Google has announced the expansion of its pioneering charity program, Google for Non-Profits. The site will offer a variety of Google products designed specifically for non-profits, all under one digital roof.

The site has actually been up for some time now, but Wednesday marks a relaunch of Google for Non-Profits with several key additions to the suite of tools that already include AdWords, special YouTube privileges and Apps. The new site will streamline the application process for non-profits by creating just one form to access Google's suite of tools.

"What we saw happening was non-profits were ecstatic about these offerings but just because they were a Google Grant recipient didn't mean they knew about all the other tools that were available," said Kirsten Olsen Cahill, the project's product marketing manager. "We streamlined the process and reduced the time they need to wait."







If a non-profit is approved (it must be a registered 501(c)(3) in the U.S.), it will gain access to Google's suite of non-profit tools: up to $10,000 a month in advertising in Google AdWords, free or discounted Google Apps, premium features on YouTube and mapping technologies through Google Earth.

Google is also launching three new additions to its umbrella of non-profit products geared towards providing ongoing support and IT help. Google for Non-Profits will feature a slew of instructional videos, a Make A Change section, and a Google for Non-Profits Marketplace. The company realized it isn't enough to just give away its tools for free; it needs to help non-profits learn and maximize their use, Cahill said.

The instructional videos and tools will be created by a team of Google's in-house non-profit experts. The Make A Change section will focus on non-profits that have successfully used Google products to help their cause and campaign. The marketplace is the most ambitious of the new tools — it connects non-profits with professional service providers who have agreed to offer their services for free or at discounted rates. These firms have been certified from existing Google marketplaces like AdWords Authorized Resellers, Analytics Certified Partners, Google Apps Marketplace and the Google Earth Outreach Developer Marketplace.







"We really see our product as a way to help non-profits scale their impact," Cahill said. "We're providing the tool kit for non-profits to go out and reach more donors, improve their operations, and raise awareness." Part of that goal is allowing enlisted non-profits to venture outside of the Google bubble. Google for Non-Profits is not meant as a comprehensive, exclusive platform but as a way of reaching the end goal: More positive change in the world. As such, non-profits can freely mix the Google tool set with sites and tools outside of the Google family.

There are already success stories like Direct Relief International, which raised more than $1 million using Google AdWords, and the Natural Resource Defense Council, which earned 100,000 views from one video on its YouTube channel with no paid advertising. While Google for Non-Profits is only available in the U.S., Cahill hopes to expand the platform internationally in the coming months.

"The average team size for a non-profit is eight people, you're going to need tools that flexible and easy to use," Cahill said. "If you're a non-profit, you're going to want to spend your time working on your cause and your mission, not worrying about how to keep your email up."

What do you make of Google for Non-Profits? Is this an important step from a digital giant? Should major corporations get involved with supporting non-profits locally and globally? Let us know in the comments below.