Activate Google Workspace for Nonprofits

By Ben Downey Updated September 8, 2026
Parent-group leader activating Google Workspace and verifying a domain

Your parent group has passed the Goodstack review and has been approved for Google for Nonprofits.

Now comes Review #2: Google Workspace activation.

First you will create or connect Google Workspace and verify that your organization controls the domain. Then you will return to Google for Nonprofits and submit that domain to Google for a separate activation review.

What you need to do

  1. Open Google Workspace for Nonprofits in your Google for Nonprofits account.
  2. Start a new Workspace account or connect the one your group already uses.
  3. Verify ownership of your primary domain.
  4. Check that your website is ready for Google’s Workspace review.
  5. Return to Google for Nonprofits and submit the domain for activation.
  6. Wait for Google to approve the Workspace request.

Do not stop after verifying the domain. Domain verification proves that you control the domain. It does not complete the Google Workspace for Nonprofits approval.

Review #2

Google Workspace review checklist

Check these before you submit your domain to Google for activation.

  • ☐ Your organization has already been approved for Google for Nonprofits
  • ☐ Your Google Workspace account has been created or connected
  • ☐ You are using the organization’s primary Workspace domain
  • ☐ Google has verified that your organization controls the domain
  • ☐ The website loads correctly on that domain
  • ☐ The organization’s name is clearly visible on the website
  • ☐ The organization’s mission is clearly stated
  • ☐ The organization’s physical street address is shown
  • ☐ The organization’s EIN or other nonprofit registration or tax ID is shown
  • ☐ The site contains real, organization-specific content
  • ☐ The site does not contain “Coming Soon,” unfinished template, or placeholder content
  • ☐ A reviewer can easily understand why this domain belongs to this nonprofit

Prepare the website on your domain

Google’s current activation guidance includes a domain review: the submitted domain must have a functional website clearly connected to your nonprofit, with identifying information consistent with registration. Review the website guide before submitting the domain.

Start in Google for Nonprofits

Sign in to Google for Nonprofits.

Under Google Workspace for Nonprofits, select Get started.

Google will ask whether your organization already uses Google Workspace.

Choose the answer that matches your parent group. If you are unsure, Google says to select Yes, we currently use Google Workspace and enter the domain so it can check. Follow the path Google then provides.

If your group does not use Google Workspace

Google will guide you through creating a new Workspace account.

You will:

  1. Enter the parent group’s domain.
  2. Create the first administrator account.
  3. Start the Workspace trial.
  4. Verify the domain.

The trial is part of the setup process. You are not choosing a paid plan.

Complete the domain verification promptly. Google’s domain-verification guidance says to verify within the first nine days of the trial. Some purchased or reseller-managed domains are already verified; follow the status shown in Google’s setup.

If your group already uses Google Workspace

Do not create another account or start another trial.

Choose the option that says your organization already uses Workspace, then enter its existing domain.

You may need to sign in as a Workspace administrator.

If nobody on the current board has administrator access, recover the existing account before continuing. Do not try to create a second Workspace account for the same domain.

Verify your domain

Google needs to confirm that your parent group controls the domain used for its website and email.

Google will normally give you a TXT record to add to the domain’s DNS settings.

  1. Sign in to the company that manages your domain, such as GoDaddy or Squarespace.
  2. Open the DNS settings.
  3. Add the TXT record provided by Google.
  4. Save the record.
  5. Return to Google and select Verify.

Copy the record exactly as Google provides it.

The new record may take some time to appear. If Google cannot find it immediately, wait and try again.

Adding the verification record should not change your website.

Before you click Activate

This starts the second review.

Google is no longer deciding whether your PTO or PTG qualifies as a nonprofit. Goodstack already handled that.

Google is now reviewing the Workspace domain you are submitting and whether that domain and website clearly belong to and represent the approved nonprofit.

Use the checklist above before submitting the request.

Submit your domain for Google’s Workspace review

Once the Workspace domain is verified, return to your Google for Nonprofits account and open Google Workspace for Nonprofits again.

Enter or confirm your organization’s primary Workspace domain, then select Activate.

Selecting Activate submits the domain for Google’s Workspace for Nonprofits activation review.

This is a separate review from the Goodstack verification you already completed.

Google says Workspace activation requests are generally reviewed within 3–7 business days. You will receive an email when the review is complete.

If you do not submit the domain for activation, the Workspace trial may expire even though you successfully verified the domain.

What happens during Google’s review

Google has already accepted your organization into Google for Nonprofits.

At this stage, Google needs to be able to connect the nonprofit it approved to the Workspace domain you submitted.

For example:

Jefferson Elementary PTO
↓
jeffersonpto.org

Your website should make that relationship easy to understand.

Before leaving Google for Nonprofits, confirm that the Workspace request shows as pending or approved.

While the request is pending, you should have:

  • A verified primary domain
  • Access to the Google Admin console
  • A Workspace activation request under review

If Google cannot verify the domain relationship

Google may reject the Workspace activation if it cannot clearly establish that the submitted domain belongs to and represents your nonprofit.

That does not necessarily mean your nonprofit status was rejected.

Your Goodstack approval and your Workspace activation are separate reviews.

Google specifically identifies these common problems:

  • The website does not work or contains placeholder content
  • The domain does not clearly correspond to the registered nonprofit
  • The website does not provide enough organization information
  • The site is missing a clear mission
  • The site is missing a physical street address
  • The site is missing an official registration or tax ID
  • The website contains generic or unfinished template content

If this happens:

  1. Update the website to address the issues.
  2. Make the connection between the nonprofit and the domain obvious.
  3. Return to Google for Nonprofits.
  4. Submit the domain for another review.

Do not restart the Goodstack application simply because the Workspace activation was rejected.

If you cannot make the requested information public on the website, Google also provides a support path for submitting alternative documentation.

For detailed help, use Troubleshoot Google for Nonprofits and Workspace Setup.

After Google approves the request, you can create the organization’s email accounts and shared files.

Next step: Set Up PTO Email Accounts, Shared Drives, and Board Handoffs.