In response to Nonprofit Tech for Good, many nonprofits are leveraging know-how to reinforce their processes—79% use automation know-how in on-line fundraising, and 15% even have synthetic intelligence software program in place to foretell donor habits. Not each group, nonetheless, has the funds to remain on the slicing fringe of know-how.
That’s the place nonprofit know-how grants are available. These grants provide the mandatory funds for forward-thinking nonprofits to realize entry to software program options and assets that can amplify their influence. On this information, we’ll cowl:
To realize greater and higher outcomes, nonprofits should frequently undertake and adapt to advances in know-how that streamline important processes similar to fundraising, advertising and marketing, and donor engagement. By doing so, your group can unencumber extra capability for what issues most: bettering the lives of these you serve.
What are know-how grants for nonprofits?
Nonprofit know-how grants present important funding for organizations to amass and implement cutting-edge instruments and software program, considerably enhancing their influence and effectivity.
These grants can cowl a variety of technological wants, together with:
- Software program Licenses and Subscriptions: Funding for buying licenses for important software program instruments similar to CRM programs, accounting software program, undertaking administration instruments, and different specialised functions
- {Hardware} and Gear: Grants for buying computer systems, tablets, networking tools, and different {hardware} crucial for each day operations and repair supply
- Cybersecurity Options: Assist for implementing cybersecurity measures to guard delicate knowledge and guarantee compliance with knowledge safety laws.
- Web site Growth and Upkeep: Funding to construct, redesign, or preserve a nonprofit’s web site, guaranteeing it’s user-friendly, accessible, and up-to-date with present applied sciences
- Innovation and Growth Initiatives: Assist for modern know-how tasks that deal with particular challenges or alternatives throughout the nonprofit’s mission, similar to creating new apps or digital platforms
Whereas basic grants can typically deal with technological wants, it’s usually simpler to use for grants particularly tailor-made to know-how. Tailor-made know-how grants are designed to deal with the distinctive challenges and alternatives related to implementing and managing technological options, offering extra focused help and assets.
The place can nonprofits discover know-how grants?
Like most grants, know-how grants are sometimes supplied by three main sources:
- Authorities companies: Federal, state, and native governments provide grants to cowl completely different wants. Authorities sources usually present funding for nonprofits searching for know-how grants to improve programs and enhance service supply. Though, these grants are sometimes extremely aggressive.
- Foundations: Foundations are a conventional and dependable supply of funding for nonprofits. They’ll vary from well-known entities just like the Ford Basis and the Invoice and Melinda Gates Basis to area people foundations. Whereas basis grants might not all the time be massive, they are often instrumental in serving to organizations enhance their know-how infrastructure.
- Companies: Main firms similar to Google and Walmart provide devoted know-how grants for nonprofits as a part of their CSR efforts. Specifically, tech firms are conscious of the important function their merchandise play and have developed grant packages to assist nonprofits entry important know-how. Company grants can present vital assets, enabling nonprofits to implement state-of-the-art instruments and software program to raised serve their communities.
Regardless of your group’s focus—whether or not you’re an environmental nonprofit or a nonprofit hospital—entry to the most recent know-how lets you serve your beneficiaries extra successfully and obtain higher outcomes. Look to those sources to search out a possibility that matches your group’s wants.
How can know-how grants help nonprofits?
Relying in your particular targets, a know-how grant can empower your nonprofit to:
- Enhance cybersecurity. NTEN’s State of Nonprofit Cybersecurity Report reveals that solely round 20% of surveyed nonprofits have documented insurance policies and procedures in place ought to a cyberattack happen. A know-how grant can present your group with cybersecurity coaching assets and the precise instruments to maintain your data safe.
- Leverage automation. A know-how grant permits your group to streamline each day operations by means of automation, considerably decreasing the time and assets required for duties similar to knowledge entry and donor administration. For instance, implementing an automatic CRM system can unencumber employees to deal with strategic initiatives and direct service supply, enhancing general effectivity and influence.
- Streamline fundraising. A know-how grant can allow your group to undertake top-of-the-line CRM software program and digital fundraising instruments that make it simple to handle supporter relationships and solicit presents.
- Improve knowledge administration. Environment friendly knowledge administration is essential for personalizing communications, partaking donors, and deriving useful insights to refine your methods over time. With a know-how grant, your group can prioritize superior knowledge administration programs, enabling employees and volunteers to harness knowledge successfully for larger strategic influence and decision-making.
- Develop a high-quality web site. A nonprofit know-how grant can present the mandatory funds to raise your present web site or create a wholly new one which conjures up extra help.
When you’ve pinpointed your group’s particular wants for know-how funding, it’s time to discover a funder that greatest aligns along with your mission and values. The extra well-matched you might be to the grantmaking group, the extra seemingly you’ll achieve profitable the grant.
13 High Know-how Grants for Nonprofits
Use these nonprofit know-how grants as a jumping-off level to your pursuit of know-how funding:
1. Google Advert Grants
Since its creation, the Google Advert Grants program has offered over $10 billion in free promoting to nonprofits. All eligible organizations can obtain $10,000 month-to-month to bid on key phrases for adverts that can seem on Google’s search outcomes pages. With these adverts, you possibly can promote key pages in your nonprofit’s web site, similar to your donation web page or occasion registration web page, to generate extra help on your trigger.
To fulfill this system’s eligibility standards, your group should:
- Be a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
- Not be a authorities, healthcare, or academic establishment.
- Have a high-quality web site.
- Create a Google for Nonprofits account.
Prepared to start out leveraging $10,000 a month at no cost promoting? Join our Google Advert Grants publication to be taught insider suggestions and maximize your outcomes.
This nonprofit know-how grant can equip your group with a robust instrument for spreading the phrase about your mission and attracting extra supporters to your trigger. To make sure that you safe your grant and benefit from it, take into account turning to a Google Advert Grants company like Getting Consideration that may care for your entire course of for you.
2. Salesforce’s Energy of Us Program
Salesforce is a number one buyer relationship administration (CRM) platform that gives a complete suite of cloud-based functions and companies. The Energy of Us Program has offered discounted CRM know-how entry to over 56,000 nonprofits and academic establishments. To affix these ranks, your group should:
You possibly can discover the complete listing of necessities right here. When awarding grants, the Salesforce Basis prioritizes alignment with its grantmaking targets, demonstrated program influence, a dedication to measuring and adapting, and a robust management staff that displays the group it’s addressing.
3. Twilio
Twilio is an SMS and messaging platform that empowers social good organizations to increase their attain. In 2023, an unbelievable 20,000 organizations used the platform to ship over 22 billion messages.
Via its Influence Fund, Twilio awarded $7.3 million in grants and investments to develop entry to transformative communications know-how for social influence causes final yr. Organizations which can be eligible for this nonprofit know-how grant funding should:
- Be a acknowledged 501(c)(3) nonprofit or have equal standing.
- Not be a authorities entity, unregistered social influence initiative, political group, or for-profit entity.
At the moment, Twilio is funding tasks in digital transformation, humanitarian help, and local weather motion. To obtain an invite to use, join the Influence Entry Program, which gives further advantages similar to reductions on Twilio merchandise.
4. Okta for Good
Okta is a complete id and entry administration platform that provides organizations safe single sign-on capabilities, authentication and authorization, password administration, person provisioning, safety and compliance, and cellular gadget administration.
Okta for Good’s Nonprofit Know-how Initiative strives to satisfy nonprofits’ know-how wants by supplying $10 million in philanthropic funding. They’re additionally offering an extra $10 million through in-kind donations of their know-how and companies. To be chosen for these funds and donations, nonprofits should:
- Be a acknowledged nonprofit group of their nation of operation.
- Have robust management groups and mission alignment with Okta.
Whether or not your nonprofit is searching for to enhance its knowledge safety or transfer to the cloud, Okta’s deal with digital transformation is value trying into for any group fascinated by know-how enhancements.
5. Field Influence Fund
Field Influence Fund helps nonprofits on their path to adopting know-how that can improve their each day operations and work. To fulfill Field Influence Fund’s eligibility necessities, organizations should:
- Have authorized standing in your respective nation.
- Give attention to youngster welfare, disaster response, or the atmosphere.
- Suggest a digital transformation undertaking.
Field lists 4 particular standards for evaluating grant functions: alignment, influence, inclusion, and scale. Make sure that your group matches this funder’s priorities to set your software up for fulfillment.
6. Cisco Product Grant Program
Cisco is a multinational know-how conglomerate that designs, manufactures, and sells networking {hardware}, telecommunications tools, and different high-technology merchandise.
The Cisco Product Grant Program provides networking and communications know-how to nonprofits centered on disaster response, schooling, financial empowerment, and local weather change. To be eligible for this system, organizations should:
- Be acknowledged as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit or equal in your nation.
- Serve the group at massive.
- Have multiple yr of profitable operations.
- Not be a college, hospital, library, or meals financial institution.
- Not exceed an overhead of 25%.
Cisco accepts grant proposals year-round and opinions them quarterly. To make sure your nonprofit meets all the standards, take this eligibility quiz that Cisco gives on its web site.
7. Microsoft Tech for Social Influence
Microsoft is a number one multinational know-how firm. The corporate launched Microsoft Tech for Social Influence to offer discounted and donated Microsoft instruments to nonprofits. These instruments can empower your nonprofit to securely handle supporters’ knowledge, cut back working prices, and allow distant alternatives for workers and volunteers.
To be eligible for Microsoft’s nonprofit packages, your group should:
- Be a acknowledged 501(c)(3) nonprofit, public library, or public museum.
- Adjust to Microsoft’s anti-discrimination coverage.
- Solely assign licenses to eligible employees members.
Certainly one of Microsoft’s hottest nonprofit know-how grants is the Azure grant, which awards candidates with $2,000 credit per yr and entry to the entire portfolio of Azure merchandise and cloud companies. On its web site, Microsoft gives a step-by-step registration course of to entry obtainable tech.
8. Know-how Innovation Awards
Tech Ahead is a nonprofit know-how convention that unites organizations to discover how know-how can improve their missions. On the convention, the host gives $10,000 by means of its annual Know-how Innovation Awards to help nonprofits searching for funding for technology-related tasks. To be eligible for this grant, your group should:
- Be a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) charitable group.
- Not be a church, non-public academic establishment, nonprofit hospital, or governmental unit.
- Have an annual working price range of at the least $500,000.
- Ship a consultant to the convention to simply accept the award.
As a part of the nonprofit know-how grant software, you’ll have to current data similar to your mission, companies, and key constituents, together with a full know-how undertaking proposal.
9. TechBridge
TechBridge makes enterprise-grade software program to empower nonprofits to eradicate generational poverty. TechBridge’s Dream Large Grant gives a possibility for nonprofits to amass know-how options that can improve their operations and increase their influence. To be eligible for one in all these grants, your group should:
- Be a acknowledged 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a minimal two-year working historical past.
- Give attention to one in all 4 pillars: starvation reduction, homeless help, social justice, or workforce improvement.
- Have annual working bills over $2,000,000.
- Have at the least 5 full-time paid workers who’re paid minimal wage or extra.
The applying course of for one in all these know-how grants for nonprofits consists of an eligibility test, an software essay, and a video submission.
10. Verizon Basis
Verizon gives invitation-only grants to help nonprofits in three major areas: digital inclusion, local weather safety, and human prosperity. Nonprofits should contact their area people relations supervisor about receiving an invite. When you’re authorized to use, you’ll nonetheless have to satisfy these eligibility necessities:
- Be a acknowledged 501(c)(3) nonprofit and additional categorised as a public charity or a not-for-profit faculty.
- Not duplicate or considerably overlap the work of public companies.
- Hold books obtainable for out of doors audits and make outcomes obtainable to all potential contributors.
Moreover, for those who request funds for IT infrastructure enhancements that complete greater than 20% of the grant’s complete direct prices, it’s essential to present particular particulars on how your group will use these IT property in your grant software.
11. HP Know-how for Neighborhood
HP is a multinational data know-how firm that develops and sells {hardware}, software program, and companies. The corporate provides grants to nonprofits in order that they’ll buy know-how to raised serve their functions. To be eligible for HP Know-how for Neighborhood, organizations should:
- Be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
- Not be a member company or a college.
- Not be situated exterior of the US.
Whereas certified nonprofits can apply from throughout the nation, HP will give choice to these working in or close to the positioning communities listed in its necessities.
12. The Change Occurs Basis
The Change Occurs Basis is a personal nonprofit basis devoted to supporting nonprofits centered on creating social change round science, the atmosphere, and schooling. The muse gives a number of grants in these areas. To be eligible, organizations should:
- Be a acknowledged 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
- Not be faith-based or situated exterior of the US.
- Have a three-year historical past of 990 types.
When you’ve decided your nonprofit’s eligibility, it’s essential to submit a Letter of Inquiry as a first-time applicant to find out if the muse’s pursuits align along with your request. Organizations accepted for additional consideration can then submit their grant proposals.
13. TechSoup
TechSoup gives nonprofits and libraries with discounted know-how merchandise, companies, and coaching to reinforce their mission-driven work. Whereas not explicitly a nonprofit know-how grant, it gives unbelievable gives from main manufacturers like Microsoft, Adobe, and Zoom.
To be validated by TechSoup, your group should:
- Be registered as a nonprofit or spiritual group.
- Function on a nonprofit foundation for the general public profit.
- Maintain all crucial permissions to obtain donations from overseas the place relevant.
TechSoup even gives a handy eligibility quiz. Earlier than making use of, discover TechSoup’s full product catalog to find out how entry to completely different applied sciences will influence your group.
How do I discover the precise know-how grant for my nonprofit?
This listing is a good place to begin, however there are a number of simple steps it is best to take to decide on the perfect grant on your staff. With the precise strategy, you’ll be nicely in your solution to securing funding for transformative know-how initiatives that can improve your nonprofit’s effectivity, effectiveness, and general influence.
1. Confer with your targets and mission.
Earlier than beginning your seek for grant alternatives, it’s necessary to root your self in your group’s targets and mission. This ensures that you simply solely establish and apply for know-how grants which can be well-suited to your nonprofit.
Do not forget that every grantmaking group has its personal mission and pursuits. Consequently, they’re extra liable to fund nonprofits that align with their very own priorities and generate the form of influence that they’re trying to see.
2. Conduct analysis.
Amongst attainable know-how grant sources, there are round 127,595 foundations in the US alone. Due to this, it’s important to be strategic in your analysis to search out the perfect choices. Comply with these greatest practices to get began:
- Examine comparable nonprofits and find grantmakers who’ve funded them up to now.
- Establish present connections that your board or employees members might have with funders.
- Look by means of grant directories and databases, similar to Grants.gov and Basis Listing.
Assessment every nonprofit know-how grant’s software standards to make sure that you’re eligible to use. As an example, some grantmakers might require your group to be situated in a selected area or space.
3. Put together your know-how grant software.
When you’ve discovered a nonprofit know-how grant that you simply’re fascinated by making use of for, personalize your software in response to the analysis you’ve performed on the funder. An efficient grant software clearly defines your nonprofit’s wants, leverages storytelling to convey your influence, and specifies life like targets for the funding you’re requesting.
4. Take into account searching for skilled assist.
In case your nonprofit desires further steerage to make your know-how grant functions stand out, take into account partnering with a nonprofit grant advisor. High nonprofit grant consultants will dedicate themselves to making sure that your group’s grant efforts succeed.
As an example, Getting Consideration’s consultants absolutely perceive the Google Advert Grants program. From confirming your eligibility to complying with the most recent laws, we all know this system’s intricacies and will help you purchase and retain the grant. If you accomplice with us, our staff will take the time to totally perceive your mission so we are able to craft compelling adverts that precisely characterize your work and encourage seemingly supporters.
Set excessive expectations on your know-how grant advisor and select one who will do the next:
- Be taught the ins and outs of your nonprofit, together with your mission, influence, and target market.
- Develop a devoted technique and conduct analysis to establish grant alternatives that align with all that they’ve discovered about your group.
- Deal with your nonprofit grant functions to maximise your possibilities of profitable the grant.
- Help your group with constructing relationships with funders to safe extra help afterward.
A nonprofit grant advisor could be instrumental in serving to your group safe nonprofit know-how grant funding, particularly you probably have restricted time and assets to hold out your entire course of successfully.
Wrapping Up
New applied sciences are continuously rising, and together with them come higher methods for nonprofits to serve their communities and make an enduring distinction. Determining methods to incorporate these instruments into your fundraising, advertising and marketing, and communications methods is crucial to setting your group up for fulfillment.
Authorities companies, foundations, and companies acknowledge this precedence as nicely. Due to this, there are quite a few know-how grants for nonprofits obtainable to fund your initiatives—you simply have to know the place to look and methods to pinpoint the precise alternatives to pursue.
For extra data on grants and methods to deepen your nonprofit’s influence, discover these assets:
