Google Ads Grant 101: What It Is, How It Works, and Why It Matters

If you’re a nonprofit leader looking to raise awareness, drive traffic to your website, attract donors, or recruit volunteers, you don’t want to overlook one of the most powerful (and underused) tools available to you: Google’s Ad Grant. Through this program, Google offers eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations up to $10,000 per month in free Google Ads — that’s $120,000 a year in advertising to help amplify your mission.

Yet despite its incredible potential, research shows that only about 1 in 4 nonprofits take full advantage of the Google Ads Grant, and many don’t know it even exists. According to TechSoup, less than 50% of eligible nonprofits are currently enrolled, and even fewer are optimizing their campaigns to achieve maximum impact.

“Before we had the Google Ads Grant, most of our traffic came from word of mouth. Now, we reach thousands of new visitors every month — and our online donations have nearly doubled.”
— Rachel P., Development Director of a mid-sized youth nonprofit in Colorado

Let’s break down exactly how the grant works and why it could be a game-changer for your organization.

What Is the Google Ads Grant?

The Google Ads Grant provides eligible nonprofit organizations with $10,000 USD per month in in-kind advertising through Google Ads. This means you can create text-based search ads that appear on Google results pages when people search for terms related to your cause.

For example, a food bank could target keywords like “food pantry near me” or “how to donate to a food bank,” directing users to their donation or volunteer pages.

How Does It Work?

Here are the key basics:

• Eligibility: You must be a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a high-quality website and agree to Google’s program policies.

• Ad Credit: You receive up to $329 per day in Google Ads credit to promote your organization on search results pages.

• Ad Type: The grant supports only text-based ads on Google Search (not display or YouTube).

• Restrictions: Each ad campaign must maintain a minimum 5% click-through rate (CTR), use geo-targeting, and link to a nonprofit’s own website domain.

• Ongoing Management: To remain eligible, accounts must be actively maintained, with proper keyword targeting, conversion tracking, and account activity.

This isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it grant — you’ll need to build and manage campaigns effectively, or work with a grant professional to make sure your strategy is optimized.

Why Does It Matter?

In an increasingly digital world, visibility is everything. Whether your goal is to attract new donors, promote events, educate the public, or grow your email list, digital ad space is prime real estate — and Google is offering it to nonprofits for free.

Benefits of the Google Ads Grant:

• Drive more traffic to your website

• Increase online donations

• Recruit volunteers

• Promote your events or programs

• Reach new audiences who are actively searching for services like yours

When used effectively, it can transform your digital presence, opening doors to long-term supporter engagement and increased revenue.

How to Use It

Nonprofit organizations can use the Google Ads Grant to run campaigns for various goals such as increasing online donations, raising awareness of their programs and services, or recruiting volunteers. Here are some examples of campaigns that you might consider running (and you can have multiple campaigns at the same time)

Examples of Google Ad Campaigns:

• Donation Campaign “Support our cause today – every dollar makes a difference feeding the hungry in our community”, “Donate today to help the victims of the recent floods”. Landing Page: Direct donation page with clear call to action.

• Volunteer Recruitment: “Volunteer with Us – Make a Difference in our Community”, “Join our Volunteer team to help the homeless!” “Get your high school volunteer hours here” Landing Page: Volunteer sign up form.

• Awareness Campaign: Educate the public about your programs, services, and impact. “Need Food? We can help!”, “Looking to adopt a rescue dog – we’ve got your furry companion waiting for you!” Landing Page: Your home page, or page for specific program.

• Event Promotion Campaign: Drive awareness and viewers to your event fundraiser to increase registration, attendance or attract corporate sponsors. “Join Us for our Annual Fundraising Gala – RSVP Now!”, “Free Workshop on Mental Health – Sign Up Today”. Landing Page – directly to your even registration page or eventbrite listing.

• Email Newsletter Sign-Up Campaign – to build your email list. “Stay connected – Join our Monthly Impact Newsletter”. Landing Page – email sign up form.

Ready to Get Started?

If you haven’t yet applied for the Google Ads Grant, now is the time! And if you’ve been approved but aren’t seeing results, it might be time to revamp your strategy or seek expert support.

At Impact Funding Solutions, we help nonprofits apply, manage, and maximize the Google Ads Grant as part of our comprehensive grant and fundraising support services. Let us help you turn clicks into community impact.

Need help managing your Google Ads Grant?
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