Nonprofit organizations depend on donor contributions to survive. The same money goes towards fulfilling their missions. It goes without saying that such organizations need cost-effective ways of operating. G Suite for nonprofits is a free platform that offers tons of benefits. They include grants for ads that provide up to $10,000 worth of value. The YouTube nonprofit program is a fantastic platform for the use of video content. Google Nonprofits also has G-suite. It will be the subject of our article below.
What is G-Suite?
G Suite offers a lot of the functionalities you get with your Gmail account. Some of the features include:-
- Zero limits to the number of Gmail accounts you can open. Further, instead of @gmail.com, you can opt for using your domain name.
- You get access to different applications like Google Sheets, Docs, Slides, and Drive
- Storage capacity for email hosting or documents is 30 GB
- Excellent 24/7 customer support that you can reach through email, chat, and phone
- You get admin access over all your nonprofit organization accounts
So what are some of the things you need to know about G-Suite?
1. Signing Up is Easy and Free
As we have already stated, Google for nonprofits is free. But there are specific eligibility criteria you must fulfill. You have to become a partner of Google for nonprofits.
Start by checking that the program is available in your country. The organization must show proof of registration as a charitable institution. You will also need to open a Google for nonprofits account and a G-suite basic account.
The organization must also have a verified domain. Verification can take anywhere from 2 to 14 days. You don’t need to keep checking for feedback. The platform will send you a confirmation of acceptance.
2. You Get Data Control and Security Over All Your Data
G-suite gives you total control over all your data. But, you get the benefit of not having to host it all on your server, because Google does it for you. That means you get to save server space for other things.
Some people will forward emails to their Gmail accounts for whatever reason. The same happens even in work situations. What this does is expose areas of vulnerability that hackers can use to get your information.
In the case that you part with an employee on less than favorable terms, they could use such data to hurt you. After all, the emails will be in their personal accounts. Getting it back or having them delete it could be difficult.
But, you now have a perfect solution with G suite. As we have stated above, you can open accounts with your organization’s domain name.
Users still get the same look and feel of the regular Gmail account. But, since you have complete control, you need not worry about data security or its loss if an employee leaves.
3. You Get So Much More Than Emails
Nonprofits need different tools to operate in an effective and efficient manner. Such include collaboration and communication tools. G-Suite comes with a host of tools that can help with such.
Google Drive is a fantastic storage and collaboration tool. Nonprofits use and collect a lot of data in the course of their work. Such include videos, images, and documentation. They are critical for showcasing work and for reference material.
But, such data can take up a lot of space. The organization needs a way to manage such without overloading their systems. That is where Google Drive comes in. The documents are accessible by team members.
You can create presentations with Google slides. Other tools are Google Forms, Docs, Sites, and so much more.
Working with remote teams requires constant communication. Nonprofits will often have team members in different parts of the world. So how does the organization ensure proper communication and collaboration?
Further, how do you sync their activities so that everyone is on the same page? It also helps when you can do all this in real-time. G-suite has the perfect tools for this. Google Hangouts provides chat and texting capabilities. If you prefer video calls, you have the option of Google Meet.
4. You Can Improve Funding With Better Reports and Budgets
The primary responsibility of nonprofits is to generate enough funding for the activities. That comes with the responsibility of preparing budgets. It helps ensure proper spending of the funds.
Donors also need to see where their money is going. So that means coming up with accurate reports. Lack of transparency and poor reports can result in mistrust. In the end, it will affect donations.
Google Sheets are a fantastic aid for such processes. Budgeting, expenditure, and payments to suppliers are possible. The whole team also gets access to the documents. It provides clarity and transparency.
5. Use Google Sites for Information Sharing
Nonprofits share a lot of information between directors, team members, and other stakeholders. It is possible to integrate the organization’s website with Google Sites. You find a fantastic way to keep everyone up to date on the ongoing activities.
Think about it like a central hub of information and resources. You can also include a comment section for better interaction and engagement. It fosters a spirit of open communication. The result is greater efficiency and transparency.
Final Thoughts
Google for nonprofits has a lot of benefits. It gives access to tools that can help with streamlining processes. Using the tools results in cost savings.
Platforms like YouTube for nonprofits come as part of the package. It allows for video content to showcase work. Donors and other stakeholders can see all the activities of the nonprofit.
Marketing is also more efficient with Ad grants. You get an advertising value worth over $10,000. It helps increase visibility and brand awareness. You end up attracting donations to the organization.
G-suite provides so many functionalities, as we have highlighted above. The organization gets excellent storage on Google Drive.
Tools like Google Hangouts and meet help with collaboration and communication. Google sheets are ideal for tracking income and expenditure. Donors also get proper records that show how the nonprofit is using the money.
Finally, Google sites allow you to centralize communication for all stakeholders.
