What is the Google Ad Grant?
The Google Ad Grant provides eligible nonprofits with up to $10,000 USD per month (approximately £8,000) in free Google Ads advertising spend. It is part of the Google for Nonprofits programme and is available to registered charities in the UK and many other countries.
The grant allows nonprofits to run text ads on Google Search and Google Maps, helping them reach people searching for their cause, services, or volunteering opportunities.
Who is eligible for a Google Ad Grant?
To qualify, your organisation must:
- Be a registered charity (in the UK, registered with the Charity Commission or OSCR)
- Hold valid charity registration number
- Have a website that meets Google's ad quality standards — including a clear description of your mission, secure (HTTPS), and substantial original content
- Acknowledge that Google for Nonprofits' terms are reviewed and accepted
- Not be a government entity, healthcare organisation, hospital, or school
How to apply for a Google Ad Grant
- Register with Google for Nonprofits. Verify your organisation's charity status. In the UK, this is done through the Charity Commission database.
- Enrol in Google Ad Grants. Once verified, apply for the grant through the Google for Nonprofits portal.
- Create a Google Ads account. Set up an account specifically for the grant (it will be a special grant account, not a standard Google Ads account).
- Build your first campaign. Google requires you to have at least one active campaign with at least one ad group and ad.
- Wait for approval. Google reviews your application and account setup. Approval typically takes 3 to 5 business days.
What can you do with the grant?
The Google Ad Grant supports:
- Search ads: Text ads that appear on Google Search results pages when users search for keywords relevant to your charity
- Maps ads: Ads that appear on Google Maps when users search for nearby services
The grant cannot be used for Display ads, Video ads, Shopping ads, or ads on partner websites.
Google's own guidance is useful here: its negative-keyword documentation explains that exclusions are designed to remove irrelevant searches, while the search terms report shows the actual queries that triggered ads. That is why optimisation should be based on observed intent and conversion quality, not simply cheaper clicks or a larger keyword list.
Google Ad Grant restrictions
The grant comes with specific restrictions you must follow:
- $2.00 USD maximum CPC (approximately £1.60) on standard keywords — you cannot bid more than this
- $2.00 USD per click on "gold" keywords, but only if your organisation meets the "gold" status requirements
- Campaigns must be Search-only — no Display, Video, or Shopping campaigns
- You cannot use the grant for branded keyword campaigns targeting another organisation's name
- Your ads must link to your own website — you cannot direct traffic to third-party sites
- CTR compliance: Your account must maintain a CTR of at least 5% — if it falls below for two consecutive months, your account may be suspended
How to lift the $2 CPC cap
The $2 CPC cap can be limiting, especially for competitive keywords. To qualify for higher bids:
- Maintain a CTR of 5% or higher for at least 2 months
- Maintain a conversion tracking setup with at least 2 conversions per month
- Maintain an active account with at least 2 ads per ad group
- Maintain at least 2 ad groups per campaign
Once you meet these criteria, you can apply for Google's "gold" status, which allows bids above $2 on select keywords.
Best practices for Google Ad Grant success
1. Target the right keywords
Nonprofits often make the mistake of bidding on broad, high-volume keywords that are irrelevant to their mission. Instead:
- Focus on specific, intent-driven keywords related to your services (e.g., "volunteer opportunities in London" rather than "volunteer")
- Use long-tail keywords with lower competition and clearer intent
- Add negative keywords aggressively to prevent wasting impressions on irrelevant searches
2. Write compelling ad copy
Your ad copy should:
- Clearly state your mission and the benefit to the user
- Include a specific call to action ("Donate", "Volunteer", "Get help")
- Use ad extensions (sitelinks, callouts) to increase visibility and CTR. If you are struggling with low engagement, you might want to rewrite your titles and meta descriptions to improve your ad's CTR.
3. Optimise landing pages
Your landing page should:
- Match the ad's promise and intent
- Have a clear, single call to action
- Load quickly and be mobile-friendly
- Build trust with testimonials, impact statistics, and trust badges
4. Monitor CTR compliance
Because the grant requires a minimum 5% CTR, monitor performance closely. If CTR drops:
- Pause underperforming ads and keywords
- Add more negative keywords
- Refine ad copy to be more relevant and compelling
- Consider pausing campaigns with persistently low CTR to protect your account standing. Before you do, use a free Google index checker to ensure your pages are actually appearing in search results.
When the issue moves from diagnosis to implementation, Google Ads management is the relevant Digital Womble route rather than a generic sales detour.
5. Track conversions
Set up conversion tracking for:
- Donations
- Volunteer sign-ups
- Newsletter subscriptions
- Service enquiries
This data helps you optimise for the actions that matter, not just clicks. To scale your impact, consider using a topical authority content strategy to drive more organic traffic alongside your grant.
Common pitfalls to avoid
- Bidding on irrelevant keywords that drive clicks but no conversions, dragging down CTR and risking account suspension
- Ignoring CTR compliance — if your account falls below 5% CTR for two consecutive months, Google may suspend it
- Not using negative keywords — wasting impressions on searches irrelevant to your mission
- Poor landing page experience — users who click but do not find what they expect will bounce, lowering CTR and conversion rate
- Not tracking conversions — without conversion data, you cannot optimise for impact
Should you manage the grant in-house or hire an agency?
Managing a Google Ad Grant requires ongoing attention — keyword research, ad copy testing, CTR monitoring, and compliance management. Many charities lack the in-house expertise or time to manage this effectively.
A specialist agency can:
- Set up the account and campaigns correctly from the start
- Ensure compliance with Google's policies and restrictions
- Monitor CTR and performance continuously
- Optimise for conversions, not just clicks. You can use an AI marketing readiness scorecard to see if your current digital infrastructure is ready for professional management.
For charities that want to maximise the impact of their grant without dedicating internal resources, professional management is often worth the investment.
Want to maximise your Google Ad Grant? Explore Charity Ads Management with flat-fee pricing and no percentage of spend.