🔤 Lokalise for Nonprofits

Lokalise's AI translation feature uses GPT-5, Claude, and other advanced models to translate content at scale. Unlike basic machine translation, the AI is enriched with your project's glossary (e.g., "donate" always translates consistently), style guides (formal vs. conversational tone), and context from surrounding text. Smart routing automatically selects the best AI model for each language pair—GPT-5 might excel at Spanish, while Claude performs better for Japanese.

For nonprofits, this means you can translate a fundraising email into 20 languages in minutes, with terminology that matches your brand voice and previous translations. The AI also respects 100% matches from translation memory, so previously translated phrases aren't re-processed (saving costs and ensuring consistency).

Translation memory is a database of every translation your team has ever created. When new content contains phrases that match previous translations (50%+ similarity), Lokalise automatically suggests those translations in the editor. 100% matches are applied automatically, skipping AI translation entirely.

For example, if your "Donate Now" button has been translated into Spanish as "Done Ahora" across 50 pages, translation memory ensures the 51st page uses the same translation—no manual lookup required. This is especially valuable for nonprofits with recurring content like monthly newsletters, annual reports, or fundraising campaigns that share similar language.

Lokalise integrates with 60+ platforms including WordPress (for websites), Figma (for design files), GitHub (for app development), Slack (for team notifications), Shopify (for e-commerce), and Contentful (for content management). Most integrations work with a few clicks—no custom development required.

The Figma integration is particularly popular: designers create mockups with placeholder text, Lokalise extracts translatable content, translators work in the web editor with visual context (screenshots of the design), and translated text syncs back to Figma automatically. This eliminates the "lost in translation" problem where text doesn't fit the design after translation.

For nonprofits with custom apps or databases, the REST API allows developers to build custom integrations. For example, you could automatically extract donation page text from your CRM, send it to Lokalise for translation, and push translations back—all without manual file uploads.

Lokalise differentiates between "basic seats" (translators and reviewers) and "advanced seats" (managers, developers, admins). Basic seats are unlimited on all plans—only advanced seats count toward your plan limit. This is perfect for nonprofits managing volunteer translators across multiple languages.

The web-based editor allows volunteers to contribute from anywhere, with project chat for questions, task assignments for organization, and progress tracking for accountability. Role-based permissions ensure volunteers can only edit their assigned languages, preventing accidental changes to other content. This makes volunteer coordination scalable: you could have 100 Spanish volunteers, 50 French volunteers, and 30 Arabic volunteers all working simultaneously without confusion or extra costs.

Lokalise's automation feature allows you to create custom workflows without coding. For example: "When new content is uploaded to the WordPress integration, automatically trigger AI translation for Spanish and French, then notify our human reviewers on Slack." These workflows run in the background, freeing your team from manual coordination.

Common nonprofit automation scenarios include: detecting outdated translations when source content changes, automatically applying translation memory before triggering AI (to save costs), sending weekly progress reports to project managers, and triggering quality assurance checks before publishing translations to your website. The free plan includes 1 automation; paid plans unlock more complex multi-step workflows.

Lokalise supports 400+ languages including major global languages (Spanish, French, Arabic, Mandarin Chinese), regional dialects (Latin American Spanish vs. European Spanish), and rare languages (Karen, Hmong, Somali). This comprehensive coverage ensures you can reach refugee communities, indigenous populations, and diaspora groups regardless of language.

The AI translation engine intelligently handles right-to-left languages (Arabic, Hebrew), character-based languages (Chinese, Japanese), and gendered languages (French, Spanish) with appropriate grammar and cultural nuances. You can also localize date formats, number formats, and currency symbols automatically—ensuring "10/15/2026" displays as "15.10.2026" in European languages.

Sign up for Lokalise's free plan (no credit card required) at lokalise.com. Create your first project and choose 2 target languages relevant to your nonprofit's communities (e.g., English → Spanish and Arabic). Upload a sample document (e.g., your nonprofit's mission statement or a one-page program flyer) to test the translation workflow.

The free plan's 10,000 word annual limit is enough to translate approximately 20 one-page documents, allowing you to thoroughly evaluate Lokalise before committing budget. Use this trial period to test AI translation quality, translation memory features, and the web editor interface.

Connect Lokalise to a platform you already use—WordPress (if you have a website), Slack (for team notifications), or Figma (if you create marketing materials). Most integrations take 5-10 minutes to set up following Lokalise's step-by-step documentation at docs.lokalise.com.

For example, the WordPress integration allows you to select which pages/posts to translate, automatically extract content into Lokalise, and push translations back to your website—all without manual file uploads. This hands-on experience will help you understand how Lokalise fits into your existing workflow.

Use Lokalise's AI translation feature to generate first drafts in your target languages. Create a custom glossary with 10-15 key terms specific to your nonprofit (e.g., "case manager," "food pantry," "trauma-informed care") to improve AI accuracy. Then invite a bilingual staff member or volunteer to review the AI output in the web editor.

This hybrid approach—AI for speed, humans for quality—is how most nonprofits use Lokalise effectively. Measure how much time your reviewer saves compared to translating from scratch (typically 50-70% time reduction). Document any AI errors or cultural nuances that required correction for your evaluation.

After 2-4 weeks of testing, evaluate Lokalise's value: Did AI translation save time? Was the web editor intuitive for your team? Do the integrations reduce manual work? If yes, consider upgrading to the Start plan ($120/month, or less with nonprofit discount) to unlock unlimited languages and projects.

Before upgrading, contact Lokalise sales (lokalise.com/pricing) to inquire about nonprofit discounts. Provide your 501(c)(3) documentation and explain your use case—organizations often receive 10-30% discounts, though the exact amount varies.

Alternative: If your needs remain modest (2 languages, 1 project), you can continue using the free plan indefinitely—it's not a time-limited trial. Many small nonprofits successfully operate on the free plan for years.

Lokalise offers a free plan with 2 target languages, 1 project, and 10,000 processed words annually—perfect for small nonprofits testing translation workflows. Nonprofits are eligible for a discount on paid plans, though the specific percentage isn't publicly disclosed. Open source projects get Lokalise for free. Contact their sales team to inquire about nonprofit pricing and eligibility requirements.

Yes. Lokalise supports 400+ languages, making it suitable for nonprofits operating in diverse global communities. The AI translation feature uses models like GPT-5 and Claude, which automatically select the best engine for each language pair. Translation memory ensures consistency across languages, and you can collaborate with in-house translators or hire professionals through the platform.

Lokalise offers 60+ out-of-the-box integrations including WordPress (for websites), Figma (for design files), GitHub (for development), Slack (for notifications), Shopify (for e-commerce), and Contentful (for content management). The REST API allows custom integrations with your CRM, donor management system, or other platforms. Most nonprofits can connect Lokalise to their tech stack without custom development.

Lokalise's AI translation uses advanced models (GPT-5, Claude) enriched with your project's glossary, style guides, and context for improved accuracy. Translation memory automatically applies 100% matches from previous translations, ensuring consistency. However, AI works best for initial drafts—human review is recommended for sensitive content like fundraising appeals, legal documents, or culturally nuanced messaging. Many nonprofits use a hybrid approach: AI for speed, humans for quality assurance.

Not necessarily. The web-based editor is beginner-friendly for translators and project managers. Basic integrations like WordPress, Figma, and Slack can be set up with a few clicks. However, advanced features like automations, GitHub sync, and API integrations may require developer assistance during initial setup. Once configured, day-to-day translation work doesn't require technical skills.

If you exceed the free plan quotas (2 languages, 10,000 words annually, 1 project), export functionality becomes unavailable until you upgrade to a paid plan. You won't lose your translations—they remain in the system. You can upgrade to the Start plan ($120/month) for unlimited languages, more projects, and higher word limits. Contact Lokalise about nonprofit discounts before upgrading.

Yes. Lokalise includes unlimited basic seats for translators and reviewers—only advanced seats (managers, developers) count toward your plan limit. This makes it ideal for nonprofits managing volunteer translators across multiple languages. The web-based editor allows volunteers to contribute from anywhere, with project chat for collaboration and task assignments for organization.