What is Google Ad Grants?

If you work for a nonprofit, you know that every dollar counts. Getting your message in front of new donors, volunteers, and beneficiaries is essential, but advertising costs can add up fast. That's where Google Ad Grants comes in, offering eligible organizations a chance to stand on equal footing with for-profit advertisers on Google Search. This guide breaks down what the program is, who qualifies, and how you can use it to amplify your mission without spending a dime on ad clicks.

What Exactly Is Google Ad Grants?

Google Ad Grants is the nonprofit edition of Google Ads, the platform that puts ads at the top of a Google search results page. Through this program, Google provides qualifying 501(c)(3) organizations with $10,000 per month (that's a daily budget of about $329) in free, in-kind advertising credit to be used on the Google Search Network.

In simple terms, Google is giving your organization a massive gift card every month to show your text ads to people actively searching for information related to your cause. Whether you’re trying to attract donors for a new fundraising campaign, recruit volunteers for a community cleanup, or raise awareness for your services, the Ad Grant helps you reach an audience that’s already looking for a cause. This isn’t a one-time donation, it’s a recurring monthly budget that empowers you to drive traffic, awareness, and action consistently.

Who is Eligible for a Google Ad Grant?

The program is generous, but it comes with a specific set of eligibility requirements to ensure it supports legitimate charitable organizations. To qualify, your organization must:

Be a validly registered charity. In the United States, this means you must have 501(c)(3) status. Similar statuses apply in other eligible countries. Your organization has to be validated through Google for Nonprofits, which partners with organizations like TechSoup to verify nonprofit status.
Have a high-quality website. Your website acts as the destination for your ads, so Google requires it to be secure (use HTTPS), provide clear information about your mission, be free of broken links, and function well. A thin, slow, or outdated website can put your eligibility at risk.
Agree to Google’s standard certifications. You must agree to and abide by Google’s policies regarding non-discrimination and the handling of donations.

However, it's also important to note who is not eligible. The following types of organizations generally do not qualify:

Governmental organizations and entities.
Hospitals and healthcare organizations.
Schools, childcare centers, academic institutions, and universities (though philanthropic arms of educational institutions are eligible).

How the Google Ad Grant Works: A-Z Breakdown

Getting started with the Ad Grant follows a clear path from verification to launching your first campaign. Here's what the process looks like.

1. Get Approved for Google for Nonprofits

Before you can even think about ads, your organization must be approved for the Google for Nonprofits program. This is the central hub for accessing various Google products for free, including the Ad Grant, G Suite legacy, and YouTube Nonprofit Program. The first step involves submitting your organization's information to be verified by Google’s partner, TechSoup. This process can take a few business days.

2. Activate Your Ad Grants Account

Once you are approved for Google for Nonprofits, an option to activate your Ad Grant will become available in your dashboard. You’ll be guided through a series of pre-qualification checks and given instructions to create a Google Ads account. Crucially, this must be a new account created specifically for the grant, with the currency set to USD, and no billing information is entered.

3. Build and Structure Your Campaigns

With an active account, it’s time to start building your ads. Google Ad Grants requires your account to be well-structured to ensure a good user experience. This means following a few key principles:

Campaign Type: All campaigns must be Search Network campaigns that use keyword-based targeting. You cannot use the grant for Display, Video (YouTube), or Shopping ads.
Keywords: The keywords you bid on must be directly related to your nonprofit’s programs and services. Highly generic or single-word keywords are generally disallowed.
Linking: All ads must point to a landing page on the domain approved in your initial application.
Basic Account Structure: You need at least two active ad groups per campaign and at least two active text ads per ad group. This basic structure helps test what messaging resonates best with your audience.

4. Set Your Bid Strategy

In the past, Ad Grant accounts had a strict manual bid cap of $2.00 per click. However, the program now requires all accounts to use a conversion-based Smart Bidding strategy, such as Maximize conversions. This is a game-changer. Instead of setting manual bids yourself, Google's AI will automatically manage your bids to get you the most donations, sign-ups, or other valuable actions within your daily $329 budget. This makes conversion tracking absolutely essential - you literally cannot run your account without it.

The "Rules": Staying Compliant with Ad Grant Policies

Receiving the grant is one thing, keeping it is another. Google has strict compliance policies to ensure Grantees aren’t running low-quality ads that weaken the search results. Failure to meet these requirements can lead to account suspension.

Maintain a 5% Click-Through Rate (CTR): The average CTR for all your ads and keywords must be at least 5% each month. If you dip below this threshold for two consecutive months, your account may be temporarily paused. This policy encourages you to create relevant ads and use well-targeted keywords.
Use Strong Keywords: Your targeting has to be specific. Single-word keywords (except for your own brand, certain medical conditions, etc.) are prohibited. You must also avoid overly broad keywords that don't reflect user intent, like "free ebooks" or "daily news." All keywords must also have a Quality Score of 3 or higher.
Implement Conversion Tracking: As mentioned, this is no longer optional. You must have valid conversion tracking set up, and you must have recorded at least one conversion in the last month to stay compliant. Meaningful actions like volunteer sign-ups, donations, or contact form submissions are great examples.
Have Specific Geotargeting: Your campaigns must be targeted to locations where your nonprofit’s services are relevant.
Respond to Invitations: You are required to complete an annual program survey sent via email to maintain your grant status.

Best Practices to Maximize Your $10,000 Grant

With a clear understanding of the rules, you can focus on building a high-impact account that makes a difference. Here are a few tips:

Focus on Mission-Based, Long-Tail Keywords

Instead of bidding on a broad, highly competitive keyword like “charity,” target more specific long-tail phrases that show clear intent. For example:

An animal shelter might target "adopt senior pitbulls in Miami" instead of just "adopt a dog."
A food bank might target "food pantry open today near me" rather than just "food assistance."

These terms have less competition, are more affordable to bid on (even with free money), and connect you with an audience that knows exactly what they want.

Craft Compelling, Mission-Driven Ad Copy

Your ad is your elevator pitch. It should resonate emotionally and end with a clear call to action (CTA). Don't just say what you do, say why it matters.

Before: Food Bank for Anytown - Food Pantry Info
After: End Hunger in Anytown | Donate Now & Double Your Impact | Your $1 Provides 8 Meals Locally

Use Ad Extensions To Stand Out

Ad extensions allow you to include extra information in your ads at no additional cost, making your ad bigger and more useful.

Sitelinks: Link directly to specific pages on your site, like "Volunteer," "Donate," or "About Our Mission."
Callouts: Highlight key selling points, such as "Founded in 1985," "100% of Donations Help," or "Join 5,000+ Supporters."

Having at least two active sitelink extensions is a grant requirement, so start here.

Create High-Quality Landing Pages

Where your users land after clicking an ad is just as important as the ad itself. A good landing page is directly relevant to the ad copy and keyword, has a clear call to action, and is mobile-friendly. If your ad promises information on volunteering, the landing page should deliver exactly that - not your website homepage. A strong ad that leads to a confusing page is a guaranteed way to waste your free clicks.

Final Thoughts

The Google Ad Grant provides an incredible opportunity for nonprofits to increase their visibility and drive meaningful actions through free advertising. By following the best practices for setup, campaign management, and compliance, your organization can effectively use this $10,000 per month budget to reach more people and amplify your impact on the world.

Maintaining a high-performing Ad Grant campaign requires keeping a close eye on your performance data, from click-through rates in Google Ads to user engagement in Google Analytics. We know manual reporting can be a serious drain on a nonprofit's already limited time and resources. Instead of spending hours pulling CSVs to understand how ad clicks lead to donations, we built Graphed to do the heavy lifting for you. By connecting your Google Ads and Analytics accounts, you can build dashboards and get insights simply by asking questions in plain English, helping you focus more on your mission and less on spreadsheets.