What are Google Ad Grants & How Do They Work?

Google Ad Grants offer nonprofits a unique opportunity to reach audiences on Google Search — without paying for clicks. Through this grant, eligible charities receive up to $10,000 USD per month in in-kind advertising credit, allowing them to promote their mission, services, and fundraising campaigns using text ads that appear directly in Google’s search results.

These ads work within the Google Ads platform and are triggered by relevant keywords — just like paid ads — but operate under special rules designed for nonprofits. The goal is simple: to help mission-driven organizations drive awareness, attract supporters, and increase online engagement without the financial burden that typically comes with digital advertising.

The program is part of the broader Google for Nonprofits initiative, which also offers access to tools like Google Workspace, YouTube fundraising features, and Maps platform credits. But while the grant is free, it’s not automatic: nonprofits must apply, meet specific eligibility criteria, and follow strict campaign policies to stay in the program.

In this article, we’ll explain what Google Ad Grants are, how they differ from traditional paid search ads, what nonprofits need to qualify, and how the grant works step by step — from account setup to limitations. Whether you’re a nonprofit leader or digital marketer supporting a cause, understanding this tool can help unlock a powerful new channel for visibility and growth.

What is a Google Ad Grant?

A Google Ad Grant is a fund offered by Google as part of the Google for Nonprofits program that provides eligible nonprofit organizations with up to $10,000 USD per month in free Google Search ad credit to promote their missions online.

The Google Ad Grant program helps nonprofits raise awareness, attract donations, recruit volunteers, or drive action by appearing in Google search results, and ensuring that mission-driven organizations can access digital advertising without the financial burden.

Technically, the program runs through Google Ads (formerly Google AdWords) and allows grantees to set up text-based ads that appear on Google search results pages. These ads are triggered by keywords related to the nonprofit’s services or goals, and the organization only pays using the grant balance — not out-of-pocket. 

The Google Ad Grant is just one part of the broader Google for Nonprofits program. When a nonprofit is approved, it gains access to a full suite of free tools and resources that can help mission-driven organizations increase visibility, operate more efficiently, and engage supporters online.

The Google Ad Grants program launched in 2003 to help nonprofits extend their impact online. Over time, Google introduced stricter policies around ad quality, performance, and compliance to ensure the grant was being used effectively and appropriately.

Today, the Google Ad Grant is still a powerful yet underutilized digital marketing tool. While tens of thousands of nonprofits worldwide are eligible, many either don’t know about it or struggle to manage it effectively due to its restrictions. 

Success with the grant requires strategic keyword targeting, high-quality landing pages, active account management, and adherence to Google’s performance standards — but when optimized well, it can be a major asset for nonprofit growth.

What is a Google search ad?

A Google Search Ad is a text-based advertisement that appears at the top or bottom of Google Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) when users enter queries related to the advertiser’s selected keywords. 

Search ads capture high-intent search traffic by placing relevant offers in front of users actively seeking related information, and driving measurable actions like clicks, conversions, sign-ups, or sales.

Advertisers create Search ad campaigns in Google Ads by selecting target keywords, writing headlines and descriptions, and assigning a bidding strategy. When a user performs a search that matches one of those keywords, Google runs an ad auction to determine which ads appear. 

Search ads typically consist of:

• A headline (or multiple),
• Display URL,
• Description text,
• Optional ad extensions (e.g., sitelinks, callouts, location), and appear with a small “Ad” label to indicate paid placement.

Google controls a significant share of the search market, with over 1 billion users and billions of daily queries typed into their search engine. However, advertisers must continuously refine their keyword targeting, test ad copy, and optimize the landing page experience to stay competitive as automation and cost-per-click (CPC) pressures increase.

What is Google for nonprofits?

Google for Nonprofits is a program that provides eligible charitable organizations with free access to a suite of Google’s premium tools and services designed to help them work more efficiently, reach wider audiences, and increase their impact online.

The program includes:

• Google Workspace for Nonprofits (formerly G Suite): This is a set of professional productivity tools — all free or deeply discounted. It includes custom Gmail accounts (e.g., yourname@yourcharity.org), Google Drive with 30 GB of cloud storage per user, access to Google Meet, Calendar, Docs, Sheets, Forms, and more, free access for up to 2,000 users.
• YouTube Nonprofit Program: This program includes special features to help nonprofits raise awareness and drive action via video including donation buttons added directly to your YouTube videos and channel, direct linking to your website or campaigns from video content, access to YouTube Spaces (in select locations) for production support.
• Google Maps Platform Credits: Nonprofits that use mapping services that display programs, event locations, donation drop-offs, service areas, and more can access credits to integrate location features including up to $250/month in Maps API credits.
• Google Earth Outreach Tools: Nonprofits engaged in storytelling, mapping, or visualizing impact get access to Google Earth Pro Training and resources to build interactive maps and virtual tours.

Who qualifies for the Google Ads Grant?

To qualify for the Google Ads Grant, an organization must be a registered nonprofit that meets Google’s eligibility criteria and complies with local regulations in its country of operation. 

Which kind of nonprofits are eligible for the Google Ads Grant?

Eligible nonprofits for the Google Ads Grant include organizations that are formally registered as charitable nonprofits in their country and operate for public benefit — such as those focused on:

• Education and literacy
• Health and human services
• Arts, culture, and heritage
• Environmental and animal protection
• Human rights and social justice
• Community development and outreach
• Religious or faith-based missions (if the website and ads focus on charitable work, not proselytizing)

These organizations must be verified through Goodstack (formerly Percent) or a local partner, operate a high-quality website, and agree to Google’s Nonprofit and Ads Grant program policies.

Which kind of nonprofits are not eligible for the Google Ads Grant?

Not all nonprofits qualify for the Google Ads Grant. The following types of nonprofit organization are explicitly ineligible, even if they hold nonprofit status:

• Governmental entities and organizations (e.g., public agencies, city councils, political offices)
• Hospitals, healthcare providers, and medical groups (this includes clinics and mental health services, though public health education arms may qualify if clearly separated)
• Schools, academic institutions, and universities (including primary, secondary, and higher education — however, philanthropic or charitable arms of these institutions may be eligible)
• Organizations without a functioning website or those whose sites fail to meet Google’s quality standards (e.g. limited content, excessive ads, or commercial activity)
• Nonprofits that do not pass validation or fail to meet the legal charity definitions in their country

How do Google Ad Grants work?

Google Ad Grants work within the Google Ads platform, using a pay-per-click (PPC) model where the organization’s grant funds are used instead of cash. Ads appear on the Search Network only, not on YouTube or the Display Network. The grant operates under special rules and works for text ad formats only.

For example, a wildlife conservation nonprofit could use the grant to run ads targeting searches like “how to help endangered species” or “donate to animal rescue.” When a user clicks on the ad, it directs them to a relevant page on the nonprofit’s website — and the cost is deducted from the grant, not the organization’s bank account.

The core principle is to drive meaningful engagement by targeting high-intent search queries that match the nonprofit’s mission. A successful Google ads campaign must meet minimum performance standards (such as a 5% click-through rate), include proper conversion tracking, and follow all compliance guidelines to remain eligible.

Google Ad Grants apply globally and are widely used by nonprofits ranging from education and health to environmental and human rights organizations. Google Ad Grants do not expire, but continued access depends on meeting Google’s grant requirements. Accounts that fail to maintain minimum performance standards risk losing their Ad Grant until the issues are corrected and the account is once again compliant.

What are Google Ad Grant eligibility requirements?

To qualify for the Google Ad Grants program, nonprofits must meet five key areas of eligibility: They are having a valid charitable status, verification through Goodstack, enrollment in Google for Nonprofits, owning a high-quality website and agreeing to ad grant program policies.

1. Possess Valid Charitable Status

• Your organization must be formally registered as a nonprofit charity in your country.
• In the U.S., this means 501(c)(3) status with the IRS.
• Your nonprofit must operate primarily for public benefit (e.g., education, health, environment, human rights, etc.).

2. Complete Verification Through Goodstack

• You must be verified through Goodstack (formerly Percent), which Google now uses to confirm nonprofit status globally.
• Goodstack replaces TechSoup as the nonprofit validator for Google for Nonprofits in most countries.
• You’ll need to submit documentation and organizational details through the Goodstack platform for approval.

3. Enroll in Google for Nonprofits

Once verified by Goodstack, your nonprofit must apply for a Google for Nonprofits account, which grants access to:

• Google Ad Grants
• Google Workspace for Nonprofits
• YouTube Nonprofit Program
• Google Maps Platform credits

Google for Nonprofits is required before you can access or activate the Ad Grant.

4. Own a High-Quality Website

Your organization must have a live, secure website that meets Google’s website policy standards, including:

• HTTPS security (SSL certificate is required)
• A clear nonprofit mission stated on the site
• Substantial and original content related to your programs or services
• No commercial activity (e.g., product sales without a clear donation or charitable purpose)
• No broken links, popups, or poor user experience
• All pages must load properly and be mobile-friendly

5. Agree to Ad Grant Program Policies

You must agree to and comply with the full Google Ad Grants policies.

To you keep your Google grant account active, you must:

• Log in at least once every 30 days
• Make at least one meaningful change every 90 days
• Maintain a minimum 5% Click-Through Rate (CTR) across all campaigns
• Set up and track at least one valid conversion action using Google Analytics or Google Tag Manager
• Use only Google Search Network (no Display, YouTube, or Shopping ads)
• $2.00 max CPC bid, unless using a Smart Bidding strategy
• Must use Geo-targeting
• Must run mission-based, relevant ads that align with the content on your website
• Must avoid single-word keywords, overly generic keywords (e.g., “free,” “today”), and keywords with low Quality Score

How do you apply for a Google Ads Grant?

To apply for a Google Ads Grant, your nonprofit must complete a few essential steps — starting with eligibility verification and ending with the launch of your Ad Grant account. Here’s how the process works:

Step 1: Verify Your Nonprofit Status with Goodstack: Google partners with Goodstack to validate nonprofit status. Create a Goodstack account and submit your organization’s legal and tax documentation. Once verified, you’ll receive a Validation Token needed for the next step.

Step 2: Enroll in Google for Nonprofits: Go to Google for Nonprofits and click “Get Started.” Sign in with a Google account linked to your organization. Enter your Goodstack Validation Token when prompted. Once approved, you’ll gain access to multiple tools, including Google Ad Grants.

Step 3: Activate Google Ad Grants: From your Google for Nonprofits dashboard, choose Google Ad Grants and click “Activate.” You’ll complete a short eligibility questionnaire and review program policies. Google will guide you through setting up a compliant Google Ads account (you must follow Ad Grant-specific requirements — not a standard Ads setup).

Step 4: Set Up Your Google Ads Account: Follow Google’s instructions to create a compliant ad campaign. You’ll also need to create at least 2 ad groups per campaign, each with multiple ads, and link your account to Google Analytics.

Step 5: Submit for Review: Once your account is fully set up, submit it to Google for pre-approval review. If everything is configured correctly, your account will be activated — and you’ll be able to start running ads using your $10,000/month ad credit.

How long does it take to get a Google grant?

The process of getting a Google Ad Grant typically takes 2 to 4 weeks from start to finish, assuming your organization is eligible and completes each step promptly. In some cases, it can be done in as little as one week — but delays may occur if there are issues with verification, account setup, or policy compliance.

Verifying your nonprofit status through Goodstack usually takes 1 to 10 business days. Once verified, you apply for a Google for Nonprofits account, which is typically approved within 1 to 5 days. After that, you can request access to the Google Ad Grants program, approval typically takes 1–10 business days. Google reviews your ad campaign setup before final approval, which can take another 2 to 7 business days.

To speed up the process, it’s essential to submit accurate information, follow Google’s Ad Grant policies closely during setup, and stay responsive at each stage.

Do you need a Google Ads account for the Google grant?

Yes — you do need a Google Ads account to use the Google Ad Grant, but it’s a special type of Google Ads account configured specifically for the grant program — it’s not the same as a standard paid Google Ads account.

Once your nonprofit is approved for the Google for Nonprofits program and accepted into Google Ad Grants, you’ll be invited to set up a dedicated Google Ads account.

If you already have a paid Google Ads account, it will not count as your grant account. You’ll need to open a new, separate Google Ads account for the grant via your Ad Grants approval portal.

Who manages your Google Ad Grant account?

Your Google Ad Grants account is managed by your organization or your own Google Ad Grants team — not by Google. You are responsible for campaign setup, ongoing maintenance, optimization, and compliance. Google does not actively manage your ads or provide account strategy. 

For nonprofits without in-house expertise, it’s common to seek out Google Ad Grant management support from professionals or a certified Google Partner. 

These specialists are experienced in Google Ad Grants management and can help you structure campaigns, implement Smart Bidding, set up conversion tracking, and ensure full policy compliance — all of which are essential to maintaining and maximizing the $10,000/month in free ad credit.

What are the rules for Google Ad Grants?

To keep their $10,000/month in free ad credit, nonprofits using the Google Ad Grant must follow a specific set of policies and performance requirements as stipulated in Googles guidelines; this includes account management rules, campaign/ad structure rules, ad policy compliance rules and minimum performance rules.

These rules are designed to ensure high-quality ads, relevant content, and responsible use of the grant.

Account Management Rules

• Login requirement: You must log in to your Google Ads account at least once every 30 days.
• Active management: At least one meaningful change (e.g., new keyword, updated ad text) must be made every 90 days.
• Single-word keywords are prohibited, with limited exceptions (e.g., brand names, medical conditions).
• No overly generic keywords like “free videos” or “today” — they must reflect your mission and website content.
• Geo-targeting must be enabled to serve ads only in relevant locations.

Campaign and Ad Structure Rules

• Each Google Ad Grants campaign must include:
  • At least two ad groups
  • Each ad group must contain at least two active text ads
• Campaigns must link to mission-focused content — pages that provide relevant, helpful information (not commercial sales pages).
• All ads must point to your nonprofit’s verified website and reflect your organization’s purpose.

Ad Policy Compliance

• Ads must follow all standard Google Ads policies, including those on prohibited content, landing pages, and truthful claims.
• No promotion of commercial services unless:
  • 100% of proceeds go to support your nonprofit mission.
  • The commercial content is clearly secondary to your mission.

Minimum Performance Requirements

• You must maintain a minimum 5% click-through rate (CTR) across your account every month.
  • Falling below this for two consecutive months may result in suspension.
• You must set up at least one conversion action (e.g., sign-up, donation, form submission) using Google Analytics or Tag Manager.
• Campaigns must use valid keyword targeting (no low-quality or irrelevant terms).
• You cannot manually bid more than $2.00 for any keyword when using manual bidding strategies like Max CPC except if you use Smart Bidding strategies, such as Maximize Conversions or Target CPA (Cost Per Acquisition)

What is the maximum CPC for Google grants?

With Google Ad Grants, your maximum CPC is capped at $2.00. When you run ads through the Google Ad Grants program, you’re given up to $10,000 per month in free Google Search Ads. But unlike regular (paid) Google Ads accounts, there are spending limits in place to ensure the grant is used fairly and effectively.

Every time someone clicks on your ad in Google Search, Google charges a small fee (from your ad grant balance). This is called the cost-per-click. In standard paid accounts, businesses can bid more to get better ad positions — sometimes paying several dollars per click.

This means:

• You cannot manually set bids higher than $2.00 per keyword.
• If a keyword is very competitive and usually costs more than $2.00 to show up in top results, your ad may not appear at all.
• This cap is in place to prevent overspending and ensure equal access for all eligible nonprofits.

Google allows you to lift this cap — but only if you use Smart Bidding.

Smart Bidding is an automated system that uses machine learning to adjust your bids in real time, based on how likely someone is to take a valuable action (like donating, registering, or signing up). To use it:

• You must set up conversion tracking on your website (so Google knows what success looks like).
• You then switch your Google ad campaign to a Smart Bidding strategy like:
  • Maximize Conversions, or
  • Target CPA (Cost Per Acquisition)

With Smart Bidding enabled, Google can bid more than $2.00 automatically when it thinks the click is worth it — helping your ads appear in more competitive searches while still using your free grant budget efficiently.

What is the budget for Google Ad Grants?

Google Ad Grants provides up to $10,000 USD per month in in-kind advertising credit, which nonprofits can use exclusively for text ads on the Google Search Network (not YouTube, Display, or Shopping).

This isn’t money deposited into your bank account — it’s ad credit available within your Google Ad Grants account. Let’s break it down:

Time Frame	Budget Limit
Daily	$329 USD
Weekly (approx.)	~$2,303 USD
Monthly (max)	$10,000 USD
Annually (max)	$120,000 USD

There is a daily budget cap of $329/day that is automatically enforced by Google. If your campaigns don’t use the full daily budget, the leftover amount is forfeited and does not carry over to the next day. This means that if you only spend $100 on a given day, the remaining $229 is not added to your ad spend for tomorrow — it’s simply lost.

What are the limitations of Google grant accounts?

The main limitations of the Google Ad Grant are that it only supports text ads on the Google Search Network (excluding YouTube and Display), spending the full $10,000 isn’t guaranteed without strategic optimization, and meeting compliance rules alone doesn’t ensure meaningful results without proper campaign structure and conversion focus.

Text Ads Only in Google Search Network: Google Ad Grants can only appear on the Google Search Network, meaning your campaigns are restricted to text-based ads that show up in Google search results when users type in relevant keywords. You cannot run ads on the Google Display Network (which includes banner ads on websites), YouTube, Google Shopping, or search partner sites. This limitation ensures that nonprofits use their grant to reach people who are actively searching for mission-aligned topics — but it also means you miss out on visual, video, and broader remarketing opportunities that paid advertisers can access. 

Spending the full $10,000 grant isn’t guaranteed: While Google Ad Grants offers up to $10,000 in free ad credit each month, most nonprofits don’t come close to spending the full amount — not because the funds aren’t available, but because their campaigns aren’t optimized to reach enough qualified searchers. Google won’t spend your budget unless your ads are relevant, your keywords are properly targeted, and your campaigns are technically sound. In other words, getting the grant is just the beginning — spending it strategically requires expertise.

Compliance Alone Doesn’t Equal Success: Even when a nonprofit fully complies with Google Ad Grant policies — that alone doesn’t guarantee meaningful results. Many compliant accounts still underperform because the campaigns are poorly structured, too narrow in focus, or lack a clear conversion strategy. Ads might lead to generic landing pages, unfocused messaging, or weak calls to action — meaning traffic is generated, but few users actually take the next step. Without ongoing account management and optimization, campaigns become passive and ineffective. This is where professional grant management makes the difference: by not just ensuring compliance, but by aligning every part of the ad account with strategic goals.

These limitations are designed to ensure the funds are used effectively and mission-focused — but they can also restrict performance if not managed strategically.

What are the best practices for Google Ad Grants?

The best practices for Google Ad Grants include tracking meaningful conversions, using Smart Bidding to lift CPC limits, optimizing ad copy and landing pages, and maintaining well-structured, mission-aligned campaigns. Consistent account activity, quality keyword targeting, and compliance monitoring are also essential for long-term success.

To implement these practices effectively, much depends on how your account is structured from the outset — which is why understanding how to set up and maximize your Google Ad Grant is foundational to long-term success.