I don't really know much about the details of forming a non-profit, just that I've worked for one and it's very similar to a business. I believe you do have to have a board of directors but that you can choose them and can initially write certain conditions to keep it running as you desire.
There are a couple reasonably priced books on Amazon that seem helpful
How to Form a Nonprofit Corporation by Mancuso
Starting & Building a Nonprofit: A Practical Guide by Pakroo
Both are published by Nolo which I've found to be a great company for informational books.