What Non-Profit Discounts is my Collective eligible for?

Some services or businesses may offer special discounts to non-profits - this is one of the benefits of obtaining 501(c)(3) status!   Sometimes certain businesses do not extend these discounts to fiscally-sponsored projects. It is up to that organization to decide. 

The following is a list of organizations that we know do offer discounts/benefits to our fiscally-sponsored projects, and instructions for how to sign up.  

There may be more than what is listed here, we just dont know about them yet. You’re welcome to ask vendors and venues about a possible discount for nonprofit groups!  

?As a general rule: If a third-party tool asks you for an Address, EIN, Bank info, 990, please refer to our Official Information & Documentation

Organizations that offer Nonprofit Discounts & Benefits:

Google Workspace

• Free Email Addresses & Google Workspaces

  • OCF is able to create free email boxes and Workspace accounts for hosted Collectives via Google for Nonprofits. 
  • Benefits includes:
    • Access to Google apps like Gmail, Docs, Drive, and Calendar.
    • Custom email domain (use @_CollectiveName_.com instead of @gmail.com) for your team’s email address
    • Can make a team drive to share docs and  improve collaboration

  • Steps:

    • 1. Obtain a domain name: Go to your domain registrar of choice and purchase a domain. You can pay for this from your Collective's budget by submitting a reimbursement expense (+link to instructions).

      • If your domain is already associated with another Google Workspace account, you need to remove it before we can add that domain to OCF's Workspace. This may cause a gap where emails to that domain will bounce during the transition.

    • 2.  Fill out this form to set up free email accounts under OCF

  • FAQ:

    • Do we need a custom domain name? Yes, your Collective needs to have its own domain name (e.g. coolCollective.com).

    • Can I set up free Gmail boxes myself? Google doesn't allow fiscally-sponsored projects to sign up on their own, so an OCF Team Member  needs to set it up through our own account. If you want to manage your own emails, we suggest signing up for free Gmail accounts, or paying for Google Workspace or another email service.

    • What's included with the account? Gmail, Contacts, Calendar, Meet, Chat, Drive, and Google Docs.

    • What if someone forgets their password/I’m having issues? Email us the details to contact@opencollective.foundation 

    • We already have emails, but want to sign up so they can be free. That's fine! When we activate your new email boxes, emails sent to your existing email address will start coming to the new inboxes instead. Your past messages, contacts, etc will not be in your new inbox (but there are ways to export data from your old account to your new one).

    • How do I change my email on OpenCollective.com to my new one? Instructions here.

    • What if we leave OCF? If you set your domain name up yourself, you always retain access to change the DNS settings to a different email provider, including your own Workspace. If we set up the domain for you, we can transfer ownership to you when you leave, and you can set it up with any email service you wish. While you can't take your message history and contacts with you directly, you can export the data and import it to your new system.

Slack

• Slack is a messaging app that’s great for teams.  They offer discounted or free services for nonprofits.

• Steps:

  • 1. Request a copy of an  MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) - they will ask for this in their application - by emailing contact@opencollective.foundation

  • 2.  Submit your application through their  Slack for Nonprofits site

Loomio

• Loomio is a decision-making tool for groups.  We are able to offer groups hosted by Open Collective Foundation free access to the platform for their group. 

• Steps:

1. Create a group on Loomio using the steps outlined here.

2. Complete the signup form to tell OCF some details about your Loomio group.

3. OCF will connect your Loomio group to our subscription which should eliminate trial notifications.
   
   PLEASE NOTE: Sales tax exemption rules differ across all 50 states and sometimes municipalities. Therefore, this is not an area where OCF can support projects in accessing and we recommend you seek the support of a local fiscal sponsor where this support is required.