Getting Google Ad Grants

You may have heard by now that Google has a program that benefits nonprofit organizations: Google for Nonprofits (clever naming, ea?) What you might not have known is that within their program options, there’s an offer to enroll in Google Ad Grants. And, if approved, you will be awarded $10,000 (that’s not a typo) per month in Google Ad credit. And… should you exhaust that budget, two times within a six-month period, you can then apply to receive the $40,000 per month Ad Grant (Grantspro).

What does this mean to you? Well, you’ll no doubt get more traffic to your website. So when someone Googles the phrase (for example): “Giving to the Homeless During the Holidays,” instead of coming up on some secondary (organic) results listing, you can float to the top where the paid Google Ads are. More visits to your website means more immediate donations, or more sign-ups to your mailing list—thus resulting in more long-term stakeholders in your organization.

Who can apply? Most nonprofits. Ad Grants is for select non-institutional 501(c)(3) nonprofits. However, the following type of organizations are not eligible: government entities, hospitals & medical groups, schools, childcare centers, academic institutions, and universities.

“Okay, I’m sold!”, you say. “What’s my next steps?”

The process, though somewhat elementary, does take a bit of time and know-how with respect to preparing your Ad Grants application. (It’s less of a formal application than the ability to prove that you understand the ad placement mechanism and will actually fully engage yourself in the program.) But once the application process is done, you’ll be ready to begin creating your ad Campaigns for immediate placement. It just takes a little bit of patience.

Here are the basics to understand:

• First, you will have to apply (and be approved) for Google for Nonprofits (https://www.google.com/nonprofits) For that, you’ll need to have your:
  • organization’s Employer ID (EIN), which is also your charity ID number. (Example: 20-1234567)
  • organization’s full legal name that is associated with your EIN
  • organization’s legal address
  • organization’s mission statement
• the approval process for Google for Nonprofits is generally very quick—sometimes within minutes.

Setting Up Google Ad Grants:

• Once accepted into the Google for Nonprofits program you will need to return to the above link, get yourself over to the Enroll in Exclusive Products for Nonprofits screen, and select “enroll” under the Google Ad Grants
  • You will have to create your first “Ad Campaign” and “Group Ad” (this, however, takes some know-how. Google has people who can help you with this if you have been approved for other Google for Nonprofit products—otherwise, you’ll need some private help).
  • Finalize your submission. (Approval can take between 2-10 days.)