14 min read · Google Ads · Last updated July 2026
Quick answer: Google Ad Grants gives eligible nonprofits $10,000 USD per month in free Google Search advertising. The grant has specific account requirements — including a minimum 5% CTR, no single-word keywords, and quality score minimums — that will get your account suspended if not maintained. Organisations that manage these requirements correctly typically drive thousands of website visits per month at zero cost.
Introduction
$10,000 per month in free Google advertising sounds almost too good to be true. For nonprofits operating on tight budgets, it genuinely can be transformational — driving volunteer applications, donations, awareness campaigns, and program sign-ups without consuming a dollar of operational budget.
But the Google Ad Grants program has a history of frustrating organisations that do not understand its rules. Accounts get suspended. CTRs drop below the threshold. Single-word keywords trigger warnings. Quality Scores fall too low and ad serving stops. Organisations that were generating thousands of monthly website visits suddenly find their account deactivated with no clear explanation.
The gap between organisations succeeding with Ad Grants and those whose accounts sit unused or suspended almost always comes down to one thing: understanding and maintaining the program’s non-negotiable requirements.
This guide gives you everything you need to apply, set up, and sustainably manage a Google Ad Grant account — including the exact rules you must follow to keep your $10,000/month active.
By the end you will understand:
- Exactly who is eligible and how to apply
- Every account requirement and restriction specific to Ad Grants
- How to structure campaigns to comply with CTR and quality rules
- Strategies to spend your full $10,000 monthly allocation
- How to use Ad Grants alongside paid Google Ads campaigns
Table of Contents
- What Is the Google Ad Grants Program?
- Eligibility Requirements
- Countries Where Ad Grants Is Available
- How to Apply: Step-by-Step
- Ad Grants Account Requirements (The Rules That Get Accounts Suspended)
- Campaign Structure for Ad Grants
- Keyword Strategy for Ad Grants
- How to Spend Your Full $10,000 Monthly Allocation
- Ad Grants + Paid Google Ads: Running Both Together
- Measuring Impact for Nonprofit Goals
- Interactive Tools
- FAQ
1. What Is the Google Ad Grants Program?
Google Ad Grants is part of Google for Nonprofits, a programme offering qualifying nonprofit organisations access to up to $10,000 USD per month in free Search advertising on Google.com. The budget renews monthly — unused funds do not roll over.
The grant operates through a standard Google Ads account, but with specific restrictions: ads appear only on Google Search (not Display, YouTube, Shopping, or Maps), there is a $2.00 maximum CPC under the legacy bidding model (though modern accounts using Smart Bidding can exceed this), and accounts must maintain specific performance standards to remain active.
The $10,000 is in the form of advertising credit — it cannot be withdrawn or used for anything other than Google Search ads. But for driving website traffic for mission-driven goals, $10,000/month is an enormous resource for organisations that would otherwise spend nothing on advertising.
Organisations that manage their Ad Grants accounts well routinely generate:
– 50,000–200,000 monthly website visits at zero cost
– Thousands of volunteer applications, program enquiries, and event sign-ups
– Substantial growth in donation acquisition and recurring donor recruitment
– Brand awareness that translates to media coverage, partnership requests, and community reach
2. Eligibility Requirements
Google Ad Grants is available to nonprofit organisations that meet all of the following criteria:
Must have:
– Valid charity registration in your country (e.g., ACNC registration in Australia, charity registration with the Charity Commission in the UK, IRS 501(c)(3) status in the US)
– An active Google for Nonprofits account (prerequisite for Ad Grants)
– A live, functioning website with a clear mission statement
– A website owned and operated by the applicant organisation (not a personal site, a third-party platform, or a site primarily under construction)
– Agreement to Google’s non-discrimination and donation receipt policies
Not eligible:
– Government agencies and government-affiliated organisations
– Hospitals, healthcare organisations, and pharmaceutical companies
– Schools, academic institutions, and universities (Google has a separate “Google for Education” programme)
– Childcare centres
– For-profit organisations (even those with social impact missions)
Critical nuance: Religious organisations are eligible for Ad Grants, but ads promoting religious content or attempting to influence beliefs are not permitted. A church can promote a community food bank program, a youth sports league, or a counselling service through Ad Grants, but cannot run ads promoting worship services, tithing, or religious conversion.
3. Countries Where Ad Grants Is Available
Google for Nonprofits and the Ad Grants program are available in 60+ countries as of mid-2026. The program is active in:
Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Ireland, India, Germany, France, Netherlands, Brazil, South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Switzerland, Belgium, Poland, Czech Republic, Romania, Portugal, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and many more.
Nepal is listed as an eligible country under the Google for Nonprofits programme. Nepali nonprofits with valid organisation registration can apply, though the process for verification of charity status may vary.
If your country is not listed, check the current eligibility list at google.org/nonprofits directly, as availability expands periodically.
4. How to Apply: Step-by-Step
The application process has three stages that must be completed in order:
Stage 1: Google for Nonprofits Enrollment
Go to google.org/nonprofits and click “Get Started.” You will need:
– Your organisation’s charity registration number / tax ID
– Contact details for a person with signing authority (executive director or board member)
– Your organisation’s website URL
– A brief description of your mission
Google uses TechSoup (or an equivalent local validation partner) to verify charity status. In Australia, this is TechSoup Australia. In the UK, it is TechSoup UK. In the US, it is TechSoup directly. The verification process typically takes 3–14 business days depending on your country.
Stage 2: Accept Google for Nonprofits Products
Once approved, you will receive access to the Google for Nonprofits portal, which includes Google Workspace for Nonprofits, YouTube Nonprofit Programme, and Google Ad Grants. Accept each product individually through the portal.
Stage 3: Ad Grants Application
Within the Google for Nonprofits portal, click “Activate” under Google Ad Grants. You will be directed to create a new Google Ads account or link an existing one. Important: Ad Grants accounts must be new accounts created through this process. You cannot convert an existing paid Google Ads account into an Ad Grants account.
Complete the account setup by:
1. Setting your account currency to USD (required, even outside the US)
2. Setting your time zone
3. Agreeing to the Ad Grants terms of service
4. Submitting the account for review
Google reviews and approves Ad Grants accounts within 3–7 business days. You will receive an email confirmation when your account is active and the $10,000 monthly credit is applied.
5. Ad Grants Account Requirements (The Rules That Get Accounts Suspended)
This section is the most important in the guide. Accounts that do not meet these requirements are first warned and then suspended. Reinstatement requires fixing all violations and submitting a reinstatement request — a process that can take 4–8 weeks.
Requirement 1: Minimum 5% CTR across the account
Your account’s overall click-through rate must average at least 5% per month. If it falls below 5% in two consecutive months, your account will be suspended.
5% CTR sounds high — average CTR for paid Google Search ads is 2–4%. For Ad Grants, achieving 5% requires very targeted, specific keywords with high intent relevance. Generic terms like “charity” or “help people” will destroy your CTR. Long-tail, specific keywords like “volunteer with at-risk youth Sydney” or “donate to flood relief Nepal” will achieve 5%+ with good ads.
Requirement 2: No single-word keywords
All keywords must contain at least two words. “Donate,” “volunteer,” “charity,” “nonprofit” — all of these will trigger a policy warning. Use “donate to animal rescue,” “volunteer opportunities Melbourne,” “charity supporting refugees,” and so on.
The exception: single-word brand name keywords (your organisation’s name) are permitted.
Requirement 3: No overly generic keywords
Keywords must be relevant to your organisation’s specific programs and mission. “Best ways to help people,” “things you can do for charity,” or “information about climate change” are too generic and will be flagged. Keywords should connect directly to what your organisation specifically does.
Requirement 4: Minimum Quality Score of 3 for keywords
Any keyword with a Quality Score of 1 or 2 must be paused or improved. This requires:
– High keyword-to-ad relevance (the keyword must appear in the ad)
– High keyword-to-landing page relevance (the landing page must clearly address the keyword intent)
– Competitive expected CTR
Regularly audit keyword Quality Scores and pause low-scoring keywords before they impact your account health metrics.
Requirement 5: Valid conversion tracking
Your account must have at least one active conversion action with recorded conversions. Conversion actions can be page views on key pages (donation thank-you page, volunteer sign-up confirmation, newsletter subscription), phone calls, or form submissions. Google requires you to demonstrate that the account is driving meaningful user actions, not just traffic.
Requirement 6: Active account management
You must log into the account at least once every 90 days and make changes at least once every 90 days. Inactive accounts are flagged for review. Build a monthly check-in into your calendar.
Requirement 7: Geographic targeting
You must set geographic targeting that matches where your organisation operates and serves. Broad “all countries” targeting typically results in irrelevant traffic from regions you cannot serve and destroys your CTR.
Requirement 8: Ad schedule
Run ads only during the hours relevant to your audience. A local service providing in-person support 9am–5pm Monday to Friday has no reason to run ads at 2am. Ad scheduling improves CTR by concentrating spend when your audience is most engaged.
6. Campaign Structure for Ad Grants
A well-structured Ad Grants account typically has 4–6 campaign themes, each with tightly focused ad groups:
Campaign structure example for an environmental nonprofit:
Campaign: Volunteer Recruitment
Ad Group: Environmental Volunteering (city name)
Ad Group: Wildlife Conservation Volunteer Opportunities
Ad Group: Tree Planting Volunteer Programs
Campaign: Donations
Ad Group: Donate to Environmental Conservation
Ad Group: Monthly Giving Program
Ad Group: Legacy Donation / Bequests
Campaign: Programs & Education
Ad Group: Environmental Education Schools
Ad Group: Community Workshops
Ad Group: Youth Programs
Campaign: Brand / Organisation Name
Ad Group: [Organisation Name] Direct
Ad Group: [Organisation Name] + Mission Variants
Campaign: Events
Ad Group: Annual Fundraising Gala
Ad Group: Upcoming Community Events
Campaign: Corporate Partnerships
Ad Group: Corporate Social Responsibility Partnerships
Ad Group: Business Environmental Partnerships
Each ad group should contain:
– 5–15 tightly themed keywords (all phrase or broad match modified — no broad match alone)
– 2–3 responsive search ads with headlines using the keywords naturally
– A landing page directly relevant to the ad group’s intent
7. Keyword Strategy for Ad Grants
The keyword strategy for Ad Grants differs from paid Search strategy in two critical ways: you must avoid anything that generates high impressions with low CTR, and you must not use single-word keywords.
Ideal keyword types for Ad Grants:
Long-tail intent keywords: “how to donate to flood relief in Nepal,” “volunteer with children’s charities Sydney,” “animal shelter near me adoption”
Program-specific keywords: Use the exact names of your programs, campaigns, and services. People searching for these terms are already interested.
Brand adjacent keywords: Organisation names of partner charities, related causes, and mission-adjacent terms your audience searches.
Event keywords: If you run a recurring event (“Sydney dog adoption day,” “annual fundraising walk Melbourne”), these are ideal — high intent, low competition, very high CTR.
Keyword match types:
Use phrase match (” “) and exact match ([ ]) primarily. Broad match in Ad Grants generates too many irrelevant impressions and destroys CTR. If you use broad match keywords, add extensive negative keyword lists to prevent off-topic matches.
Negative keywords for Ad Grants:
Build a shared negative keyword list that includes:
– Job-seeking terms: “careers,” “salary,” “employment,” “job listing,” “hiring”
– Commercial variants: “buy,” “price,” “cost,” “how much,” “free shipping”
– Competitor-irrelevant terms
– Geographic terms outside your service area
8. How to Spend Your Full $10,000 Monthly Allocation
Most new Ad Grants accounts spend far less than their $10,000/month allocation. The grant is not automatically spent — you must have enough targeted search volume across your keywords to generate traffic.
Strategies to increase spend:
Expand keyword coverage: Add keyword themes for every program, service, event, blog topic, and campaign your organisation runs. More keywords = more potential searches to match.
Improve Quality Scores: Higher Quality Scores mean Google shows your ads more frequently and in higher positions, generating more clicks. Improve by improving ad relevance and landing page relevance.
Use all geographic targeting options: If your organisation operates nationally, run campaigns targeting each major city with city-specific keywords. “Volunteer Melbourne,” “volunteer Sydney,” “volunteer Brisbane” all have separate search volumes.
Target content themes, not just programs: If your organisation publishes blog posts or resources, run campaigns driving traffic to those resources. “How to reduce household waste,” “guide to backyard composting,” “what is climate anxiety” — these informational queries have substantial search volume and your content may rank well when supported by ad traffic.
Add remarketing through paid accounts: Ad Grants cannot run Display ads, but if you run a parallel paid Google Ads account (even a small one), you can use remarketing to follow up with visitors your Ad Grants traffic brought in.
9. Ad Grants + Paid Google Ads: Running Both Together
Google permits you to run a paid Google Ads account alongside your Ad Grants account. The two accounts must be separate — you cannot combine them into a single account.
When you run both:
– Paid ads take priority in ad auctions over Ad Grants ads
– Your Ad Grants ads show in positions below your paid ads
– The same or similar keywords can run in both accounts
– You can use the paid account for Display, Video, Shopping, and Performance Max — channels not available through Ad Grants
Strategic use case: Use Ad Grants for broad keyword coverage — driving awareness, traffic to educational content, and volunteer recruitment. Use paid Google Ads for high-value, high-competition terms where placement position matters more — major fundraising campaigns, donor acquisition for large gifts, or program sign-ups during peak periods.
Many nonprofits run Ad Grants as their primary search presence year-round and activate a paid campaign for 4–6 weeks around their major fundraising event or end-of-financial-year giving push.
10. Measuring Impact for Nonprofit Goals
Standard e-commerce ROAS metrics do not apply to nonprofit advertising. Define your conversion framework around your actual mission outcomes:
Tier 1 — Micro conversions (count and track these):
– Blog post reads (time on page > 2 minutes as goal)
– Newsletter sign-ups
– Email list additions
– Social media follows initiated from landing pages
Tier 2 — Mid-funnel conversions (track with values):
– Volunteer application form submissions: value = estimated volunteer hours × average hourly value ($30–$50)
– Event registrations: value = average ticket price or estimated fundraising per attendee
– Resource downloads (e.g., grant applications, research reports): value = estimated program outcome value
Tier 3 — High-value conversions (track with full value):
– Donation completions: value = donation amount
– Monthly giving sign-ups: value = monthly amount × estimated average donor lifetime (24–36 months)
– Major gift enquiry form submissions
Set up all tiers in Google Ads as conversion actions. This gives you a complete picture of impact and helps maintain the “active conversion tracking” requirement of the grant.
Monthly reporting recommendation:
Pull a monthly report showing: total clicks from Ad Grants, conversions by tier, estimated economic value of conversions (using the values above), and top-performing keywords. Share this with your board to demonstrate the programme’s value and justify allocating staff time to manage it.
11. Interactive Tools
Ad Grants Eligibility Checker
Ad Grants Account Health Monitor
12. FAQ
Q: Can we use the $10,000 for anything other than Google Search ads?
No. The credit applies only to text ads on Google Search (google.com). It cannot be used for YouTube ads, Display Network, Gmail ads, Shopping ads, Maps ads, or any other placement. It is not cash — it is advertising credit.
Q: Our account was suspended. How do we get reinstated?
Fix all policy violations first: bring CTR above 5% by pausing low-CTR keywords, remove single-word keywords, add conversion tracking if missing, and ensure your website complies with Ad Grants landing page policies. Then submit a reinstatement request through your Ad Grants account. Reinstatement typically takes 4–8 weeks.
Q: Can a nonprofit run both Ad Grants and a paid Google Ads account?
Yes. They must be separate accounts. Paid ads take priority over Ad Grants ads in auctions. Many organisations use paid for high-value campaigns (major fundraising pushes, donor acquisition) and Ad Grants for year-round awareness and traffic.
Q: Is there a limit on how long we can use Ad Grants?
There is no time limit. Ad Grants continues month to month as long as your organisation remains eligible and the account meets compliance requirements. Some organisations have run uninterrupted Ad Grants accounts for 10+ years.
Q: Do we need to bid in USD even though we’re in Australia?
Yes. Ad Grants accounts must be set to USD regardless of your location. Your website can be in any language and your ads can target any country, but the account currency is USD.
Q: Can we promote events happening outside our country?
Yes, if the event is organised by your nonprofit. You can target searchers in relevant countries. A Nepal-based nonprofit holding an international fundraising event in Sydney can run ads in Australia promoting that event.
Q: Are there restrictions on landing pages?
Yes. Landing pages must belong to your organisation’s primary website domain. You cannot send Ad Grants traffic to third-party fundraising platforms (like GoFundMe or Eventbrite) as your destination URL. You can run an ad to your own site’s event page and link from there to a third-party ticketing platform.
Q: How long does the full application process take?
From initial application to first live ads: typically 3–6 weeks. TechSoup verification takes 5–14 days in most countries. Google’s Ad Grants review after submission takes 3–7 days. Account setup and campaign creation add another few days. Plan for a month.
Conclusion
Google Ad Grants is one of the most underutilised resources available to the nonprofit sector. The $10,000 monthly advertising credit is genuinely valuable — but only for organisations that treat their Ad Grants account with the same discipline they would apply to a paid advertising budget.
The organisations that sustain high-performing Ad Grants accounts over years share common practices: they write highly specific, long-tail keyword lists. They obsess over CTR because the 5% minimum is not a suggestion. They set up conversion tracking for every meaningful action on their website. And they review and update their campaigns monthly rather than setting them up once and walking away.
If your nonprofit is not yet using Ad Grants, the application process is free and the potential return — tens of thousands of website visitors per month — is difficult to justify not pursuing. If you have an existing Grant account that is underperforming or at risk of suspension, the framework in this guide will help you stabilise and grow it.
The Ignited Nepal team works with nonprofits and social enterprises across Nepal, Australia, and internationally to set up, fix, and scale Google Ad Grants accounts.
Contact Ignited Nepal to set up or fix your Google Ad Grants account
Written by the Ignited Nepal team. ignitednepal.com