In the rugged fjords of New Zealand, the volunteer-led Tawaki Project once spent six weeks manually transcribing handwritten research data on penguins. But after adopting Google for Nonprofits, they turned a 240-hour task into mere minutes.

The team used Google Sheets and Maps Platform API credits to build an interactive tracking platform. This rapid data processing and visualization helped the team secure $1.1 million in funding and contribute to reclassifying the Fiordland crested penguin from “vulnerable” to “near threatened.”

The Tawaki Project saw a boost in efficiency from our Google for Nonprofits program, and they’re not alone. On average, nonprofit participants report saving one full workday per person, per week on administrative tasks with AI.

To help more organizations put AI to work for their missions, we’re introducing new tools and resources for nonprofits on google.com/nonprofits:

1. Practical, on-demand training: We are launching three free of charge, nonprofit-specific online courses to help teams use AI effectively. The courses focus on the topics nonprofits told us they believe could have transformative potential to improve with AI: fundraising, marketing, and operations. In around three hours, participants can learn practical skills from Daily wins with AI, Optimize Creativity and Fundraising, and Build Smarter Workflows.
2. One-on-one productivity coaching: We’re offering all Google for Nonprofits organizations personalized, hands-on support and training from Google Product Specialists at no cost. After activating Google Workspace for Nonprofits, your team can schedule 1:1 video chat sessions to get expert guidance on everything from technical migration to training staff on the latest AI tools.
3. Key insights: 86% of surveyed nonprofits agree that AI has the potential to make their personal work more effective, yet organizations report that, on average, less than half (49%) of their organization uses AI regularly. Nonprofits tell us funding and access to training are the top bottlenecks to adoption. To maximize peer learning, we’re publishing the results of how over 6,000 Google for Nonprofits organizations are integrating AI into their daily operations, the barriers they face, and recommendations to help all nonprofits make use of AI for the greatest impact.

Today’s announcement furthers our mission to help nonprofits experience the opportunities created by technology — expanding on the $18+ billion in free-of-charge technology we’ve provided so far. Read the full insights here and explore the new training and coaching options at google.com/nonprofits.