Joint Project to Create a Harmonized Legal Framework for Unincorporated Nonprofit Associations in North America

The unincorporated nonprofit association is the default mode of nonprofit activity. Whenever people band together to carry out one or more nonprofit purposes and take no steps to incorporate or create a charitable trust, they form an unincorporated nonprofit association. This category includes everything from small-scale members’ clubs, charities, neighbourhood groups, and athletic teams, up to larger groups, such as trade unions, political parties, religious organizations, and professional sports leagues. This project, which was jointly carried out by the Uniform Law Conference of Canada, the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws, and the Mexican Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws, provided unincorporated nonprofit associations with a modern legal framework, which will harmonize rules found in North America’s two legal traditions and three national jurisdictions.

For more information about the Joint Project to Create a Harmonized Legal Framework for Unincorporated Nonprofit Associations in North America, including research papers for the project, please visit the Uniform Law Commissioners’ website.

Keywords: volunteers, unincorporated nonprofit association, not-for-profit organization, charity, charitable organization, business and non-profits, corporations, law and legislation, legal principles, legal entity, Quebec, civil law, civil code, Uniform Law Conference of Canada, Uniform Law Commissioners, National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws (NCCUSL), Mexican Center on Uniform Law