Nonprofit leaders are often pulled in many directions such as casting vision, engaging with the community, recruiting volunteers, or raising funds. Thankfully, all it takes is a little bit of time to set up and your organization can start implementing the Google for Nonprofits Program.
The program is free to sign up for and provides some incredible resources to quickly get your church or nonprofit organization up and running. They offer eligible organizations access to the four Google products listed below. These products aim to help nonprofits with issues such as finding new donors and volunteers, working more efficiently, and getting supporters to take action. Here is a list of the services each program provides.
1. Google Maps Platform
It can be hard to track the impact of your organization if you’re just looking at the numbers. You could become lost in the weeds, unable to see the forest. But the Nonprofits Program provides credits for the Google Maps Platform that can help you see the big picture.
With the Google Maps Platform you can:
- Take supporters on a virtual tour.
- Create donor maps.
- Post custom maps to your site.
- Visualize your data.
- Locate community resources.
- Build visualizations.
With the credit each eligible organization receives $200 each month to jumpstart their usage. By using this API your organization can also point people to other community resources. You can learn more about the platform by visiting their website.
2. Google Workspace For Nonprofits
Every nonprofit needs a core set of online tools to collaborate and run successfully. Google Workspace provides a free, all-inclusive platform to help your team collaborate more effectively with smart, secure apps so you can focus on what matters most.
Workspace grants access to tools like:
- Slides, Docs, and Sheets
- Forms
- Calendar
- Drive
- Sites
- Google Meet
- Custom email addresses
With access to Google Workspace, your nonprofit receives 30 GB of storage per user and 100 video meetings per month. This also gives your organization access to security and management controls and standard support. For an in-depth look at these features, you can learn more at the Google Workspace website.
3. Google Ad Grants
In order for people to connect with your organization and its mission, you need to get your name in front of the right people at the right time. Once enrolled and approved in the Google for Nonprofits program, you'll gain access to Google Ad Grants. This grant provides access to $10,000 each month to create text-based ads and help build effective campaigns.
Google Ad Grants helps your nonprofit:
- Raise awareness for your organization.
- Drive more website views and activity.
- Track your nonprofit marketing efforts.
- Reach people who need your help.
Through the program you can leverage Google Adwords Express to automatically determine the best keywords for your content and manage your campaigns. This is great if you are short on time and want to quickly get up and running. If you or someone on your team has the time and dedication though, you can really take your ad campaigns to the next level.
4. YouTube Nonprofit Program
Lastly, Google For Nonprofits helps your organization reach its supporters using video with the YouTube Nonprofit Program. By using the power of visual storytelling, you can amplify your nonprofit’s cause in order to impact a global audience. With over 1 billion users, Youtube reaches almost a third of people online.
This program grants access to:
- Link Anywhere Cards
- YouTube Giving Features
- Creator Academy
Visual storytelling is key to inspiring empathy for your cause. With it you can display the impact of your organization’s work and help educate others. By building a global audience, you can speak directly and frequently to your followers.
How To Apply
To be eligible for the Google for Nonprofits Program, your organization must be registered as a charitable organization in one of the 65+ countries listed here. Your nonprofit also cannot be listed as a governmental, healthcare, or academic organization. Here is an article to help you get started.
Once an organization has been verified with Google for Nonprofits, it will have free access to all the programs listed above. Many others have used this resource, and you can learn from their Success Stories.
