Articles of Incorporation. The Articles (also called “Certificate of Incorporation”) are part of the state filing process and are necessary to form the nonprofit corporation. The Articles need to be updated (usually by a specific state form) if there is a significant change in the purpose of the nonprofit corporation, and when the membership of the Board of Directors changes.

For Ohio, go to the Ohio Secretary of State's website to access the forms needed for incorporation. at http://www.sos.state.oh.us/