Follow these steps to draft nonprofit bylaws.
1. Form a Bylaw Committee
Start by forming a bylaw committee, which will be responsible for drafting your organization’s bylaws. The committee drafts the bylaws, submits them to the board for approval, then revises as necessary.
After the organization approves and adopts the bylaws, the committee is responsible for distributing and enforcing the bylaws.
2. Understand Nonprofit Laws in Your State
Next, you’ll need to review all state laws relevant to nonprofits to ensure your bylaws comply. You may ask neighboring nonprofits for examples of their bylaws to see how local laws are reflected.
3. Commit to Thoroughness
The importance of thoroughness in your bylaw creation process cannot be overstated. As your primary guiding principles, the guidelines must be comprehensive enough to define all aspects of your organizational practices and decisions.
4. Review and Amend Bylaws Annually
Creating bylaws isn’t a one-off process; bylaws require annual review and amending to keep up with new legislation and your organization’s changing needs. This practice also helps keep your officers familiar with the bylaws.