LH,
I guess a tiny group that doesn’t collect any money is more like a play group or group of friends gathering.
They may be very informal, especially if a small sized group.

But sometimes the group may need to organize formally (including a name and bylaws) if

• they wish to use public space such as a library
• they wish to purchase insurance because of risky activities including sports or driving or caring for other people’s children
• have policies and guidelines for membership and mission

Christopher,
Establishing an LLC for a nonprofit organization is a complex situation. Most nonprofits are nonprofit corporations, not LLCs. A nonprofit LLC is usually a subdivision under and existing nonprofit corporation.

But a CC Community can be reorganized from a for-profit business to a nonprofit organization with a board, bylaws, nonprofit incorporation, etc. A Director cannot “be” a nonprofit on her own. It takes a team, a board of directors, to correctly start a nonprofit organization.

I explain this in my webinar on Creating a Nonprofit for Your Homeschool Community. It will answer a lot of your questions about converting from a for-profit business to a nonprofit organization.
Create a Nonprofit webinar recording

Yes! The webinar was recorded and you can now view it and recieve all the resources (ebook, slide handout, sample IRS forms, etc) as well as a discount on my hourly consultation fee.
Go to HomeschoolCPA.com/501c3APP

No. Getting an EIN does NOT make you a legitimate nonprofit.

To be a legitimate nonprofit, you must have a board and bylaws that explain your purpose, structure, board makeup, etc.
Each state defines what the board structure needs to be, but typically it is a minimum of 3 people with officers (President, Secretary and Treasurer).

You can read what your state requires to be a legitimate nonprofit by searching on “YOUR STATE start a nonprofit”
or visit: https://www.harborcompliance.com/information/nonprofit-startup-guide