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Google for Nonprofits Newsletter - September 2013 |
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| October 1, 2013 |
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Oh, how the time flies! As we head into fall, we want to help your nonprofit’s online marketing efforts get in shape for giving season. Recent research indicates nonprofits receive about one-third of donations from October to December, but consumers start researching nonprofits in September. You can explore the research further by checking out Google Think Insights Nonprofit Databoard.
Over the next few months, the Google for Nonprofits team will be unpacking this research to help your organization make the most of this fundraising season. So stay tuned to our blog, Google+ page and this newsletter for more info! |
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Helping nonprofits fight poverty and strengthen community with technology
In 2011, Google helped start the HandsOn Tech initiative to develop nonprofits’ usage of technology and improve outcomes for low-income families and communities.
The initiative pairs AmeriCorps VISTA and skill-based volunteers to train and help nonprofits implement everything from Google apps to social media strategies. Read more on how to get involved.
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AdWords Express now available for Google Grantees in the US, UK, Canada & Australia
Google launched AdWords Express as a simple way to approach online advertising, and it is now available to Google Grantees in the US, UK, Canada and Australia. It allows you to reach nearby donors and volunteers online. Unlike AdWords, AdWords Express carves out a special niche by providing nonprofits without a website a way to maintain an online presence, which is imperative as we quickly approach giving season. If you are a Google Ad Grantee or would like to apply, check out more information here. |
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Explore the Galápagos and be ‘Darwin for a Day’ on Street View
Travel back to 1835 to experience the Galapagos islands and see some of the animals as Charles Darwin once did. By working with the Galapagos National Park and the Charles Darwin Foundation, the Google Earth Outreach team shared 360-degree images from the islands and their stunning underwater ecosystem. This mapping will help monitor the wildlife, coastline and preserve this historic site for posterity. Be sure to check out additional Street View Trekker footage. |
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Google enters into a new agreement to purchase energy from a Texas wind farm
We’ve just agreed to purchase 240 MW of clean wind power from a wind farm in Texas, which will provide energy to the grid that serves our Oklahoma data center. This agreement is our largest commitment yet—we’ve now contracted enough energy to power ~170,000 U.S. households. By using a power purchase agreement (PPA), we create new clean energy now as well as help the renewable energy industry grow in the long-term. This is another step in our ongoing commitment to carbon neutrality. |
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We recently chatted with Amy Currin from The HALO Trust about their usage of Google Earth to identify landmines. HALO is currently working to clean up Kosovo so civilians’ lives can return to normal. To share HALO’s story, please check out their latest video and our Google+ post.
The HALO Trust locates and destroys landmines and other explosive remnants of war so that families can return home, land can be used for agriculture, roads re-opened and children can walk to school safely. To aid in their mission, HALO uses Google Earth 7.1 to assist in getting landmines and cluster bombs out of the ground. Their most active demining site is in Kosovo. Fourteen years have passed since the armed conflict, and there are active mines, which continue to harm innocent people. In addition, the remaining minefields in rural and impoverished areas prevent vital land from being used.
HALO uses satellite imagery in Google Earth to help identify and map mined areas, import GIS shape files and export high resolution maps. By visualizing their maps in Google Earth, HALO demining teams can track mine clearance progress and assists in the prioritization of the minefields. |
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Lauren Benson
AdWords Account Planner, Non-profit Vertical |
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Q. How can nonprofits drive more donations this holiday season?
A. The shift towards digital philanthropy is apparent in the rise of crowdsourcing fundraiser platforms, social media advocacy and mobile-giving applications, making online engagement a critical tool for organizations looking to reach new supporters & donors. To learn more about the online donation path, we conducted new research which uncovered the 7 critical steps to donation that a researcher goes through before making a donation decision. Finding these potential donors online and learning to engage with them during key moments is critical.
Q. What is an expert tip you can share to help nonprofits raise their donations this year?
A. Donors want to feel informed and inspired before they give. Ensure you are inspiring them with your message and mission, and informing them with the impact your organization has in the world. Allow them to clearly see their impact and place this information front and center on your website.
Q. What do you think is the most powerful insight from this year’s research?
A. As a high percentage of donations occur in December, but it is difficult to cut through the clutter of the holidays. Making sure the message that matters is surfaced is a daunting challenge. But with the new research debut, we wanted to show nonprofits where they can find their donors in December. It is essential nonprofits start having conversations with the potential donors now, so when they go back online in December to donate your organization is top of mind.
Q. What do you think is one of the biggest challenges nonprofits face during giving season?
A. We really wanted to explore the core of why people donate. And we found that the number one reason people donate is because of their belief in the mission. And the number one reason that a donor specifically chooses an organization is because of their specific impact. So as donors research this deciding factor of impact, 3 of the top 4 sources to understand impact are digital including nonprofits websites, search engines and online video. Digital allows for comparison, looking up financials, understanding impact and ultimately drives the decision for which nonprofit the researcher will donate to.
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