific to the organization involved. Your situation may differ.

To learn more about nonprofit bylaws, attend our Before You Seek a Grant: A Checklist for New Nonprofits, a free one and a half-hour class.

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