Many changemakers will be all too familiar with the daily pressures of powering their everyday at the same time as minimising those pesky operating costs, knowing full well that the maintenance of this teetering balance is absolutely key to successfully creating positive change in the spaces that matter the most to them.
And with the uncertainty of Covid-19 now heavily impacting the fundraising landscape and forcing many of us to work from home, there’s an even bigger need to firmly establish the upper hand on your organisation’s operating budgets at the same time as making sure that your tech and online assets are passing muster.
Here’s a little advertised fact that could be the answer. The very same global brands that have now become mainstays in our homes and offices (think Facebook and Microsoft!) have donated or heavily discounted their products to help level up the game of nonprofits worldwide.
From accounting software and fundraising CRM’s through to security software and operating systems, there’s sure to be something that’ll help save your organisation’s money and time. And accessing these opportunities often only demands a couple hours (if that!) of your valuable time, alongside proof of your legal status as a nonprofit.
Here in Australia, that will be those of you who are registered with the ACNC, and have secured DGR1 and TCC status. If your organisation ticks these boxes, here are our 8 top picks of tech grants that will make your nonprofit life a little easier:
Canva
By providing Canva Pro features for free to registered charities across the world, Canva helps bridge the gap between their mission and storytelling at the same time as avoiding a hit to their marketing budgets. Find out more and apply right here.
Adobe
If you’re in need of graphic design software that’s more sophisticated than what Canva offers, check out the discounted software offered by industry heavyweights Adobe. Check your eligibility here.
Microsoft
Microsoft offers both donated and discounted products including Microsoft 365 Business Premium for up to 10 users and discounted to $5 per additional user. More information is available here.
Mail Chimp
As a platform capable of not only promoting your organisation across e-mail, socials, landing pages, postcards and more but also enabling data analytics and insights, MailChimp has a discount of 15% for verified non-profits and charities. To find out more visit here.
Google For Nonprofits
Google offers free or discounted access to Google products and tools including GSuite, Google Ads, YouTube, and Google Earth/Maps. As an example, nonprofits can get $10,000 worth of Google Ads. Find out more here.
Airtable
Airtable is just like Excel but much more user friendly and powerful – and in addition to a basic plan that’s free for everyone, they’re offering a monthly discount of 50% on their Plus or Pro licenses. Here’s the link to the application form.
Buffer
Buffer is a publishing, analytics and engagement platform designed to tell your brands story and grow your audience – and they’re offering a 50% discount to registered charities worldwide! Check it out here.
Asana
As a task management tool, Asana will help you take control of, coordinate, and track your organisation’s workflows. They’re offering 50% off on their Premium or Business products – which you can check out right here.
For those of you keen to find more offers that will help reduce your overheads even further, we recommend that you check out Connecting Up’s catalogue of products which lists hundreds of donated or discounted opportunities from their global partners for Australian non-profits.
Alternatively, we suggest making a list of the software and technology that you use daily and approaching these companies to see if they have any grants or discounts for registered charities.
If you’d like to discuss what other grants might be suitable for your unique mission and how you could leverage these opportunities, we’re always only a phone call or e-mail away.
And as always – wishing you many happy Grant’d moments!