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Google Sheets systems for nonprofits
Small nonprofits often have Google Workspace and a few spreadsheets doing the work of software they can't afford. I build on what you already have, so donations, volunteers and program participants are tracked in one place and the thank-you letters and reports come out of it without a late night.
Tell me about your setupWhat I build for nonprofits
The pieces that come up most. Your system gets the ones you need and none you don't.
Donor records
Every gift in one sheet with donor, date, amount, method and campaign, imported from Stripe, Square or entered for checks.
Thank-you letters and receipts
Letters filled from each gift and emailed or saved as PDFs, plus year-end giving summaries for each donor.
Volunteer sign-ups
Shifts listed with the number of people needed, a sign-up form that closes full shifts and reminders the day before.
Program enrollment
Participants enrolled by program, with attendance tracked per session.
Grant reporting
Participants served, sessions held and outcomes you track, pulled for any date range in the format a funder asks for.
Board dashboard
Giving against goal, active volunteers and program numbers on one tab, ready for board meetings.
What the sheet looks like
Plain columns your team can read, with the scripts doing the work around them.
| Donor | Date | Amount | Campaign | Thanked | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | J. Moreno | Nov 3 | $100 | Fall appeal | Yes |
| 3 | Lakeside Rotary | Nov 4 | $1,000 | Youth program | Yes |
| 4 | P. Chen | Nov 6 | $25 | Monthly | Queued |
| 5 | A. Walsh | Nov 6 | $250 | Fall appeal | Queued |
Common questions
We have Google Workspace for Nonprofits. Does that help?
Yes. Workspace accounts get higher daily email limits than free Gmail, which matters for thank-you letters and volunteer reminders.
Can it replace donor management software?
For a small organization, a well-built sheet often does what's needed. If you're running large campaigns or need wealth screening, dedicated donor software is worth considering.
Is donor data kept private?
It stays in your organization's Google account. I set sharing so only the people who need donor details can see them.
Can volunteers sign up without an account?
Yes. The volunteer sign-up form doesn't require volunteers to sign in.
Tell me what your sheet needs to do
A few sentences is enough to start. I'll reply with questions, then a plan and a fixed quote.