An Idea....Google Workspace for Non Profits for Ward Leadership

[jevanlewis]

@bradhokanson

My ward Bishopric and Executive Secretary are using GDrive for document storage and calendaring, but they have been using a non-business GDrive. To replace it, I would love to set up a Google Workspace for the ward so that I can have shared drives and create workspace emails for individuals (so they can separate church email from personal email), among other benefits. We're willing to pay the $6 per user per month if needed, but would love to get the free version through the Google for Nonprofits program.

1) Could you share more details on how to get the info needed from Church HQ for the Google for Nonprofits program. In particular, who did you contact?

2) Also, what information do I need to get? Do I need anything more than Google asks for in the Google for Nonprofits application?
- Org's EIN
- Org's physical address
- Org's online contract information

3) Is the domain fee the only thing you have to pay (by the ward), assuming you're getting the free tier of Google for Nonprofits?

Thanks,
Evan

[bradhokanson]

Hi @jevanlewis!

I am glad to share what information I have and give an update to what I know today. First, to answer your direct questions.

1) Yes. I can provide my contact at CHQ. I will send a PM with that info.
2) I provided just the info that Google requested in the Google for Non Profits application. They use several 3rd party services to validate that info. If i recall correctly, any info that I was lacking, I had in the signed documents CHQ gave me.
3) Registering the domain was the only cost I have paid for my Google for Non Profits setup. There are many many registrars you can register the with ranging in cost and services. I generally use one registrar for domain registration and then a different provider for DNS. (layered security) I have paid on average 15$ a year for each of the domains I have registered and I have more than a few.

Last time i posted here i mentioned a colleague had told me about Microsoft suite of services for non-profits and I said I would look into them as well. I have now registered another domain and enrolled it with MS non profits without an issue. The value with this one is they also provide several free licenses of Office365 and pretty much a full Azure Cloud environment. I haven't spent too much time playing around it in but I plan to in the coming months. One thing to note is it seems that MS and Google shared at least 1 3rd party service in common that validates the tax info.

Any other questions, let me know.

@paule

I know of one friend who was also denied by Google but it seemed a bit unusual since the 3rd party said they tried to contact the Church for validation via email but I don't believe they did. When asked to try validating again, we didn't hear back from them at all.

Brad

[jevanlewis]

@bradhokanson

Thanks you for the detailed response. When you get a chance, please send me your contact at CHQ.