Google Ad Grants for Nonprofits

How to Get and Use Free Advertising

Imagine reaching thousands of potential donors, volunteers, and advocates each month—without spending a dollar on advertising. That is exactly what the Google Ad Grants program allows nonprofits to do.

Google Ad Grants offers eligible nonprofits up to ten thousand dollars per month in free Google Search ads. Used correctly, this can dramatically increase your visibility, drive more traffic to your website, and help you promote key campaigns and services.

In this post, we will walk you through what Google Ad Grants are, how to apply, and how to make the most of this powerful digital resource.

Table of Contents

• What is Google Ad Grants
• Who is Eligible for Google Ad Grants
• How to Apply for Google Ad Grants
• Setting Up Your Google Ads Account
• How to Use Google Ad Grants Effectively
• Best Practices and Policy Requirements

What is Google Ad Grants

Google Ad Grants is a program that gives eligible nonprofits up to ten thousand dollars each month in in-kind advertising credit on Google Search. These ads appear when people search for terms relevant to your mission.

Unlike display or YouTube ads, these are text-based search ads that appear in Google results pages, helping you drive traffic to your website, event pages, donation forms, and more.

Learn more directly from the Google Ad Grants official page.

Who is Eligible for Google Ad Grants

Most registered 501(c)(3) nonprofits in the United States are eligible, but there are a few restrictions.

Basic eligibility criteria:

• Must hold valid charity status (in the US, that means 501(c)(3) status)
• Must be registered with TechSoup to verify nonprofit status
• Must agree to Google’s non-discrimination and donation receipt policies
• Governmental entities, hospitals, and schools are not eligible

International nonprofits can also apply through their country’s specific charity verification process via TechSoup’s global network.

How to Apply for Google Ad Grants

The process is straightforward but requires attention to detail.

Step 1: Register with TechSoup

Before you can apply, you must create an account with TechSoup to receive a validation token. This verifies your nonprofit status with Google.

Step 2: Apply for Google for Nonprofits

Visit the Google for Nonprofits portal and submit your application using your TechSoup token.

Approval typically takes a few business days.

Step 3: Activate Google Ad Grants

Once approved for Google for Nonprofits, log in to your account and request activation for Google Ad Grants. Google will guide you through the required steps, including:

• Setting up a Google Ads account (not a regular one)
• Creating your first campaign with required settings
• Submitting your account for pre-approval and review

For full guidance, use the Google Ad Grants enrollment checklist.

Setting Up Your Google Ads Account

Once your account is approved, you will have access to create and manage search ad campaigns. Some important technical limits include:

• Ads must only appear on Google Search Network
• Maximum cost-per-click (CPC) is 2 dollars unless you enable enhanced bidding
• Campaigns must be keyword targeted only—no display or remarketing ads

Be sure to structure your account correctly with at least two ad groups per campaign and two active ads per ad group.

A helpful tool is the Google Keyword Planner to find high-intent keywords related to your mission.

How to Use Google Ad Grants Effectively

The ten thousand dollars in monthly ad credit will only help if your ads are strategic and well-targeted. Here is how to make it count:

Promote your top priority pages:

• Donation page
• Volunteer sign-up
• Event registration
• Educational blog posts
• Resource guides

Use targeted keywords like:

• “Donate to [your cause]”
• “Volunteer opportunities near me”
• “Domestic violence help”
• “Nonprofits supporting women”

Make sure every landing page is optimized for conversions, loads quickly, and includes a clear call to action.

You can use tools like Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager to track performance and fine-tune your campaigns.

Best Practices and Policy Requirements

To keep your grant active, you must follow Google’s policies, which include:

• Maintain a 5 percent minimum click-through rate (CTR)
• Use conversion tracking
• Avoid single-word and overly generic keywords
• Have at least two active ad groups per campaign
• Respond to policy performance emails and complete required compliance checks

Google offers a helpful compliance guide to make sure your account stays in good standing.

If managing all this sounds like a lot, many organizations work with Google Ad Grants certified professionals for help.

Final Thoughts

Google Ad Grants is one of the most underutilized resources in the nonprofit space—and one of the most valuable. If your organization is not using it yet, you could be missing out on thousands of dollars in free advertising and hundreds of new website visitors each month.

With a strategic approach and ongoing optimization, Google Ad Grants can help you increase visibility, attract donors and volunteers, and grow your mission online.

Need help applying for or managing your Google Ad Grant? RJ’s Digital Solutions helps nonprofits set up, optimize, and grow their reach with Google Ads. Contact us today to make the most of this opportunity.