Legal Definitions - articles of association

Articles of Association refers to the foundational legal document that formally establishes a non-profit organization or a non-stock corporation. This document is filed with the appropriate government authority, typically a state's secretary of state, to legally create the entity. It outlines essential information such as the organization's name, its primary purpose, its initial members or directors, and its registered address. It serves as a public record of the organization's existence and fundamental structure, similar to how articles of incorporation establish a for-profit company.

• Example 1: Community Arts Center
  A group of local artists and community leaders decides to establish a non-profit organization to create a new arts center, offering classes, gallery space, and performance venues. To legally form this entity and be eligible for grants and tax-exempt status, they must draft and file articles of association with their state. This document would specify the center's mission (e.g., "to promote artistic expression and cultural enrichment within the community"), name the initial board of directors, and define its non-profit nature.

• Example 2: National Wildlife Conservation Group
  A nationwide organization dedicated to protecting endangered species and their habitats operates as a non-profit. Their original articles of association, filed many years ago, legally established them. This document would have detailed their overarching purpose (e.g., "conservation of biodiversity through research, advocacy, and habitat restoration"), confirmed their non-stock, non-profit status, and laid out the initial framework for their governance, allowing them to solicit donations and operate across state lines.

• Example 3: Professional Engineers' Society
  A group of professional engineers forms a society to advance the engineering profession, set ethical standards, and provide continuing education for its members. As a non-stock professional association, they would file articles of association. This legal filing would define the society's objectives (e.g., "to foster professional development and uphold the integrity of the engineering discipline"), outline the initial structure for membership and leadership, and officially recognize it as a distinct legal entity.