Free, fully-managed
.org domains
Free For Charity registers, pays for, and manages your nonprofit's .org domain in our Cloudflare account — with your team added as domain admins. It's part of our all-in program: domain, Microsoft 365 email, and a website, all handled for you.
How the free domain program works
You don't buy a domain, wrangle a registrar, or run DNS. When your charity joins Free For Charity, we register (or transfer in) your .org name, hold and manage it in our Cloudflare account, and pay the renewal every year. You and your team simply get added as domain admins so you always have access.
The first step is always the same: complete FFC onboarding. Then your website is built and validated on free GitHub Pages hosting — and only after your site is proven do we buy your domain and set up email.
CHECK YOUR .ORG — AND PICK A NAME THAT WORKS
See if your charity’s .org is available, and we’ll flag near-matches (a .com or .net someone else owns) that could confuse donors or hurt your SEO. Check names as early as you like — we register your .org for you, free, once your website is live and validated on its GitHub Pages address.
Rules for a name that works
- Shorter beats clever. People type it on phones and read it on flyers — aim for 2–3 words.
- Say it aloud. If you have to spell it or explain a pun, keep looking.
- Skip hyphens and numbers unless your legal name demands one.
- Match your everyday name, not your full legal name — if everyone says “Hope Pantry,” hopepantry.org beats hopecommunityfoodpantryinc.org.
- Check the words at the seams when words run together.
Why .org, and who owns it
.org has meant “nonprofit” to the public since 1985 — donors trust it and search engines expect it for charities, and it’s almost always more available than .com.
Free For Charity pays for and renews your .org (about $16.50/year — our cost, never yours) and holds the registration and DNS so renewals never lapse and security stays configured. Your organization’s right to the name is documented, and transfer-out is always available on request — you’re never locked in. And “wrong” is recoverable: you can add a better domain later and redirect the old one.
HOW YOUR DOMAIN WORKS — IN FOUR STEPS
Free For Charity holds and manages your domain in our Cloudflare account — you never have to run a registrar or edit DNS yourself. Domains come after your website: we only spend money on a domain once your site is live and validated on its free GitHub Pages address. Then you create a personal Cloudflare login so we can add you (and anyone else on your team) as a domain admin.
Step 2
Your website goes live and is validated on its free GitHub Pages address
How your website works
Step 4
Create a free personal Cloudflare account — we add you as a domain admin and manage DNS for you
Create a Cloudflare accountYou have two supported options: have us register a brand new .org domain, or transfer a domain you already own into Free For Charity's Cloudflare Registrar. Both order forms ask for the live GitHub Pages address of your validated website — that's the gate that unlocks the purchase. Transferring a domain you already own? You'll also need your current registrar, the authorization (EPP) code, and the domain unlocked with WHOIS privacy turned off before you start.
YOUR DOMAIN IS MANAGED IN CLOUDFLARE
Your domain is registered and managed for you in Cloudflare by Free For Charity. There is nothing for you to verify — unlike a traditional registrar, there are no verification emails that you need to act on.
So what do you actually do? Just one thing: get admin access.
Step 1
Create a free personal Cloudflare account and send us the email address you used. We add that email as a domain admin on your organization's domain — repeat for anyone on your team who needs access.
New to Cloudflare? Our step-by-step guide walks you through creating your free personal account with two-factor authentication so it's ready for our invite. One important rule: don't add your domain to your personal account — we manage it for you in the FFC Cloudflare account.
Cloudflare account setup guide on FFC Admin(opens FFC Admin in a new tab)There are a few things to keep in mind.
There are no verification emails to accept — Free For Charity manages your domain in Cloudflare on your behalf.
Need a DNS record or any domain change? Open a support ticket and an FFC volunteer will take care of it for you.
Add as many teammates as you need — send us each person's Cloudflare account email and we grant them domain-admin access.
Step 2
Any DNS or domain change goes through a support ticket. You can view your domain anytime by accessing our system with the account you created at checkout.
https://freeforcharity.org/hubHave any Question
If at anytime after your order has been placed you have any questions about your domain please contact
HOW TO SET UP EMAIL HOSTING FOR THE NEW DOMAIN
Email hosting means you get email addresses at your own domain — like board@yourcharity.org. It's a 501(c)(3) benefit: eligible nonprofits get it free through Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace.
Step 1
Select an email provider
Choose the provider that fits your charity: Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace. Both are free for eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofits and come with many additional collaboration services at no cost.
Step 2
Set up a Microsoft 365 Business Premium account
Follow the following simple steps to set up your Microsoft 365 Business Premium Account
See the Microsoft 365 setup stepsStep 3
Or set up a Google Workspace account
Prefer Google? Follow these simple steps to set up your Google Workspace for Nonprofits account
See the Google Workspace setup stepsFollow the full Microsoft 365 email setup guide on the FFC Admin portal.
Full Microsoft 365 email guide on FFC Admin(opens FFC Admin in a new tab)Prefer Google? Follow the full Google Workspace for Nonprofits setup guide.
Full Google Workspace email guide(opens FFC Admin in a new tab)- Go to https://nonprofit.microsoft.com/en-us/getting-started and register now or ‘login’
- Complete the Microsoft 365 forms and get your initial ‘approved’ status
- ‘Buy’ the Microsoft 365 Business Premium package
1. Currently, you get 10 free accounts - NOTE: If you are Pre-501c3 or not a nonprofit then you can buy the plan directly
1. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/business/compare-all-microsoft-365-business-products
2. It’s worth the cost while you work to get 501(c)(3) Status
- NOTE: Save the account name and password that you set up as well as the subdomain e.g. yourcharity.onmicrosoft.com
1. We use lastpass.com for our charity password management - Link your new domain to the Microsoft 365 admin center
1. Follow all steps in the Microsoft Guide “Add a Domain to Microsoft 365”
2. (https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/admin/setup/add-domain?view=o365-worldwide)
3. You will need your Cloudflare Username and Password from before but if you are still logged in this will help
4. If you get stuck, you can put in a ticket with Microsoft and text Clarke Moyer at 520-222-8104
DOMAIN NAME COUPON CODE Thank you for choosing us to help with your domain name and email setup. Complete the onboarding form for either 501c3 or pre-501c3 and the code arrives in the email confirmation that comes after you finish — hold onto it. The domain order itself unlocks later, once your website is live and validated on its free GitHub Pages address. If you run into any questions, contact Clarke Moyer (520) 222-8104.
AND A WEBSITE TO GO WITH IT
Your website comes first — the domain and email follow it. Free For Charity builds each charity a fast, secure static website on GitHub Pages from the FFC template, validates it live on its free GitHub Pages address, and then registers your .org and points it there. New builds run on a backlog — we aim to support 100 charities a year — and how quickly your site goes live depends mainly on how ready your content is.