Nonprofit Guide

How to Apply for Google Ad Grants

Google Ad Grants gives eligible nonprofits free search advertising on Google. Getting there takes two stages: first a Google for Nonprofits account, then Ad Grants activation. Here is each step, the policies that keep your account active, and the resources worth bookmarking.

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Part 1

Apply for Google for Nonprofits

Review eligibility requirements

To be eligible, you must

Be registered as a charitable organization in an approved country.
Meet the requirements in your own country.
Agree to the Google for Nonprofits Additional Terms of Service.

Not eligible to apply

Governmental entities or organizations
Hospitals or healthcare organizations
Schools, academic institutions, or universities (Google for Education offers a separate program)

Requirements for the United States

Be recognized by the IRS as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization formed for charitable, educational, religious, literary, scientific, or other tax-exempt purposes.
Fiscally sponsored organizations are not eligible.
Organizations automatically considered tax-exempt under a group exemption (such as churches) must still obtain 501(c)(3) recognition from the IRS.
Be validated by Google’s nonprofit verification partner.

Request a Google for Nonprofits account

Go to Google for Nonprofits and click “Get Started.” Answer a few eligibility questions and have these ready: your organization’s EIN (Nonprofit ID), its physical address, and its online contact information.
Wait for verification. Google’s validation partner confirms you are affiliated with your organization and that it is eligible, and may contact you during the process. Check the status anytime from your account page.
Activate products. Once your organization is verified, you can activate Google products, including Google Ad Grants.

Verification takes a few business days

Part 2

Activate your Google Ad Grants account

Use the same login for both accounts. If you signed up for Google for Nonprofits with username@gmail.com, your Ad Grants account will be tied to that same email address. You can invite more users to manage the account after activation.

Verify that your website is secure with HTTPS

Sign in to Google for Nonprofits.
Click Get started under Google Ad Grants.
Enter the website your organization will use for Ad Grants.
Click Submit website to check that your site is secure.

Complete the Ad Grants eligibility form

Fill out the assessment through the eligibility form link. It identifies organizations eligible for the program and helps Google learn more about yours.

About 20 minutes

Submit your activation for review

Return to Google for Nonprofits.
Click Get started under Google Ad Grants.
Check the box confirming you completed the eligibility form.
Click Submit activation request.

Google reviews your request and emails you with next steps.

Review typically takes 3 business days

Stay compliant

Ad Grants policies to know

No single-word keywords.

No keywords with a quality score of 1 or 2.

A minimum 5% click-through rate (CTR).

Your organization must own the domain your ads link to.

Your website must meet Google’s quality standards.

No Google AdSense ads or affiliate links on your site.

At least 2 ads per ad group.

At least 2 ad groups per campaign.

At least 2 sitelink ad extensions.

Failing to comply with any program policy results in automatic suspension of your account.

Most recent changes

Google Ad Grants has changed its policies several times. Two of the most significant: the $2 bid cap no longer applies to campaigns using the Maximize Conversions bid strategy, and the minimum CTR rose from 1% to 5%. Both changes are permanent and in effect today.

Before you start, make sure you have a fully functional website for your ads to link to. Google also recommends working with a certified professional agency that specializes in Ad Grants.

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