Table of Contents
Government and nonprofit backlink sites, on .gov and .org domains, carry strong trust signals and can lift your authority when earned legitimately. This list covers high value sources and the honest methods to get links from them.
What are gov and nonprofit backlink sites?
Government and nonprofit backlink sites are .gov and .org domains that link out to businesses, resources or partners. Because these domains are hard to get and highly trusted, a genuine link from one can meaningfully strengthen your backlink profile. They must be earned through real value, never bought or spammed.
Why gov and nonprofit backlink sites matter
- They carry high trust from authoritative domains
- They are difficult to obtain, so they stand out
- They diversify your profile with premium links
- They can support local and topical authority
- They are earned through legitimate contribution
Government and nonprofit backlink sources
- SBA.gov: US Small Business Administration resources and directories (approx DA 92)
- USA.gov: Official US government portal (approx DA 91)
- Data.gov: Open data listings and contributors (approx DA 89)
- Census.gov: Cite or contribute to data resources (approx DA 90)
- Wikipedia: Earned citations on the .org encyclopedia (approx DA 98)
- Change.org: Campaigns and cause pages (approx DA 91)
- Idealist.org: Nonprofit and volunteer listings (approx DA 82)
- Candid (GuideStar): Nonprofit profiles and directories (approx DA 84)
- VolunteerMatch.org: Volunteer opportunity listings (approx DA 80)
- Care2: Cause and petition community (approx DA 82)
- Local .gov directories: City and council business listings (approx DA 75)
- University .edu resources: Scholarships and resource pages (approx DA 88)
How to use gov and nonprofit backlink sites effectively
- Find relevant .gov and .org pages that link to resources
- Offer genuine value: data, tools, scholarships or services
- Apply to supplier and business directories you qualify for
- Contribute to nonprofits or causes you support
- Follow each site rules and never buy or spam links
Best practices
- Only pursue links you legitimately qualify for
- Lead with real value, not a link request
- Keep contributions genuine and lasting
- Avoid any paid or manipulative schemes
- Track which sources actually link back
For more link building tactics, browse our Sites List guides, and see Moz’s explainer on Domain Authority to understand the DA scores referenced above.
Gov and nonprofit backlink sites FAQ
Overall, the best gov and nonprofit backlink sites combine strong domain authority with genuine relevance to your niche and audience. Review the gov and nonprofit backlink sites listed above, shortlist the ones that fit your goals, and pair them with our social networking sites for backlinks guide to build a natural, diverse link profile.
Why are .gov and .org backlinks valuable?
They come from highly trusted, hard to obtain domains, so a genuine link signals credibility and can strengthen your overall authority.
How do I get a government backlink?
Earn it legitimately: get listed in official business or supplier directories, provide citable data or tools, or offer scholarships and services that relevant .gov or .org pages link to.
Can I buy .gov or .org links?
No. Buying these links violates guidelines and risks penalties. They should only be earned through real value and legitimate participation.
The bottom line
Government and nonprofit backlink sites offer some of the most trusted links available, but only when earned honestly. Target the sources above with genuine value, follow their rules, and treat these as high effort, high reward links.