Digital Infrastructure
It is also important to establish the initial digital infrastructure for the organization at the beginning of the 501(c)(3) application process. This includes a domain name, business email addresses, and a digital workspace. This will help the organization to establish a professional online presence, communicate effectively with stakeholders, and collaborate on projects. It is especially important for the application process to have a professional email address and phone number for the organization so that all organization communications and documents are in one place and can be easily accessed and shared with the board and other stakeholders.
Tasks
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Choose a domain name: The domain name would be used to identify the organization online, and would be used in the organization’s website, email addresses, and other digital communications. The domain name should be easy to remember, easy to spell, and available for registration. The domain name should also be relevant to the organization’s mission and brand.
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Check availability: Check the availability of the domain name to make sure that it is not already in use by another organization. Use a domain registrar like SquareSpace to search for the domain name and see if it is available for registration.
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Google Workspace: Sign up for Google Workspace. One of the benefits of the Google Workspace sign up process is that it includes domain purchase/registration. This makes it easy to set up business email addresses using the organization’s domain name. Google Workspace also provides a suite of tools for collaboration and communication, including Gmail, Google Drive, Google Calendar, and Google Meet. Google Workspace is also affordable, easy to use, and provides the tools that the organization needs to get up and running quickly. Not only that, but it’s also free for nonprofits through the Google for Nonprofits program! You will need your 501(c)(3) determination letter from the IRS to apply for Google for Nonprofits.
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Google Voice: Sign up for Google Voice, a virtual phone service that provides a phone number that can be used for business calls and text messages. Google Voice integrates with Google Workspace, so it is easy to set up a business phone number that is linked to the organization’s email addresses. This makes it easy to manage business communications and keep everything in one place. Google Voice is also relatively inexpensive and provides a lot of features that are useful for small organizations, like call forwarding, voicemail transcription, and text messaging.
Cost
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Domain Name | $12/year |
| Google Workspace | $6/user/month |
| Google Voice | $10/month |
| Total | $17/month (assuming a single Workspace user) |