Until recently, Google offered discounts on many of its paid services to nonprofit organizations, including churches. This past spring, with little fanfare, the company changed its policy. It created a new suite of applications, known as Google for Nonprofits, that includes significant discounts and advantages for a range of Google products such as grants for advertising on AdWords, free licenses for Google Earth Pro and the option to raise funds through a \u201cdonate\u201d\u009d button at Google Checkout.<\/p>\n
Google also added a remarkable list of restrictions for eligible charitable groups and institutions. Among those not able to apply for the program are websites where people donate cars to charity; child care centers, unless the \u201centire\u201d\u009d purpose is to serve a disadvantaged community; hospitals; websites \u201cthat result in a poor experience for the viewer\u201d\u009d; and — most troublesome — \u201cplaces or institutions of worship (e.g., churches, ministries, temples, synagogues).\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n
This last restriction caught religious groups by surprise…<\/p>\n