Introduction

For most nonprofits, the website is more than just a digital brochure — it’s where stories are told, donations come in, and communities take action. But how do you know what’s actually working?

That’s where Google Analytics comes in. It helps you understand how people are finding your site, what pages they’re spending time on, and where you might be losing them. And now that GA4 has replaced Universal Analytics, it’s more important than ever to have the right setup in place.

In this post, I’ll walk through what GA4 means for nonprofits, how to set it up, and what to track so you can make smarter decisions and do more of what moves your mission forward.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Why Google Analytics Matters for Nonprofits
  3. How to Set Up Google Analytics 4 for a Nonprofit Website
  4. 5 GA4 Events Every Nonprofit Should Track
  5. Common Mistakes Nonprofits Make in GA4
  6. How to Use GA4 Data to Improve Your Nonprofit Marketing
  7. Bonus: Other Google Tools for Nonprofits
  8. Conclusion

Why Google Analytics Matters for Nonprofits

Most nonprofits operate with limited budgets and lean teams. That makes it especially important to know what is working and what is not. Google Analytics provides the data you need to understand how people are interacting with your website.

It shows where your visitors are coming from, what content they are engaging with, and whether they are taking key actions like making a donation, signing up for a newsletter, or filling out a volunteer form.

For nonprofit teams, this kind of insight is essential. It helps prioritize efforts, improve campaign results, and make the most of your marketing. It also gives you real numbers you can share with funders, board members, and partners to demonstrate your reach and impact.

Impact of Federal Funding Cuts on Nonprofits

Federal funding cuts have put significant strain on nonprofits, forcing many to reduce services, lay off staff, or shut down programs entirely. Education-focused organizations have lost grants supporting teacher training, literacy programs, and after-school initiatives, directly impacting students in underserved communities. Affordable housing nonprofits have seen funding pulled from key initiatives, delaying critical housing projects and leaving low-income families without much-needed assistance. Humanitarian aid groups, including refugee resettlement programs and international relief organizations, have had contracts frozen, reducing their ability to provide shelter, medical care, and food to those in crisis. These funding cuts not only disrupt essential services but also threaten the long-term sustainability of nonprofits, making it more difficult to secure resources and continue serving vulnerable populations.

How to Set Up Google Analytics 4 for a Nonprofit Website

Step-by-Step: Setting Up Google Analytics 4 for Your Nonprofit Website

  1. Create a GA4 Property
    • Go to analytics.google.com and sign in.
    • Click “Admin” in the bottom left, then select “+ Create Property.”
    • Name your property, choose your time zone and currency, and complete the setup prompts.
  2. Install Google Tag Manager (Recommended)
    • Go to tagmanager.google.com and create a container for your website.
    • Add the GTM code to every page of your site (your web developer or CMS can help with this).
    • This gives you more flexibility to manage tracking without touching your site’s code every time.
  3. Add GA4 Tag in Google Tag Manager
    • In GTM, create a new tag using the “GA4 Configuration” type.
    • Paste in your GA4 Measurement ID (you can find this in your GA4 property under Admin > Data Streams).
  4. Turn on Enhanced Measurement
    • In GA4, go to Admin > Data Streams > Web and make sure “Enhanced Measurement” is enabled.
    • This will automatically track scrolls, outbound clicks, site search, video engagement, and more.
  5. Link to Google Ads and Google Search Console (if applicable)
    • These integrations help you see the full picture of your marketing performance.
    • You can find both options under Admin > Product Links.
  6. Set Up Conversions
    • Identify your most important actions: donations, contact forms, newsletter sign-ups, etc.
    • In GA4, go to Admin > Events and mark those key events as conversions.
    • If they’re not tracked automatically, set them up in GTM or ask your developer to create custom events.
  7. Test Everything
    • Use Google’s Tag Assistant or Preview mode in GTM to make sure your events are firing correctly.
    • In GA4, use the “Realtime” report to confirm data is being collected.

GA4 Events Every Nonprofit Should Track​

Once Google Analytics 4 is set up, the next step is deciding what to measure. GA4 automatically tracks some activity, but for a nonprofit, it’s important to focus on the actions that tie directly to your mission and goals.

Here are five key events every nonprofit should consider tracking:

  1. Donation Completions
    Whether donations are made through a form, third-party platform, or embedded checkout, this is the most important event to capture. Track the thank-you page visit or set up a custom event that fires when a donation is successfully submitted.
  2. Newsletter Sign-Ups
    Email remains one of the most effective tools for nonprofit engagement. Track when someone subscribes to your newsletter so you can measure lead generation and optimize sign-up forms.
  3. Volunteer Form Submissions
    If your organization relies on volunteers, this is just as valuable as a donation. Tracking submissions helps you understand how effective your recruitment efforts are and where interested people are coming from.
  4. Resource Downloads
    Many nonprofits offer impact reports, guides, or PDFs. Tracking these downloads helps you see what content people value and which topics generate the most interest.
  5. Event Registrations
    Whether you’re promoting a fundraiser, webinar, or community event, event sign-ups are a strong signal of engagement. Set up a custom event or use a thank-you page to capture this data.

Tracking these actions gives you a clearer picture of what’s working, so you can focus your time and budget on the efforts that drive real results.

Common Mistakes Nonprofits Make in GA4

Google Analytics 4 is a powerful tool, but like any platform, it’s easy to misconfigure or overlook key settings—especially when resources are limited. Here are some of the most common mistakes nonprofits make when using GA4:

  1. Not Setting Up Conversions
    GA4 doesn’t automatically know what counts as a meaningful action for your organization. If you don’t mark key events like donations or form submissions as conversions, you’ll miss the metrics that matter most.
  2. Ignoring Internal Traffic
    Staff members and board members visiting the site can skew your data. Be sure to filter out internal IP addresses so you’re analyzing real visitor behavior, not internal testing or usage.
  3. Forgetting to Connect Google Ads or Search Console
    GA4 becomes much more valuable when it’s connected to the rest of your marketing tools. Linking your accounts allows you to track paid campaign performance, SEO impact, and keyword visibility in one place.
  4. Relying Only on Default Reports
    The default reports in GA4 are helpful, but they won’t show everything. Without setting up custom events or exploring the “Explore” reports, you may miss opportunities to uncover trends and insights.
  5. Not Being Transparent About Tracking
    Privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA apply to nonprofits too. Make sure you have a proper cookie consent banner and clearly communicate what data is being collected, especially if you’re collecting personally identifiable information.

Avoiding these mistakes will help you get more accurate data, build better strategies, and gain deeper insights into how people are engaging with your mission.

How to Use GA4 Data to Improve Your Nonprofit Marketing

Setting up GA4 is just the beginning. The real value comes from using the data to make informed decisions that move your mission forward.

Here are a few ways to put your analytics to work:

  1. Find Out What Drives Donations
    Look at the traffic sources that lead to the most donation completions. Are people giving after coming from email, organic search, or social media? Double down on what’s working and rethink what isn’t.
  2. Improve Your Content Strategy
    Use engagement metrics to see which pages people are reading and where they’re dropping off. Content that holds attention or leads to action (like a newsletter sign-up or download) should guide your editorial calendar.
  3. Optimize the Donation Flow
    Track the full path visitors take from landing on your site to completing a donation. If people are dropping off midway, consider testing your copy, layout, or button placement to improve conversion rates.
  4. Segment Your Audience
    GA4 lets you compare behavior between different groups—new vs. returning visitors, mobile vs. desktop, or even volunteers vs. donors. These insights can help you personalize your messaging and outreach.
  5. Justify Campaign Spend
    If you’re running ads through Google Ad Grants or paid campaigns, GA4 can help you report on ROI. Show exactly how many form completions or donations came from a specific campaign.

When you regularly check your GA4 data and use it to guide your decisions, you can make your marketing smarter, your outreach more effective, and your impact easier to measure.

  1. Optimize Website Content for Search Engines
  • Use relevant, mission-driven keywords that potential donors and grant providers search for (e.g., “education nonprofit grants” or “support literacy programs”).
  • Create high-quality, informative content such as blogs, impact reports, and success stories that align with donor interests.
  • Structure pages with clear headings, meta descriptions, and alt text for accessibility and search engine indexing.
  1. Leverage Local SEO for Greater Reach
  • Register with Google Business Profile to appear in local searches.
  • Include location-specific keywords to attract regional donors and corporate sponsors.
  • Get listed in nonprofit directories and relevant local listings to improve credibility.
  1. Earn Backlinks from Reputable Sources
  • Partner with media outlets, bloggers, and industry leaders to get featured in news articles and resource pages.
  • Seek guest blogging opportunities or collaborations with businesses and other nonprofits to gain high-quality backlinks.
  1. Utilize Social Media and Digital PR
  • Share impactful stories, donor testimonials, and event updates on platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.
  • Engage with corporate sponsors and potential partners by tagging them in relevant content and participating in online discussions.
  • Run social media campaigns that drive traffic to your website, increasing SEO rankings and brand awareness.
  1. Implement a Strong Email and Content Marketing Strategy
  • Create a newsletter with regular updates, donation appeals, and engagement opportunities.
  • Develop an educational blog series that provides valuable insights into your nonprofit’s mission and work.
  • Repurpose content across multiple platforms (e.g., turn a blog post into a video or infographic) to maximize reach.
  1. Use Google Ad Grants for Nonprofits
  • Apply for up to $10,000/month in free Google Ads through the Google Ad Grants program to drive targeted traffic to your site.
  • Optimize ad campaigns to target high-intent keywords related to donations and sponsorship opportunities.
  1. Integrate Donation Platforms and CRM Systems
  • Use platforms like Donorbox, Classy, or GiveWP to enable seamless, secure, and mobile-friendly donation processing.
  • Set up recurring donation options to encourage long-term financial commitments from donors.

Bonus: Other Google Tools for Nonprofits

Google Analytics is just one piece of the puzzle. Google offers several other tools that can help nonprofits boost visibility, track results, and save time—all at no cost through the Google for Nonprofits program.

Here are a few worth exploring:

  1. Google Ad Grants
    Eligible nonprofits receive up to $10,000 per month in free Google Search advertising. When paired with GA4, you can see exactly which keywords and campaigns are driving the most valuable actions.
  2. Google Tag Manager
    A must-have for managing website tracking without touching your code. Tag Manager works hand-in-hand with GA4 and lets you add new events or pixels quickly and safely.
  3. Looker Studio
    Formerly Google Data Studio, this tool turns your GA4 data into easy-to-read dashboards. You can create custom reports for your team, board members, or funders to clearly show your digital performance.
  4. Google Workspace for Nonprofits
    Offers free access to tools like Gmail, Docs, Sheets, and Drive, helping your team collaborate more efficiently and stay organized.

Together, these tools give your nonprofit the data, structure, and visibility needed to grow your digital impact—without adding to your budget.

Conclusion

Google Analytics 4 may feel like a big shift, but it is a valuable opportunity for nonprofits to gain clarity about what is working online. When configured properly, GA4 gives you a clear picture of how people are finding your site, what they are engaging with, and which actions are moving your mission forward.

Whether you are tracking donations, volunteer sign-ups, or engagement with key content, the data in GA4 can help you focus your efforts, improve your campaigns, and better communicate your impact.

If you could use support with setup, tracking, or strategy, feel free to reach out. We offer free audits and are always happy to help nonprofits make the most of their data.