What Email & Cloud Platform Is Best for Small NFP

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  Detective Pikachu on 24/04/2018 - 11:31

  +1

  Google Apps is Great

• 

  retiredfeline on 24/04/2018 - 11:34

  +1

  I think all three that you mentioned can work for you, it all comes down to scoring them against your requirements. Make a chart and assign points, etc. etc.

  Google Apps is called G Suite now.

• 

  iceborg on 24/04/2018 - 11:59

  +1

  It would really be between O365 and GSuite

  As mentioned above, do a full comparison with associated costs and licensing options to work out the best way to go. There are special NFP costs for both services.

• 

  thatonethere on 24/04/2018 - 12:15

  +2

  Office 365 can be a good move if you have or want MS Office licenses (as they come included with E3). Can shift your data to OneDrive and save ojn Dropbox licensing.

• 

  brokenglish on 24/04/2018 - 12:51

  +1

  We own a domain which is currently provisioned via a server with our web host
  I am concerned about security, archiving/oversight and admin of this system

  What do you mean by this, a domain is like the first thing you need to grab hold and have control of.
  You also need proper hosting admin to correctly setup emails forwarded to 3rd party like Google Suite or Office 365.
  It's like having a car but not knowing if the car rego can disappear out of nowhere?

  If you want reliability Google Suite is what I highly recommend. Same email reliability as Gmail, multiple tags you can assign to an email is the sh*t. You also get free Google Drive Apps (Docs, Sheets, Presentation) and you can edit documents live with other people.

  NO NO with Office 365. This year alone we've had clients experiencing downtime twice in Sydney's Office 365 email server.
  There's also the issue with OneDrive deleting files on its own. I didn't believe this until one of my colleague's OneDrive files moved itself to Recycle Bin !@#$%^&*()

  1. Security including archiving of emails

  Not sure if this matters to you but Google, Microsoft, and Zoho are all based in the US. I don't know what kind of sensitive files you're keeping but their file retention if something goes wrong will be according to US law.

  • 

    Noblejoker on 24/04/2018 - 13:03

    Thanks for the detailed answer

    Yes we have control of owned domain
    Not using for a website but we have MX records (that's right isn't it) set up with some hosting that is also providing email server etc.
    I presume just under a CPanel app type thing
    I think it is dreamhost? Looking to change anyway

    Not worried about US vs AU
    Currently using Dropbox anyway so no change there
    More about not getting hacked and backing up

    What is the support like with GSuite in paid versions
    I currently use GApps for a personal domain I set up years ago when they still offered that for free

• 

  JimmyF on 24/04/2018 - 12:54

  +1

  Either O365 or GSuite. Both offer NFP versions.

  Office 365, requires a 'donation' or a monthly fee per user if you require the office software. https://products.office.com/en-au/nonprofit/office-365-nonpr…

  Google offers FREE NFP versions. https://www.google.com.au/intl/en/nonprofits/join/

  • 

    brokenglish on 24/04/2018 - 13:01

    +1

    ^ a good one!

    Eligibility guidelines

    Not one of the following:
    - Governmental entity or organization
    - Hospital or health care organization
    - School, academic institution, or university (philanthropic arms of educational organizations are eligible). To learn more about Google's programs for educational institutions, visit Google for Education.

    Australia
    - Organizations must be currently registered with Connecting Up, TechSoup Global's regional arm.
    - Organizations must be: (1) deductible gift recipients (DGRs) endorsed by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) or listed by name in the tax law; (2) charities registered with the Australian Charities and Nonprofits Commission (ACNC); or (3) income tax exempt not-for-profit organizations as defined by the ATO.
    - Organizations must be located in Australia or one of the following territories: Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, or Norfolk Island.

  • 

    Noblejoker on 24/04/2018 - 13:06

    Thanks JimmyF
    Yes I had looked at that
    I don't think we will qualify for free NFP offer under either MS or Google guidelines
    We do run a commercial style business but our charter directs all funds back to community
    So we are For PRofit then donation rather than NFP
    As such we can pay - just looking to not be like some so called charities that spend all the money they raise on expenses LoL :)

    • 

      JimmyF on 24/04/2018 - 16:48

      +2

      NFP doesn't mean they can't make a 'profit' as such, they just can't make a profit for a shareholder/owner etc. Read over

      http://www.acnc.gov.au/ACNC/Register_my_charity/Who_can_regi…

      What is a not-for-profit?
      Generally, a not-for-profit is an organisation that does not operate for the profit, personal gain or other benefit of particular people (for example, its members, the people who run it or their friends or relatives). The definition of not-for-profit applies both while the organisation is operating and if it ‘winds up’ (closes down).

      Without knowning more about your business, its really hard to say.

      Are you a NFP or just a 'business' that returns profits to other parts?

      Either way, Google/O365 are the two big boys on the block.

• 

  [Deactivated] on 24/04/2018 - 13:36

  I have blocked emails that have zoho as the host - too much spam was coming from them.
  Just saying as you listed them as an option.

  Pcloud is pretty good for data storage.
  They regularly have decent lifetime specials.

• 

  Clear on 24/04/2018 - 13:46

  +3

  As a NFP you should be eligible for FREE Office 365 through Connecting Up. I manage dozens of NFPs who are registered with CU and have managed to get it for free. CU also offers good deals on refurbs occasionally too.

  I personally would never use Google Apps because of the restrictions and cons introduced with having a POP/IMAP based email system compared to Exchange found in Office 365.

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  mt19 on 25/04/2018 - 07:55

  I've used zoho for our NFP for about a year, its fine but as AlphaBravo mentions they have been blacklisted a fair bit due to being used as spam servers.

  Connecting up looks interesting, but its $150 a year registration ?

  Cheers