Glide for Nonprofits
Your volunteer coordinator uses a paper sign-in sheet. Your program manager tracks participants in a spreadsheet nobody else can access. Your staff asks "Is there an app for that?" every week—and the answer is always "We can't afford custom development." Glide changes that equation. In minutes, you can turn any Google Sheet or Airtable base into a beautiful, functional app that works on any device. No coding. No app store approval. Just the custom tools your nonprofit actually needs.
What It Does
Your nonprofit has data everywhere—volunteers in Google Sheets, event RSVPs in a form, inventory in a spreadsheet someone created years ago. The data exists, but accessing it is painful. Volunteers can't check their own schedules. Program managers can't look up participants in the field. Staff members email each other asking for information that's already in a spreadsheet somewhere.
Glide transforms that scattered data into polished mobile and web apps anyone can use. Point it at a Google Sheet or Airtable base, and it automatically generates an app with screens, navigation, and forms. Then customize everything visually—add buttons, filters, charts, and conditional logic without writing code. The result is a professional app that syncs with your data in real-time.
What makes Glide particularly powerful for nonprofits is what you can build without developer resources: volunteer portals where people check in and log hours, event registration apps with QR code scanning, inventory management for food banks, field data collection for program staff, donor lookup tools for events, and internal directories that actually get used. These are apps that would cost $10,000-50,000 to build custom—and you can create them in an afternoon.
Best For
Organization Size
Small to mid-sized nonprofits (5-100 staff) that need custom apps but lack development resources. Also valuable for larger organizations that want to empower departments to build their own tools without waiting for IT.
Best Use Cases
- Volunteer portals for scheduling, check-in, and hour tracking
- Event check-in apps with QR codes and real-time attendance
- Inventory management for food banks, supply rooms, and equipment
- Field data collection for program staff and outreach teams
- Internal tools like staff directories, resource libraries, and request forms
- Client-facing portals for program participants to track their own progress
Ideal For
Operations Managers, Program Coordinators, Volunteer Managers, and anyone who thinks "We need an app for that" but doesn't have a developer budget.
Key Features for Nonprofits
Spreadsheet to App
Your data, instantly usable
Connect a Google Sheet, Airtable base, or Excel file and Glide generates an app automatically. Every row becomes a record, every column becomes a field. Changes sync in real-time both directions.
- Google Sheets sync (Maker plan+)
- Airtable integration (Business plan+)
- Real-time bidirectional sync
Mobile-First Apps
Works on any device
Glide creates Progressive Web Apps that work like native mobile apps—installable on home screens, working offline, and responsive on any screen size. No app store approval needed.
- Installable on iOS and Android
- Works on desktop browsers too
- Share with a simple link
Visual App Builder
Drag, drop, done
Build screens visually with 40+ pre-built components. Add forms, lists, charts, buttons, and more. Customize layouts, colors, and branding without touching code.
- 40+ UI components
- Custom themes and branding
- Responsive layouts
Automations & Workflows
Actions that happen automatically
Trigger actions when data changes—send emails, update records, call webhooks, or notify team members. Build conditional logic without code.
- Email and webhook triggers
- Conditional logic and rules
- Scheduled automations
Glide AI
Built-in AI capabilities
Generate apps from descriptions, use AI agents that draft emails and extract data, and add AI-powered features to your apps without coding.
- AI-generated app scaffolding
- AI agents for data extraction
- AI-enhanced automations
Access Controls
Right data to right people
Control who sees what with row-level security, user roles, and visibility conditions. Volunteers see only their own data while admins see everything.
- Row-level permissions
- User roles and teams
- Conditional visibility
Glide AI: Built-In Intelligence
Glide has integrated AI throughout its platform to accelerate app development and add intelligent features without coding. These AI capabilities are available across all paid plans and transform what nonprofits can build.
AI App Generation
Describe what you need, Glide builds it
Tell Glide what kind of app you want to build in plain language, and it generates the complete app structure—screens, navigation, forms, and components. Instead of starting from scratch, you get a working prototype in seconds that you can customize.
- Natural language app creation
- Instant app scaffolding and structure
- Iterative refinement with prompts
Example: "Build a volunteer check-in app with shift schedules and hour tracking" → Complete app in 30 seconds.
AI Agents for Data Tasks
Autonomous AI that works with your data
Deploy AI agents that automatically draft emails, extract information from documents, summarize text, categorize data, and perform other intelligent tasks as records are created or updated. No API calls to external services needed.
- Auto-draft personalized communications
- Extract structured data from text
- Categorize and tag content automatically
Nonprofit use case: Volunteer submits availability → AI drafts personalized shift invitation email automatically.
AI-Enhanced Workflows
Smart automations with AI
Combine Glide's workflow automation with AI actions. Trigger AI-powered tasks based on data changes, user actions, or scheduled times. Build sophisticated automation without writing code.
- AI actions in workflow automations
- Conditional AI processing
- Multi-step intelligent workflows
Example: New donation → AI categorizes donor interest → Routes to appropriate staff member → Sends personalized thank you.
Smart Data Enrichment
AI fills in missing information
Use AI to automatically enrich your data—generate descriptions, create summaries, fill in missing fields, or suggest categorizations. Your data becomes more complete and useful without manual effort.
- Auto-generate descriptions and summaries
- Suggest tags and categories
- Extract insights from text fields
Nonprofit use case: Add program participant name → AI generates initial assessment summary from intake notes.
AI Available Across All Paid Plans
Unlike some platforms where AI features are gated to expensive tiers, Glide AI is available on the Maker plan ($25/month). This makes intelligent app building accessible to nonprofits without enterprise budgets.
Note: AI actions consume "updates" from your plan quota. The Maker plan includes 500 updates/month, while Business includes 5,000/month. Monitor usage if building apps with heavy AI automation.
Real-World Nonprofit Use Case
A regional food bank coordinated 200+ volunteers across 15 distribution sites. Volunteer scheduling was managed in a massive Google Sheet that only the volunteer coordinator could navigate. Volunteers would show up at the wrong location, forget their shifts, or not know what to do when they arrived. Site managers had no visibility into who was coming.
Using Glide connected to their existing Google Sheets data, they built a volunteer app in two days. Volunteers now log in to see their upcoming shifts, check in with a button tap, and access site-specific instructions. Site managers see real-time attendance. The volunteer coordinator has a dashboard showing coverage across all sites.
The transformation was immediate: no-shows dropped by 60%, the coordinator saved 10+ hours per week managing schedules, and volunteers rated the experience significantly higher. Site managers could finally plan distribution knowing exactly who would be there. The app cost less than a month of the coordinator's salary to build.
Pricing
Free
Great for testing and personal projects
- Up to 25,000 personal users
- 500MB storage
- 40+ components
- Unlimited draft apps
- Glide Tables only (no Google Sheets sync)
- Community support only
Best for: Testing Glide or building simple internal tools with Glide's native database.
Maker
Recommended for nonprofits
- Unlimited personal users
- 25GB storage
- 3 published apps
- Google Sheets sync
- 500 updates included
- Workflows and Glide AI
Best for: Most nonprofits. Unlimited users means volunteers, staff, and participants can all access your apps.
Business
For growing organizations
- 30 users included (+$5/user)
- 500GB storage
- Unlimited published apps
- Airtable and Excel sync
- 5,000 updates included
- Glide API access
Best for: Larger nonprofits needing multiple apps, Airtable integration, or API access.
Enterprise
Custom solutions
- Custom user limits
- 100+ data integrations
- Salesforce, HubSpot, PostgreSQL
- SSO and advanced security
- Dedicated account manager
Best for: Organizations needing enterprise integrations, SSO, or dedicated support.
Understanding Updates
"Updates" in Glide refer to data changes (adding, editing, or deleting records). Each plan includes a certain number:
- • Maker: 500 updates/month ($0.02 per additional)
- • Business: 5,000 updates/month ($0.02 per additional)
- • High-traffic apps (many users adding data daily) may need Business plan
No Nonprofit Discount Available
Unlike some other no-code tools, Glide does not currently offer a nonprofit discount. When asked about nonprofit pricing, Glide has stated: "No, we don't currently offer any special discounts for nonprofits."
However, the Maker plan at $25/month with unlimited personal users is explicitly recommended by Glide for "educators, students, and nonprofit communities." For many nonprofits, this is a reasonable cost for the value provided—especially compared to custom app development.
Nonprofit-Friendly Options:
- 1.Free plan: 25,000 personal users, good for testing or simple apps
- 2.Maker plan ($25/mo): Unlimited users, Google Sheets sync, ideal for most nonprofits
- 3.Annual billing: 20% discount on all paid plans
- 4.14-day trial: Available for Business plan to test advanced features
*Pricing information is subject to change. Please verify current pricing directly with Glide.
Learning Curve
Glide is designed for non-technical users. If you can use a spreadsheet, you can build a Glide app. Most users create their first functional app within an hour. Advanced features like computed columns, conditional visibility, and complex workflows take more time but don't require coding knowledge.
Time to First Value
Account creation: 2 minutes
Sign up with Google or email
First working app: 30-60 minutes
Connect data source and customize screens
Basic proficiency: 1-2 hours
Understand layouts, actions, and visibility
Advanced features: 1-2 weeks
Computed columns, relations, workflows
Technical Requirements
- No coding required
- Spreadsheet experience helpful but not required
- Works in any modern web browser
- Apps work on any device (iOS, Android, desktop)
Support & Resources
- Extensive documentation and tutorials
- Active community forum
- Template library for common use cases
- Express support (Business plan+)
Quick Win: Your First 30 Minutes
- 1.Sign up at glideapps.com (free)
- 2.Choose "Start from template" and pick one that matches your use case
- 3.Explore the app on your phone (scan QR code)
- 4.Edit the data in Glide Tables and watch it update in the app
What you'll learn: How Glide turns data into functional apps, and how fast you can customize screens and add features.
Integration & Compatibility
Data Sources by Plan
What you can connect depends on your plan tier:
Free & Explorer:
- • Glide Tables (native database)
- • CSV/Excel import
- • Google Sheets import (no sync)
Maker:
- • Google Sheets sync (bidirectional)
- • All Free tier sources
Business:
- • Airtable sync
- • Excel sync
- • SQL databases (Big Tables)
Enterprise:
- • Salesforce
- • HubSpot
- • PostgreSQL
- • 100+ integrations
Automation Connections
Extend Glide's capabilities with external automation tools:
- Zapier: Connect to 5,000+ apps (CRMs, email marketing, etc.)
- Make: Complex automation workflows
- Webhooks: Trigger actions in external systems
- Glide API: Custom integrations (Business plan+)
Platform Availability
- Progressive Web App: Works on all devices, installable on home screens
- iOS: Safari, Chrome, or as installed PWA
- Android: Chrome, Edge, or as installed PWA
- Desktop: Full functionality in any modern browser
- Not available: Native iOS/Android apps (no App Store publishing)
Data Portability
- Google Sheets: Data stays in your Google account
- Airtable: Data stays in your Airtable account
- Glide Tables: Export to CSV anytime
- App design: Not exportable (would need to be rebuilt elsewhere)
Pros & Cons
Pros
Incredibly fast app development
Build functional apps in hours instead of months
Truly no-code
Non-technical staff can build and maintain apps
Real-time data sync
Changes in spreadsheets appear instantly in apps
Works on any device
Progressive Web Apps adapt to mobile, tablet, and desktop
No app store hassles
Deploy instantly via link—no Apple/Google approval needed
Unlimited users on Maker plan
$25/month for unlimited volunteers, staff, and participants
Cons
No nonprofit discount
Unlike Airtable (50% off), Glide offers no special nonprofit pricing
Can't publish to app stores
PWAs work well but some users expect App Store apps
Update limits can add up
High-traffic apps may exceed included updates quickly
Design limitations
Less flexibility than custom development—apps follow Glide's patterns
Google Sheets sync requires Maker plan
Free plan only works with Glide's native tables
Vendor lock-in on app design
Data is portable, but app logic would need to be rebuilt elsewhere
Alternatives to Consider
If Glide doesn't feel like the right fit, consider these alternatives:
Airtable
Better for: Data-heavy applications with 50% nonprofit discount
Airtable is primarily a database with app-building features, while Glide focuses on creating polished user-facing apps. Airtable's 50% nonprofit discount makes it significantly cheaper ($12/user/month vs. $25/month for Glide). Choose Airtable if you need robust data management; choose Glide if you need mobile-first apps for volunteers or program participants.
Pro tip: Many organizations use both—Airtable as the database backend, Glide as the user-facing app.
Softr
Better for: Airtable-based web apps and portals
Softr is specifically designed to turn Airtable bases into websites and web apps. It offers a free plan for up to 5 logged-in users and has a cleaner desktop experience than Glide's mobile-first approach. Choose Softr if your primary use case is desktop web apps and you're already committed to Airtable.
Stacker
Better for: Internal team portals and client-facing apps
Stacker connects to Google Sheets, Airtable, and databases to create professional portals. It's particularly strong for building client portals, partner dashboards, and internal tools. Pricing starts higher than Glide, but the interface is more polished for desktop use.
Why choose Glide: Best-in-class mobile experience, fastest time-to-app, and the Maker plan's unlimited users is unmatched for nonprofits with many volunteers or program participants.
Getting Started
Your First 48 Hours with Glide
Sign up and explore (15 minutes)
Create a free account at glideapps.com. Browse the template gallery to see what's possible.
Connect your data (30 minutes)
Start with a Google Sheet you already have—volunteers, events, or inventory. Or create sample data in Glide Tables.
Build your first screen (1-2 hours)
Customize the auto-generated app. Add a list view, detail page, and a form for adding data.
Test with real users (Day 2)
Share the app link with 2-3 colleagues. Gather feedback on what works and what's confusing.
Need Implementation Support?
Building your first Glide app is straightforward, but getting the architecture right for your specific use case can save hours of rebuilding later. If you'd like expert guidance on app design, data structure, or workflow automation, we're here to help.
One Hundred Nights offers implementation support—from quick setup assistance to full-service app development and training.
Contact Us to Learn MoreFrequently Asked Questions
Does Glide offer a nonprofit discount?
No, Glide does not currently offer a nonprofit discount. However, they recommend the Maker plan ($25/month) with its unlimited personal users feature as ideal for educators, students, and nonprofit communities. The Free plan also supports up to 25,000 personal users, making it viable for many nonprofit use cases.
Can I publish Glide apps to the App Store or Google Play?
No, Glide apps cannot be directly published to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. However, Glide apps are Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) that can be installed on any device and work like native apps. Users can add them to their home screen for an app-like experience without going through app store approval processes.
What data sources can Glide connect to?
Glide can connect to multiple data sources depending on your plan. The Free tier uses Glide Tables only. Explorer and Maker plans add Google Sheets sync. Business plans include Airtable and Excel sync. Enterprise plans support 100+ integrations including Salesforce, HubSpot, PostgreSQL, and more.
How long does it take to build an app with Glide?
Many users report building functional apps in under an hour. The drag-and-drop interface and pre-built components make it accessible to non-technical users. Complex apps with multiple screens, workflows, and integrations may take a few days to build and refine.
Is Glide good for nonprofits?
Yes, Glide is excellent for nonprofits that need custom apps without developer resources. It's particularly useful for building volunteer management portals, event check-in systems, donation trackers, inventory management, and internal tools. The main limitation is no nonprofit discount, but the Free and Maker plans are affordable options.
What's the difference between Glide and Airtable?
Airtable is primarily a database with app-building features, while Glide focuses on building mobile and web apps from existing data sources. Airtable offers a 50% nonprofit discount and excels at data management; Glide has no nonprofit discount but creates more polished user-facing apps. Many organizations use both together—Airtable as the database backend and Glide as the front-end app.