Google Ads Grant for Nonprofits: How to Actually Use Your $10K Each Month

Nonprofits have an incredible (and surprisingly underutilized) opportunity at their fingertips: the Google Ad Grants program. This initiative offers $10,000 per month in free Google Search ad spend, giving you the chance to drive more visitors to your website, promote important initiatives, grow your volunteer base, and increase donations. It’s a great resource that not many people know about, and even fewer know how to spend the money given Google’s strict regulations. 

We’ve tested, tweaked, and figured out what really works — here’s how to put it to use.

What is The Google Ads Grant for Nonprofits?

The Google Ads Grant gives eligible nonprofits $10,000 per month in free Google Search ads. It’s built to help mission-driven organizations reach new audiences, promote their work, and inspire real action — from donations and volunteer signups to event registrations and general awareness.

Unlike a standard Google Ads account, the grant has its own set of rules and restrictions (more on those in a minute) and requires ongoing ad grant management to stay eligible. But with the right setup, it’s a powerful way to get in front of people who are actively searching for what you offer.

How do you qualify?

• Hold valid charitable status (501(c)(3) in the U.S.)
• Be registered with Google for Nonprofits
• Have a functioning website with substantial content
• Agree to Google’s non-discrimination and donation receipt policies

Getting Started With Your Grant

If your organization is eligible, the first step is to apply through Google for Nonprofits. Once approved, you can activate the Google Ads Grant and start building your account.

Keep in mind, setup isn’t exactly the same as a standard Google Ads account. There are specific requirements you’ll need to follow, and staying compliant is critical if you want to keep that $10K rolling in. We’ll walk through those next.

Lastly, it’s worth noting that Google Ad Grant accounts also compete with regular paid Google Ads accounts, which get priority for ad space. That makes it tougher to show up, making smart targeting and strategy even more important.

Understanding Google Ads Grant Compliance

The Google Ads Grant is a huge opportunity — but it does come with some rules. Google isn’t handing out $10K a month in free ads without making sure it’s being used in a way that helps people searching and benefits your organization.

And honestly, fair enough. But it does mean you’ve got to stay on top of a few key requirements. If you don’t, your account can get flagged or even suspended. 

Let’s break down what you need to stay in Google’s good graces:

• Campaign Structure: You need at least two ad groups per campaign, with at least two ads in each ad group.
• Keyword Rules: Single-word and overly generic keywords (like "books" or "volunteer") are not allowed. Also, any keywords with a Quality Score below 3 must be removed.
  Performance Metrics: Google expects your ads to achieve a 5% click-through rate (CTR) each month. You also need to have conversion tracking in place and report at least one conversion per month.
• Technical Setup: Ads should link to relevant, high-quality landing pages. Ad rotation must be set to optimize, and you’ll need to respond to an annual survey from Google.
• Budget: The grant is capped at $10,000/month, with a daily maximum spend of $329.

Best Practices to Make the Most of Your Grant

Once your account is approved and running, the real work begins: actually spending the grant. Most nonprofits don’t come close to using the full $10K each month, usually because their campaigns aren’t structured to meet Google’s strict standards and connect with the right audience.

Reporting dashboard of a Pinky Swear's Google Ads campaign

Here are some best practices that we’ve learned through working with nonprofits using this grant: 

Keyword Strategy

The right keywords help you get in front of people who are actually searching for what your nonprofit offers. But with the grant’s restrictions (no single-word or low-quality terms), you have to be intentional — both in what you include and what you block.

• Choose broad match keywords thoughtfully so you can show up for different variations of relevant searches, while still keeping the traffic high-quality.
• Group keywords by theme or search intent within each ad group to keep your ads focused and improve relevance.
• Use negative keywords to block irrelevant searches, like people looking for jobs, services you don’t offer, or anything that doesn’t apply to your organization.

Ads

Ad strength matters. Google rewards ads that are well-structured, relevant to the search, and consistently perform well. The more complete and specific your ads are, the more likely they are to be shown — and clicked.

• Use all 15 headlines and 4 descriptions. The more assets you provide, the more combinations Google can test and optimize.
• Max out character limits where it makes sense. Longer copy gives you extra space to make your message clear.
• Match your ads to their keywords as closely as possible to improve performance and quality score.
• Include a clear call to action so people know exactly what to do next — donate, sign up, get involved, etc.

Landing Page

Your landing page is part of your ad — at least as far as Google is concerned. If the content on the page doesn’t match the ad, your quality score drops — and so do your chances of spending the full grant. A strong, relevant landing page boosts performance and increases conversions.

• Align your landing page with the ad copy and keywords.
• Use your main keyword in the URL, page title (H1), and meta description.
• Center the page around one primary keyword and naturally work in 2–3 related keywords.
• Optimize images by updating file names and alt text with your keyword.
• Avoid sending all traffic to your homepage. Use or create pages that best match the ad and search intent.
• Make sure your page has a clear, compelling title and a strong CTA.
• If you have testimonials, include them. They build trust and help with conversion.

Campaign Strategy

A well-structured campaign is easier to manage, more cost-effective, and more likely to drive the kind of results Google wants to see from grant accounts. It’s also essential for keeping your account compliant and active.

• Group keywords by theme or intent in each ad group for better targeting and organization.
• Use demographic and location targeting to focus your budget on the right audience.
• Prioritize conversion quality. Aim for traffic that’s likely to take action, not just clicks.
• Start with Maximize Clicks, then switch to Maximize Conversions once your campaign has enough data. This can help you optimize performance without limiting early traffic while Google’s algorithm is still learning.

Put the Google Ads Grant for Nonprofits to Work

The Google Ads Grant can be a game-changer for nonprofits — if you know how to work within the rules. With the right strategy, it can help you reach more people, grow your supporter base, and increase donations without stretching your budget. 

At Lake One, we can help you get set up, stay compliant, and actually use the full $10K each month. We also work with nonprofits to put other grants toward tools like HubSpot CRM, so your marketing and fundraising run smoothly together. If you’d like help putting your grant to work, drop us a line.