Top 10 Truly FREE Tools for Nonprofits + Even More Resources
August 7th, 2019 by
Nonprofit organizations are what I like to call “ballin’ on a budget,” which means strategically selecting resources that won’t break the bank. But where do you start?
Here are our top 10 picks for the best free resources for nonprofits you should utilize to get your organization… organized.
Free Tools for Nonprofits
1. G-Suite
The mecca of high-powered email and productivity tools is free for nonprofits through its basic plan, and it includes the usage of your domain name for your team’s email addresses. Beyond your domain, you have access to G-Docs, Calendar, Drive, and so much more.
2. Canva PRO
Photoshop out of your skill range? No worries, Canva is here to make your social graphics POP! With tons of templates available, you’ll be able to create anything from a quick Facebook post to an entire presentation. Features include saving preset branding color palettes as well as premium fonts and graphics, with the ability to save your work in a variety of formats.
3. Social Good by Facebook
Social Good is Facebook’s hub for all of the tools offered to nonprofits, such as Charitable Giving (Facebook’s fundraising/donation tool), Crisis Response, Health (Blood Donation, Suicide Hotline, and more), and Mentorship (connecting people in need of support with people who have the expertise to help!)
4. HotJar
Want to know how your users are behaving on your website? HotJar has the hookup with “heatmaps” that help you visualize user behavior and see where they are getting stuck or what is really motivating them. With this knowledge, you can better optimize for a great user experience. Their more advanced tracking tools are also 100% free for select nonprofits.
PSA: This is available to nonprofits who are nongovernmental, nonacademic, noncommercial, and nonpolitical in nature, with no religious affiliation. Their goal is to assist organizations working to “further charitable causes.”
5. Follow Facebook’s @nonprofits
Stay updated with all of Facebook’s nonprofit free resources and tools! They periodically announce fundraising events that your organization can participate in. For the last two years of #GivingTuesday, Facebook has secured a partner to match donations through Facebook’s Charitable Giving tool, first with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and then with PayPal. #FreeMoney
6. YouTube Nonprofit Program
Video content is king, and YouTube wants to help your organization with creating inspiring content. If you have over 1,000 followers, they’ll give you access to all of their production studios countrywide, as well as their powerful editing tools. Click here to find the closest studio near you!
7. Action Sprout
Grow your following by seeing actionable insights to your posts, and optimize them to further engage your followers for the most reach. You no longer have to wonder why a post performed well… or didn’t. Action Sprout is now free for nonprofits everywhere!
8. Hootsuite
For smaller organizations with less than two channels to manage, Hootsuite offers a “free-limited” plan with a 50% discount on the unlimited set-up, which lets you manage more than two social channels. With this software, you can schedule and manage your social media posts all in one place with built-in analytics.
9. Google Ad Grants
We’re back again with #FreeMoney! Google Ad Grants gives your organization $10,000 to create and deploy text-based ads, and up to $40,000 for organizations that participate in Grantspro. There are a few limitations, but all are easy to work within.
PSA: “Governmental entities and organizations, hospitals and medical groups, schools, academic institutions, and universities are not eligible for Google for Nonprofits, but philanthropic arms of educational institutions are eligible.”
10. CallHub
For smaller organizations, you can sign up for free and have 5,000 calls on CallHub’s tab for their “Collective Calling Campaign.” This free-for-nonprofit software helps organize and track your fundraising outreach via call and text, and it’s all capable of automation for ultimate efficiency.
BONUS: 5 Heavily Discounted Tools
Communicate effectively with your team with an 85% discount, plus a free plan for organizations with under 250 employees.
Find volunteers, employees, and so much more with a LinkedIn nonprofit account. Discounts are available upon request for nonprofits at sales@linkedin.com.
Analyze what content works best with your demographic, or what’s working best for similar organizations to optimize your marketing campaigns. For discounted pricing for nonprofits, email help@buzzsumo.com.
A work and project management platform that offers a 50% discount for all nonprofits that qualify, which will assist your employees in keeping track of their to-do lists and projects.
Big workload that can use some automation? Zapier offers a 15% discount on thousands of automation “triggers” that integrate with most of the apps and programs you use daily, including the many listed above.
Learn More About Free Things for Nonprofits
Nonprofits can have access to robust marketing tools and spare their wallets at the same time!
Though some of these are limited by the size of your nonprofit, many aren’t. If you’re in healthcare marketing, higher education marketing, or any other sector, these discounts can be a great way to get the most out of your budget.
Don’t forget to take advantage of the free trials and discounts available! With a little research, you can find plenty of software that fits your needs — and your budget.
Check out some of our educational resources and our blog for more great marketing and SEO advice.
Ready to break new ground in marketing your nonprofit?
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This eBook is your key to unlocking countless nonprofit marketing capabilities without breaking the bank.
Our team compiled a list of over 15 free services for nonprofits that encompass every aspect of marketing, including:
- Copywriting
- Graphic design
- Email marketing
- Analytics & lead tracking
- Social media marketing
- Search engine optimization
- Project management
- Online advertising (Google Ad Grants & Microsoft Ads for Social Impact)
As you read along, you’ll learn how to access these tools and the best ways to use them to boost your marketing ROI.
From Hemingway Editor and Canva to Google Analytics and Ahrefs, gain access to a whole new world of marketing capabilities for your nonprofit for just $9.95 when you purchase Unlocking Free Resources for Nonprofits: Your Roadmap to Using Ad Grants and Free Marketing Tools.
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