Hosting for Non-profitsConsidering how valuable it has become for a businesses to have an online presence, the same can be said for non-profit organizations like charity groups, churches, educational and government institutions. Of particular advantage to them is the fact that there are Web hosting providers that specifically target the non-profit niche, many of them offering low-price or free Web hosting packages.nnNon-profit websites can often be identified by their extensions, with .org, .edu and .gov being some of the most common, depending on the type of organization. Although .org domains are available for general public registration, it has become widely accepted as a non-profit domain while .edu and .gov are only available for registration under strict conditions.nnSome of the organizations that fall into the non-profit category include animal rescue organizations, blood banks, churches, cultural organizations, disaster relief organizations, government and educational organizations, food banks, health and medical support groups, school extracurricular groups, teacher’s organizations and volunteer fire and EMS services. Each has their own specific ways in which they stand to benefit from operating a website.nnAlthough some Web hosts may ask you to prove your 501(c)(3) status, many do not and simply ask you to fill out an application form for review or allow you to set up an account on the basis of trust. For the most part, these niche Web hosts want to know that your organization is serving the public good and can’t necessarily afford regular Web hosting prices.nnThinkHost (thinkhost.com/socialchange/free-hosting.shtml) offers free hosting to US-based registered non-profit organizations whose primary focus is environment, grass roots democracy, peace, social/economic justice or human rights. The free plan comes with 1,025MB of disk space, 35GB of bandwidth, 250 POP3 email accounts as well as free website templates. If your organization is a non-profit but not registered or doesn’t fit right into ThinkHost’s preferred criteria, you’re still eligible for a free setup and six percent discount off ThinkHost’s two-year plan.nn1-2-Wonder Web Services (12wonderwebservices.com/npcs.php) offers free hosting services for non-profits that are actively doing something to help or further the good in their own local communities. You’re eligible for free hosting here if your organization is a non-profit with its main office in the US or Canada and is dedicated to local community service in your own geographic area. The packages come with 12MB of disk space, 200MB of bandwidth, 10 POP3 email accounts and free hosting support on a time-allowing, as-available basis.nnOther Web hosts that provide their services to non-profits include Acornhost (acornhost.com), which offers 1GB of disk space and 25GB of bandwidth for $3.95 per month and NP Web Hosting (npwebhosting.com), which offers 3,000MB of disk space, 40GB of bandwidth and 100 POP3 email accounts for $7.95 per month or $59.70 per year.