Is Google Workspace Free for Churches?

As technology advances, more companies and organizations rely on it for meetings and documents instead of paper. Not only does this change decrease an organization’s carbon footprint, but it also saves companies money and prevents headaches. According to an article from Record Nations, the average employee will spend 30-40% of their time sorting through file cabinets to find the information they need on paper. More than 70% of businesses would fail within three weeks of paper-records being destroyed in a catastrophic event such as a fire or a flood. Relying on paper not only wastes time and money, but it could even collapse a business or nonprofit completely.

Taking these factors into consideration, it makes sense that many companies and organizations are switching to online documents and data storage to keep workflow running smoothly. For churches and other nonprofit organizations, spending money on technology may not seem appealing. However, investing in it will bring long-term benefits to your organization, especially when you implement a nonprofit technology helpdesk for your donors or volunteers to use. Some corporations even offer this technology for free or discounted rates to nonprofit organizations.

In this blog, we will cover Google for Nonprofits church use specifically since it includes access to email, Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Slides, and videoconferencing. Then we will discuss how Computers in Ministry (CIM) can not only help you find other technology tools you may need, but also how they help you develop a technology plan to use those tools.

How Much Does Google for Nonprofits Cost?

If you get the basic version of Google for Nonprofits, it is free. This version comes with many features, including:

• Free email accounts for nonprofit organizations
• 30 GB of storage per user in Google Drive
• Video and voice conferencing for up to 100 participants
• Access to the G Suite, including Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides
• Security measures, including two-step verification and group-based policy controls

This version works for many nonprofit organizations, but if you find that your organization needs more features, you may also get one of the following versions for a discounted rate from the for-profit organization prices:

• Business Standard: This version is available for $3 per user per month, which is a 75% discount off the standard pricing. This version upgrades the basic version so that you get 2 TB of storage per user in Google Drive, and video and voice conferencing for up to 150 participants.
• Business Plus: This version is available for $5.04 per user per month, which is a 72% discount off the standard pricing. This version upgrades the Business Standard version so that you get 5 TB of storage per user in Google Drive, and video and voice conferencing for up to 250 participants.
• Enterprise: This version is available for more than 70% off the standard pricing. This version upgrades the Business Plus version so that you get unlimited storage for each user in Google Drive. You also get first and third-party data Cloud Search.

To see all the features included with each version of Google Workspace, click here.

Who Is Eligible for Google for Nonprofits?

Google Workspace for Nonprofits eligibility in the United States requires that  your organization is 501(c)(3) tax exempt by the IRS. Organizations that are automatically considered tax exempt under the group exemption, like churches, must still request a copy of their 501(c)(3) exemption form from the IRS to qualify. Any nonprofit organization that is fiscally sponsored, government entities and organizations, hospital and health care organizations, and academic institutions are not eligible for Google Workspace for Nonprofits.

If your organization meets the above requirements, agree to the Google for Nonprofits Terms to complete your application.

How Can I Get Google Workspace for Free?

Once you have confirmed that your organization is eligible to use Google Workspace free, you can follow these steps to request an account:

1. Go to Google for Nonprofits and select “Get started.” Fill out the prompts as directed.
2. Get validated by TechSoup. TechSoup works with Google and other corporations to bring technology tools to nonprofit organizations. This step is automatic once you request a Google for Nonprofits account. Verification generally takes 2-14 business days. TechSoup will reach out to you asking for more information or documentation to confirm that you are a nonprofit organization.

How Can Computers in Ministry Help?

Computers in Ministry can give you advice on what technology tools to use to reach your goals and help you come up with a strategy to improve your technology. We work with churches, as well as higher education, mission agencies, humanitarian services, and foundations, to make a plan for risk and security management, desktop and helpdesk support, data planning, project management, and so much more. We will meet whatever technological needs you have. If you prefer to have someone within your church or organization trained, we also offer certifications.

If you are ready to improve your technology strategy or have more questions, contact us.