Question: Organization Documents vs bylaws

What is the difference between bylaws and organization document?


Asked by RondiPete

ANSWER IT


Answers:

Advice from PTO Today

Craig writes:
They're similar but not quite the same. Your organizing document, typically articles of incorporation, states the legal framework for your group -- legal name, official address for communications, purpose, number of seats on the board of directors, who has voting rights, and the fact that you are organized for nonprofit purposes with no profits distributed to shareholders or officers. The specifics of your organizing document differ from state to state, and you should check with your state corporations office for a form if you plan to incorporate.



The bylaws are a record of the official rules of your group. They have some of the same information as the organizing document, but they have more detail -- for example, the names of the specific offices/board seats, how often you will meet, and the number that constitutes a quorum.


Community Advice

RondiPete writes:
Craig,
Thank you so much for your answer. We are trying to qualify for non-profit organization and trying to get all of this information can be mind boggling. You have cleared my mind. Thank you again.


Community Advice

daddario writes:
One alternative I've heard about is using online converters. Websites like SmallPDF, PDFCrowd, or Adobe Acrobat online offer conversion services. You just upload your Excel file, and they spit out a shiny new PDF. Also, for those who prefer third-party software, I've heard good things about tools like https://pdfguru.com/excel-to-pdf and CutePDF. They provide additional features and might be worth exploring for those with specific needs. However, I'm curious to know if any of you have other go-to methods or alternative tools for this task.


Answer this question: