Before you begin
Have the following ready:
Your nonprofit’s Employer Identification Number (EIN).
An email address you can access to receive a secure link.
Organization information, including address, compliance, officers/board, and fundraising information.
A credit card for billing details.
Register your organization
1. Find your nonprofit
On the Change registration page, enter your organization’s EIN, then select Find my organization.
2. Select the correct organization
Review the search result and select the exact organization you represent.
When an EIN is shared by a parent organization and related entities, make sure to select the correct organization.
Note: Confirm the organization name and address before continuing.
3. Choose the filing type
Select Initial registration, then click Continue.
4. Email yourself a secure access link
Enter your email address and click Email me a secure link. Open the message sent by Change to continue.
Your answers save automatically, and you can use the same link to return later.
Note: The link expires in 30 minutes and can only be used once.
5. Verify your email
Once you receive the secure link via email, click Verify now. It will then take you straight to the filing questionnaire.
6. Complete the questionnaire
Work through each section of the filing, which includes nonprofit information, individual state information, and fundraising agreements. Select Continue as you finish each page.
Note: All fields are required and must be filled out.
7. Review and submit your answers
Open Review and submit, and check the summary carefully. If needed, you may click 'Edit' to correct a section. Once the information is finalized, select Submit questionnaire.
8. Authorize Change to file
On the confirmation page, select Yes to authorize Change to submit the California registration filing on your organization’s behalf.
9. Pay the filing service fee
Select Pay & Start My Filing, which will take you to the secure checkout page. From there, enter your credit card information and click Pay.
10. Confirm the filing is in progress
After payment succeeds, you'll receive a message confirming that payment was received and the filing status will appear as In Progress.
11. Sign the authorization statement
Within 48 business hours after submitting the questionnaire, you will receive a an email from DocuSign, which will include screenshots of the completed California filing and an authorization statement.
You will need to:
Review the California filing screenshots for accuracy.
Sign the authorization statement via DocuSign and submit.
Note: The filing cannot be submitted until the authorization statement is signed. Be sure to check spam or junk folders if the email does not arrive within 48 business hours.
What happens next?
Change prepares the California filing using your submitted answers. Return to the filing page with your secure access link to review submitted answers and monitor the filing status.
Troubleshooting
The secure link does not open: Request a new link from the email step. Links may expire or stop working after they are used.
You selected the wrong organization: Go back to the organization search and confirm the exact name and address associated with the EIN.
You need to change an answer: Use Edit from Review and submit before submitting the questionnaire. If it has already been submitted, use the support option in the dashboard.
Payment does not complete: Recheck your card and billing details, then retry. Do not assume the filing started until the dashboard shows payment received and is "In Progress."