For nonprofits, not individuals. Google Ad Grants gives qualifying 501(c)(3)s up to $10,000/month in free Google Search ads. This page summarizes the program; the original write-up is on Search Engine Journal (linked below).
What it is
Google Ad Grants is Google's in-kind advertising program for nonprofits. Approved organizations get a monthly budget — currently up to $10,000 USD — to spend on text ads in Google Search results. Ads appear below paid commercial ads but above organic results for the keywords you target.
The grant is for awareness, fundraising, volunteer recruitment, and driving traffic to your services. It does not cover YouTube ads, Display Network, or Google Maps ads — Search only.
Source: Search Engine Journal — Google Ad Grants: A Guide For Nonprofits (published March 31, 2023).
Who qualifies
- Registered charitable organization in an eligible country (US 501(c)(3) qualifies).
- Have a working website that is owned by the nonprofit and describes its mission.
- Agree to Google for Nonprofits and Ad Grants program policies.
Not eligible:
- Government entities and organizations.
- Hospitals and healthcare organizations.
- Schools, academic institutions, and universities (Google has a separate "Google for Education" program for these).
How to apply
- Go to google.com/nonprofits and request a Google for Nonprofits account.
- Verify your nonprofit status — Google validates US nonprofits through TechSoup (you may need to register there first and get a TechSoup validation token).
- Once Google for Nonprofits is approved, activate the Ad Grants product from your account dashboard.
- Fill out the Ad Grants eligibility form. Google reviews it (typically a few business days).
- When you receive the activation email, log in to ads.google.com and build your first campaign.
The end-to-end process commonly takes 2–4 weeks.
What to budget time for after approval
The grant is free, but staying compliant takes ongoing work. Plan for someone on staff (or a volunteer) to:
- Pick keywords relevant to your services and the people you serve.
- Write text ads with clear calls to action (donate, volunteer, get help, etc.).
- Set geographic targeting to your service area.
- Track which ads drive donations / sign-ups / page visits and refine over time.
Google's Ad Grants program has its own compliance rules (click-through-rate thresholds, conversion tracking, account structure). Check Google's current Ad Grants policy compliance guide before launching — rules have changed since 2023 and accounts can be paused for non-compliance.
Why this matters for a small nonprofit
Paid Google Search placement normally costs real money per click. For a local nonprofit serving a specific community, the grant can put your services in front of people actively searching for help — at the moment they're searching — without spending program dollars on ads. Even using a fraction of the $10K/month budget can meaningfully boost reach.
Notes: $10,000/month figure and program structure per Google's published Ad Grants documentation. Eligibility exclusions (government, hospitals, schools) per the SEJ guide and Google's eligibility page. Application flow via Google for Nonprofits + TechSoup validation is the current US process as of 2024.