Google has always supported nonprofit organisations and education organisations worldwide, and they offer a suite of productivity tools called Google Workspace for Nonprofits. This program provides free and discounted rates for nonprofits who want to use Google’s popular Google Workspace tools like Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Slides.
These Google apps help nonprofits collaborate more efficiently with partner organisations and internal teams towards ensuring their mission-critical work is as effective and productive as possible.
Moreover, an organization eligible for this tool will benefit from the increased uploading capacity through a trusted process backed by Google. Not only does this ensure security in sharing documents and vital information, but it also incorporates unique features designed to make collaboration more seamless.
In this blog post, we will explain what Google Workspace for Nonprofits is and how nonprofits in Singapore can subscribe to the program.
Difference between Google Workspace for Business and Google Workspace NonProfits
The features available for Google Workspace for nonprofits do not differ from those for Enterprise editions. The free version of Google Workspace for NonProfit is equivalent to the Google Workspace for Business Starter (which costs SGD 8 /user/month).
Your organization can access all the same unique features that businesses and enterprises use to run their organisations smoothly and professionally. Qualified organisations access can also select a custom thumbnail and a call to action overlay that makes it easy to stay in touch with volunteers, supporters, and partners.
Notable Features Of Google Workspace for Nonprofits
Google Workplace for Nonprofits offers all the features of Google Workspace for Business and Enterprise, including:
Gmail Business Email
Part of the notable features of using Google Workplace for nonprofits is the ability to create Gmail business emails. A business email lets users create a custom email address for a more professional look and feel. Additionally, users can add and manage multiple emails from one location. This feature is handy when communicating with volunteers, partners or donors.
Google Meet (Video and Voice)
Google Meets a video and voice conference platform that makes it easier for nonprofits to conduct internal and partnership communications. It also allows organisations to record and share meetings with colleagues, volunteers or donors for later reference. In addition, the platform can be used for virtual events such as training, webinars, town halls, etc.
Secure Cloud Storage
Google’s cloud file storage system allows eligible organisations to store, search, and share files securely within the Google platform. This ability is especially useful for nonprofits that must quickly collaborate on documents or access important information from remote locations. Plus, with Google Drive’s powerful search capabilities, users can find the content they need in seconds.
Chats Hangouts
Google Chats offer an excellent way for teams to stay connected and collaborate. Nonprofits can use Chats for one-on-one conversations, group chats, and video conferencing with up to 150 people. Users can also share documents, images, and other media during meetings. The platform includes audio and video options, helpful controls like muting and background noise removal, and compatibility with many popular platforms like Gmail, Google Calendar, Chrome, and Android.
Shared Calendars
Shared calendars enable each workspace member to view and schedule meetings and planning sessions efficiently. With the shared calendars, teams can quickly get an overview of their upcoming tasks and plan accordingly. Additionally, users can assign tasks to specific members and group events by topics or dates for better organisations.
Docs, Sheets, Presentations
Google Workspace comes equipped with essential tools like Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Presentations, making creating and collaborating on documents a breeze. Docs and Sheets can be used to create text documents, spreadsheets, and presentations that can quickly be shared with other workspace members. In addition, these tools also come with powerful features such as real-time collaboration, easy sharing options, spell check and much more.
Benefits of Google Workspace for Nonprofits
Google Workspace comes with essential tools and features that assist nonprofits in their day-to-day work processes, whether internal or external. The benefits of these tools are numerous, streamlining the ability of nonprofits to manage their resources, reach out to users, and collaborate effectively. Here are a handful of benefits that come with Google Workspace for Nonprofits.
Collaboration
Google Workspace has powerful collaboration tools that allow teams to work on the same project without being in the same room or time zone. With features like document sharing and real-time chat, teams can stay connected no matter where they are.
Resource Management
Google Workspace provides a range of features that make it easier to manage resources and track project progress. For example, nonprofits can use budgeting, task management, and more tools to ensure their team works efficiently.
Communication & Messaging
Google Workspace for Nonprofits also includes communication tools, such as Gmail, Google Hangouts Chat and Meet, that allow nonprofits to communicate with team members or clients quickly. With these tools, organisations can stay connected without worrying about the cost or hassle of traditional phone systems.
Security & Privacy
Google Workspace for Nonprofits provides users with advanced security measures to keep their data safe and secure. With features such as two-factor authentication, encryption of data at rest, and regular security updates, nonprofits can protect their data from potential cyber threats.
Google Workspace is popular for its tools like Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Google Meet. There’s little to no training required for average users transitioning to Google Workspace. Anyone who has used Gmail should be able to find their way around the other tools with ease.
On top of that, for office administration, Google Wroskapce provides management controls to oversee the entire organisation’s Google Workspace usage.
Is Google Workspace Free For Nonprofits?
There is a free access tier that small nonprofit organisations can benefit from and a paid Google products tier for larger organisations. The free tier is sufficient for most small organizations below 100 headcounts.
You can provide a license for employees, volunteers, events, and donors connected to your organisations. Then, when the user leaves the organisation, revoke their license and issue them to their successor or as needed.
The paid tiers offer more features and better limits than the free tier. Generally, the paid tier for nonprofits is 70-75% below the cost of the Business versions of Google Workspace. So it’s still pretty affordable.
Visit Google Workspace offers for nonprofits page for the latest pricing and a detailed comparison between the free and paid version.
Limitations of Google Workspace for NonProfits free tier
There are a few notable missing features and limitations on the free tier, namely:
- Only 30GB of cloud storage per user
- Google Meet is limited to 100 participants
- Google Cloud Smart Search is unavailable
Google Cloud Smart Search allows users to search across Google Workspace products, including Drive, Gmail, Sites, Calendar, Docs, Contacts, and more.
In short, if your organization’s needs are modest and you are okay dealing with a few limitations, the free tier is a great way to get started.
Frequently Ask Questions
Knowing the limitations of the free tier and how to work around them can help you get the most out of Google Workspace for Nonprofits. To that end, here are some frequently asked questions about the free version:
How many users can you use on the free Google Workspace for Nonprofits tier?
Presently, Google for nonprofits does not state any limit on the number of users you can use onboard for the free tier of Google Workspace for nonprofits. However, note there are some limitations you should be aware of on the free tier concerning the number of users. For example:
- Google Meet is limited to 100 participants on the free tier.
- Moderation control and attendance tracking, both new features for Google Meet, would not be available on the free tier.
Despite these limitations, Google for nonprofits remains on the list of technology tools that create an excellent platform for those eligible organisations.
Eligibility requirements for NonProfit organisations in Singapore
Eligible organisations (including all subsidiaries, branches, or divisions) must have Charity Status or Institutions of Public Character (IPCs) in Singapore.
Charity Status places at the highest level of the organisations requesting licenses as a Charity organization. Charity Status is the recognition that an organization is wholly devoted to charitable activities as indicated by the Commissioner of Charities. The organization’s legal status as an entity will determine whether it is eligible to access Google for nonprofits.
Organisations eligible to use Google’s nonprofit tier should have recognition from the Singapore government.
How to request a Google Workspace for Nonprofits in Singapore?
Step 1: Request a Google Workspace for Nonprofits with Google
- Sign up for a Google Workspace for Nonprofits account on Google’s official page.
Step 2: Eligibility verification with Google’s partner in Singapore.
Google’s verification partner for Nonprofits in Singapore (as well as a few South East Asia countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines) is TechSoupSingapore Here, validating eligible organisations takes a straightforward approach, making it easy to register.
- Register for an account at TechSoupSingapore. Admin personnel would be an excellent choice to do this.
- Provide the organization’s information.
Step 3: Verification of Charity Status
Send the verification documents to customerservice@techsoup.asia
Charity Status verification requires either of the following document:
- A Unique Entity Number (UEN) or Institutions of a Public Character Number (IPC No) from an online register – Charities Portal www.charities.gov.sg
- A copy of the charity status letter by the Commissioner of Charities or the Sector Administrator.
A Unique Entity Number (UEN) must follow the following formats:
- TyyPQ####X
- YYYY#####X
The verification process should take 3-5 working days.
Step 4: Provide the validation token to Google
When the nonprofit organization’s verification status is successful, you will be presented with the organization’s validation token. Provide this information to Google.
Migrate to Google Workspace for Nonprofits for existing Google Workspace for Business subscribers.
Google Workspace for Nonprofits is only available directly from Google. However, suppose your organisation’s Google Workspace for Business is obtained directly from Google. In that case, you can sign up for the nonprofit program with the abovementioned steps.
Suppose your organization subscribe to a Google Workspace for Business plan via Google Reseller. In that case, you must transfer the account management from Google Reseller to Google directly.
This would not interrupt your organisation’s usage of the existing Google Workspace during the transition.
Should Nonprofits use Google Workspace?
Google Workspace (formerly GSuite) has been used by millions daily since 2006. It’s reliable and trusted by many big corporations and governments. Additionally, Google Workspace aggregates all the essential tools nonprofits use into one.
There is no need to look for a file storage, scheduling, and sharing tool from different providers. It is all there in one place, making it convenient (and more straightforward) to plan or share necessary files during team collaborations.
Suffice it to say that your organisations would be in good hands to use this world-class productivity suite. I highly recommend you give it a try.
Alternatives to Google Workspace for Singapore nonprofits
While there are a few alternatives, we recommend Microsoft Office 365 for Nonprofits. Microsoft’s offering for nonprofits also has a free tier of up to 300 users.
I will try to cover Microsoft Office 365 for Nonprofits in the near future.
Need IT support services for Google Workspace for Nonprofits?
Here at xSquare, we can assist in setup, migrating emails, backup, and maintaining the Google Workspace account for your organisations. Do reach out to us for a discussion.
References:
- Google Workspace for Nonprofits – https://www.google.com/nonprofits/offerings/workspace/
- Will my organisations qualify for the TechSoup Asia Program? – https://www.techsoupsingapore.sg/eligibility
- You purchased Google Workspace from a Google reseller – https://support.google.com/nonprofits/answer/9937658?hl=en