Like many leaders in the communication, collaboration, and productivity landscape, Google offers special deals to a range of companies. Educators and nonprofits can both access discounts on Workplace plans.
There’s even a free plan for Nonprofits that offers extra functionality and features over the standard legacy G-Suite free plan intended for individual consumers. But, how do you know which plan you need, how much can you expect to pay (exactly), and how do you apply for a Nonprofit discount?
Here’s everything you need to know about Google Workspace for Nonprofits, from what the plans include, to the pricing, and the set-up process.
What is Google Workspace for Nonprofits?
Google Workspace for Nonprofits is a specialized version of the Google Workspace productivity suite (previously known as G-Suite). After rebranding its G-Suite solution, Google also upgraded Workspace with a host of new features and capabilities, which vary depending on your chosen plan.
Eligible Nonprofit companies can apply for the “Workspace for Nonprofit” plans to gain access to all of the most common Google applications. That includes Gmail, Calendar, Chat, Drive, Meet, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Sites, and Forms – among other things.
Most of the features of the standard plans are very similar to what you’d get from a standard Google Workspace subscription. The big difference is the pricing. Not only is there a generous free plan with 100TB of cloud storage, but there are various affordable premium plans too.
For instance, the Business Standard Plan for Nonprofits only costs $3 per user, per month (With a 1 year commitment), compared to the $12 per month cost for other companies.
Google Workspace for Nonprofits: The Plans
Like standard Google Workspace users, Nonprofit teams have four plans they can choose from, starting with the free plan. All of these plans include access to numerous collaborative apps and tools, like Google Calendar and Google Meet. You also get administrative controls you wouldn’t get with a personal plan, that help you to track users and devices.
Plus, you’ll have at least 100TB of storage space to work with, access to shared drives, support for up to 2,000 individual users, and AppSheet Core – so you can build web and mobile apps without coding. Nonprofit companies also get their own dedicated support center, with experts who can help them set up and use their services, and troubleshoot issues.
Let’s look at the pricing options in depth.
Google Workspace for Nonprofits (Free)
For qualified 501(c)(3) Nonprofit organizations, the free plan offers most of the functionality you’d typically get on the Workspace Business Starter plan. It includes a Gmail business email, with a custom address and phishing/spam protection. You also get:
- Google Meet: Video conferencing for up to 100 participants, with a maximum meeting length of 24 hours, digital whiteboarding, and US or international dial-in numbers.
- Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Slides: All of the collaborative apps offered by Google Workspace, including 100TB of shared storage across all users. You can also create classrooms, sites, Forms, and access Smart Compose in documents.
- Chat and Calendar: Unlimited Google Chat with customizable histories, as well as full access to Google Calendar and shared calendars.
- Security and management: 2-step verification, Advanced Protection Program access, endpoint management (fundamental), and group-based policy controls.
There’s also support for “Currents”, Google’s tool to help engage employees with news and updates, and AppSheet, so you can build and deploy apps without code.
Business Standard (for Nonprofits)
For Nonprofits with a higher budget, Google offers a discounted price of $3 per month, per user, with a 1 year commitment for its Workplace Business Standard plan. This includes all of the features of the free Google Workspace for Nonprofits plan, as well as some extras.
For instance, with this plan, you can meet with up to 150 participants, save your meeting recordings to Google Drive, and give users an extra 2TB of storage each. There’s also a smart search function for your first party data, which is ideal for keeping track of all your project information.
Business Plus (for Nonprofits)
Similarly, the Business Plus Workspace plan comes with a hefty discount for nonprofits, reducing the price to $5.05 per user, per month (instead of $18 per month, per user).
There aren’t too many extra features on this plan compared to the Business Standard package, but it does offer some benefits to larger organizations. For instance, you can add up to 250 participants to voice and video conferences with Google Meet. You also get another 5TB of storage for each user, and Advanced endpoint management, for better data privacy and compliance.
From a security perspective, you’ll also be able to access Google’s Vault to retain, archive, and search for your data.
Enterprise Standard and Plus
For the Enterprise Standard and Enterprise Plus versions of Google Workspace, Nonprofits get at least 70% off the cost of their plan. However, you’ll still need to contact the team for a custom quote based on your needs. These plans include all of the features of Business Plus, but they allow you to access as much storage space as you need with no limitations.
You also get Connected Sheets for advanced collaboration and Cloud Search for both first-party and third-party data. Plus, Google upgrades its security features again for enterprise users, offering them advanced control over endpoints and devices.
You even get comprehensive control over data regions, data loss prevention, cloud identity premium, and a dedicated security center.
What about Google Gemini?
Notably, while Google has announced that Google Gemini for Workspace is now available to Nonprofit users, there’s very little information on how much this add-on will cost. We know Gemini Business costs $24 per user, or $20 per user (annually), for standard companies. Depending on your plan, Gemini Enterprise ranges from $30 to $36 per user.
However, Google hasn’t shared information on its website about how much of a discount Nonprofit companies can access. Since Gemini pricing is the same for Education customers, it may be that no discounts are available for this add-on yet.
How to Access Google Workspace for Nonprofits
Clearly, Google Workspace for Nonprofits offers some significant discounts to organizations looking to boost their collaboration strategy. However, not just anyone can apply. You’ll need to meet certain criteria. For instance, you have to be part of a qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
You’ll also need an active website with a valid domain name, and you’ll have to provide Google with a government-issued ID that proves your nonprofit status.
To start, visit the “Google for Nonprofits” page and click the Get Started button. You can sign in with your current Google account or create a new one; then, Google will walk you through the process of applying for a nonprofit plan.
Once you’ve entered all your details, Google will review your application and ensure everything checks out. If you’re approved for your plan, you’ll receive an email from Google that tells you how to activate your account.
Remember, Google won’t approve some organizations. To receive the discounts, you’ll need to show proof that you’re a registered nonprofit. If Google can’t confirm your status, they’ll likely advise you to apply for a different (more expensive) plan.
Once you receive your email approving your status, click on the link to verify your domain and Activate your account. Once the account is activated, you’ll be able to configure all your settings, invite users to the account, create your calendar, and choose your email address.
Google Workspace for Nonprofits: A Good Deal?
Google certainly isn’t the only company in the collaboration and communication sector that offers discounted rates to nonprofits. This practice is commonplace, with leaders like Microsoft and Zoom following similar strategies. However, the nonprofit plans are worthwhile if your team already uses Google’s apps to collaborate and share knowledge.
Even if you want more functionality than the free plan can offer, you can save significant money on virtually all of Google’s Workspace plans with a Nonprofit application. The only thing you might miss is an opportunity to get a discount on Gemini.
However, there’s always the chance that Google may still give you a lower price for Gemini when you reach out to their team to make a request.
