With Google Grants leading the charge, software companies and other retailers that offer discounts to nonprofits have begun creating filters for who gets the discounts.

A 2-Way Street

I totally get it – I wouldn’t want to be compelled to support a nonprofit that opposes my own matters of conscience. And setting conditions when you’re giving away stuff isn’t illegal so far as I know, either.

Google’s first run at it in 2011 specifically excluded churches. Reading between the lines, I surmise that decision was wildly unpopular because they quickly but quietly changed their policy to include all 501c3 nonprofits.

Now churches can apply, but they have to agree to several statements (see below) about how they’ll run things. Statements that some churches might find objectionable. Conditions like those are clearly meant to keep the donor corporation from having to support groups that don’t agree with their stance on particular social issues.

Sample Social Engineering Statements

Google for Nonprofits

(as of Sep 2017):

• My organization does not discriminate on any unlawful basis in either hiring/employment practices or in the administration of programs and services.
• This is required for organizations in the Google for Nonprofits program
  My organization does not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in hiring/employment practices.
• This is required for organizations in the Google for Nonprofits program
  My organization may receive this donation under its own policy and applicable laws and regulations; this donation will not negatively impact Google’s current or future ability to do business with my organization; and this donation will not be used to corruptly influence any government official to obtain or retain business or any improper advantage.”

Intuit

as listed on TechSoup (as of Sep 2017):

• Nonprofits and libraries only: Products in this program are available only to qualifying nonprofits with 501(c)(3) designation and to public libraries. Public libraries must either have valid 501(c)(3) nonprofit status or be listed in the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) database.
• Anti-discrimination policy: Organizations that engage in discrimination when offering or providing social services or in employment practices (hiring, compensation, training, promotion, termination, or retirement) on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, political affiliation, union membership, or veteran status, other than as allowed by law, are not eligible to participate in this program.”

Microsoft

as listed on TechSoup (as of Sep 2017):

Organization Types Eligible for Microsoft Donations
Microsoft donations are available to nonprofits with a 501(c)(3) designation, charities, and to public libraries. Some types of nonprofits are not eligible, such as educational institutions, political organizations, healthcare networks, and nonpublic libraries.

Organizations that engage in discrimination in hiring, compensation, access to training or services, promotion, termination, or retirement on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, political affiliation, union membership, or veteran status, other than as allowed by law, are not eligible to participate in this program. Organizations must be willing and able to attest that they do not discriminate on any of these grounds in order to receive donations.”

The Irony

And the irony that companies use an anti-discrimination clause to discriminate between who gets their discounts isn’t lost on me.

So know that increasingly you need to read the fine print and only use the free or discounted things that have conditions that your conscience allows.