Google Ad Grants (officially part of the Google for Nonprofits program) offers eligible charities up to $10,000 USD per month in free Google Ads credit to appear in search results.
Based on a recent webinar led by Chloe, our PPC Manager, we explain how to apply, structure your account, and use your budget effectively.
Contents
- What is a Google Ad Grant?
- Eligibility and How to Apply
- Structuring Your Grants Account for Success
- Choosing a Bid Strategy
- Conversion Tracking & Consent Mode
- Keyword Strategy
- Writing Effective Ad Copy
- Ad Assets
- Policy & Compliance Tips
- FAQs – Google Ad Grants for Charities
What is a Google Ad Grant?
Google Ad Grants, now part of the Google for Nonprofits programme, gives eligible charities access to a $10,000 monthly ad spend on Google Search Ads.
These ads appear at the top of search results as text-only listings, helping to drive traffic to your site, increase donations, and grow your online reach.
Beyond ads, you also gain access to:
- Google Workspace (email and productivity tools)
- YouTube Nonprofit Programme
- Google Maps platform credits
- Google Analytics (free for all users)
You manage all of these tools through a central dashboard once your nonprofit account is approved.
Google has recently introduced search-only Performance Max campaigns to Google Ad Grants. These campaigns utilise Google’s AI-powered machine learning to show ads in the search results, and more recently, on Google Maps.
Eligibility and How to Apply
To qualify, your organisation must:
- Be a registered nonprofit with a charity regulator in England, Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland (or HMRC if you’re tax-exempt)
- Be verified by Good Stack (Google’s nonprofit partner)
- Not be a government entity, hospital, or school
- Agree to the Google for Nonprofits Additional Terms of Service
To apply:
- Review the eligibility requirements
- Visit google.com/nonprofits, click “Get Started,” and complete the steps
- Verification can take 2-14 working days
- You’ll receive an email and can then activate the relevant tools, including Google Ad Grants
Structuring Your Grants Account for Success
A well-structured account is key to results. Here’s the basic structure:
Start by mapping your campaign ideas in a spreadsheet, grouping keywords and landing pages logically.
Here’s our tips for structuring your Google Ads Grant account:
- Using your website navigation as a starting point
- Grouping keywords thematically in ad groups
- Pointing each ad group to a specific, relevant landing page
- Condense campaigns and ad groups where possible – this provides more data for Smart Bidding strategies to function effectively
Choosing a Bid Strategy
When setting up campaigns, you’ll choose a bid strategy.
Bid Strategy Type | When to use it |
Manual CPC | If you have not set up conversion tracking yet go with this option. Set Max CPC (cost-per-click) to $2. |
Maximise Conversions* | To get as many conversions as possible within a fixed budget. |
Target CPA* | To get as many conversions as possible within a target cost-per-action goal. |
Maximise Conversion Value* | To get as much conversion value as possible within a fixed budget. |
Target ROAS* | To get as much conversion value as possible within a target return on ad spend goal. |
*Google Grant advises conversion-based strategies.
- Maximise Conversions: A great starting point to optimise for key actions
- Maximise Conversion Value: Ideal for donation-focused campaigns
- Target CPA (Cost Per Acquisition): Useful if you’re not getting enough visibility
- Manual CPC is available but we wouldn’t recommend this one and you must cap bids at $2.
Conversion Tracking & Consent Mode
Accurate, meaningful conversion tracking is essential. Some examples of what you can track include:
- Purchase/ Donation
- Web form submission
- Book an appointment
- Sign up to newsletter
- Follow social media channel
- File download
- Link click
- Directions to location
- Click to call (on website)
- Calls from ads
Set up tracking via Google Tag Manager (requires developer code installation) or import from Google Analytics 4.
If you use third-party platforms (like donation tools in iframes), it may need a more advanced setup.
Consent Mode helps maintain compliance with privacy laws while still feeding conversion data into Google Ads. If you use a cookie tool like CookieYes, check if it supports Google Consent Mode.
Keyword Strategy
Good keyword targeting is crucial. Start with tools like:
- Google Search Console (see real queries that brought users to your site)
- Google Keyword Planner (built into the ads interface)
- Google Analytics and Google Trends
- AI tools like ChatGPT or Gemini for keyword expansion
Don’t forget negative keywords! Use them to block irrelevant searches (e.g. job searches, unrelated brands, or terms like “salary” or “review”).
Create negative keyword lists in the Tools section or exclude terms directly from the search terms report.
Writing Effective Ad Copy
Make your ads compelling, relevant, and specific:
- Use up to 15 headlines and 4 descriptions (or 5 in Performance Max)
- Include your keywords naturally
- Add calls-to-action
- Pinning headlines can help test variations (e.g., seasonal campaigns)
Metrics to monitor:
- Quality Score
- Ad Relevance
- Landing Page Experience
If scores are low, check if keywords appear on your landing page and within your ads, as well as improving the landing page speed and clarity of the content.
Ad Assets
Ad assets boost visibility and click-through rate. Set up:
- Site Links (e.g., “Donate Today,” “Volunteer”)
- Callouts (short text like “Registered UK Charity”)
- Structured snippets (types of programmes, events, or services)
- Images (Google may show these alongside text ads)
- Location (requires linking to Google Business Profile)
- Charity name & logo
- App download
- Call extensions, promotions, and price listings where relevant
You can also create temporary headline/description assets for seasonal campaigns without rewriting your main ads.
Policy & Compliance Tips
To keep a Google Grant there are various restrictions and policies that need to be adhered to.
- No single keywords permitted – there are exceptions to these.
- No overly generic keywords permitted
- No keywords with a quality score of 1 or 2 permitted
- Must maintain a 5% click-through rate (CTR) each month
- Must have valid conversion tracking – means that you are recording at least 1 conversion a month
- Must have at least 2 ad groups per campaign
- Must have at least 2 sitelink ad extensions
- Must respond to annual program survey
Running both a Grants account and a paid Google Ads account is allowed, and can be a smart strategy. Use Grants for search ads and your paid account for image, video, or remarketing campaigns.
At Atelier, we manage PPC and Google Ad Grants accounts for charities across the UK. Whether you need help with setup, structure, or optimising performance, get in touch – we’re happy to support your mission.
FAQs – Google Ad Grants for Charities
What is a Google Ad Grant and how does it help charities?
Google Ad Grants give eligible charities up to $10,000 USD per month in free Google Search Ads. These ads help drive awareness, website traffic, and online donations.
How do I know if my charity qualifies for the Google Grant?
Your organisation must be a registered UK charity, verified by Good Stack, and not fall under restricted categories like hospitals or schools. Once verified, you can access the grant and other free Google tools.
What’s the best way to structure my Google Ad Grants account?
Start with a simple setup based on your website’s navigation. Group keywords by theme, align them to relevant landing pages, and keep your campaigns focused for better performance and easier optimisation.
Why is conversion tracking important for my grants account?
Accurate conversion tracking tells Google which actions matter, like donations or sign-ups, and helps optimise ad performance. It’s also a requirement to keep your account compliant.
How do I choose the right keywords for my ads?
Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, Search Console, and Analytics to find relevant search terms. Avoid generic keywords and set negative keywords to block irrelevant traffic.
What policies do I need to follow to keep my Google Grant active?
You must follow Google’s grant rules: maintain a 5% click-through rate, use valid conversion tracking, avoid low-quality keywords, and have at least two ad groups and sitelinks per campaign.