Set up your charity email (Google Workspace)

Personal setupEmail & Workspace · about 15 min · Charity owners/admins on a Google-based charity (FFC default is Microsoft 365)

Setting this up for your organization?Set up your charity’s Google Workspace

FFC’s default is Microsoft 365, but charities already deeply embedded in Google can stay on Google Workspace. If that’s you, your admin issues you a you@yourcharity.org Google account.

Your charity email is a persona, not a new identity

The Workspace account (you@yourcharity.org) is a role you wear, not a second person. You add it to the accounts where it belongs rather than building a parallel online life around it — the same person-not-entity rule as everywhere else at FFC.

  1. 1

    Sign in and set your password

    Go to mail.google.com (or accounts.google.com) and sign in with your new Workspace address and the temporary password you were given. Set a strong password and save it in your password manager.

  2. 2

    Turn on 2-Step Verification

    Go to Google Account → Security → 2-Step Verification and turn it on. Choose an authenticator app and scan the QR code with Google Authenticator (the matching app for the Google ecosystem — you’ll already have it installed, since FFC has you set up both authenticators).

    Save the backup codes Google offers into your password manager.

    See the Multi-Factor Authentication guide for the full walkthrough and new-phone precautions.

  3. 3

    Get Gmail on your devices

    Install the Gmail app on your phone and sign in; use mail.google.com on your computer. Send a test email to confirm.

Common questions

Should my charity use Google Workspace or Microsoft 365?

FFC’s default is Microsoft 365. Stay on Google Workspace only if your charity is already deeply embedded in Google (Gmail, Drive, shared docs) and switching would be disruptive. If you’re starting fresh, go with Microsoft 365.

Is Google Workspace free for nonprofits?

Google offers Workspace for Nonprofits at no cost once your organization is verified through Google for Nonprofits. Your FFC contact can help you confirm eligibility.

Next setup guides

Multi-factor authenticationSecurityMicrosoft 365 emailEmail & WorkspaceCloud storage & scanningEmail & Workspace

Where you’ll use this

This account is a starting point for these volunteer training tracks:

Google Workspace Admin track

Stuck on any step? Text Clarke Moyer at (520) 222-8104 — every step is meant to be simple, so if something doesn't match what you see, ask.