If you are a UK based charity, this is a must read guide, especially if you would be interested in a free budget for promoting your activities. (Who wouldn’t?)
If you’re already using Google Ad Grants, we would love to hear from you and know your story!
What is Google Ad Grants
It’s a free budget for nonprofit organisations to be spent on advertising on Google search via Google AdWords, Google’s online advertising tool. An eligible nonprofit organisation can be granted $10,000 per month, which is equivalent to $329 per day for advertising their mission and services on Google search. This advertising budget can help your organisation promote your activities and mission, attract new volunteers and supporters and even raise funds for your awesome work!
Are you eligible for Google for Nonprofits?
To be eligible for the Google for Nonprofits programme, organisations must meet these 3 requirements:
- Hold current and valid charity status
- England and Wales: organisations must be registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales
- Scotland and Northern Ireland: organisations must be registered with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, Inland Revenue or the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland
- Acknowledge and agree to the application’s required certifications regarding non-discrimination and donation receipt and use
- Have a functioning website with substantial content
Please note that the following organisations are not eligible for Google Ad Grants:
- Governmental entities and organisations
- Hospitals and other health care providers
- Schools, childcare centres, academic institutions and universities (philanthropic arms of educational organisations are eligible). To learn more about Google’s programmes for educational institutions, visit Google for Education.
More information and how to maintain eligibility can be found here.
Rules and requirements good to know before you start
- You can run only keyword-targeted campaigns
- Your ads can only appear on Google search result pages
- You can run only text ads. Image ads and other ad formats are not supported.
- You can only promote mission-based ads and keywords
- You must choose US dollar as your currency regardless of the location
- Use only one nonprofit website domain that was approved in the application
- Actively manage your AdWords account by logging in monthly and making at least one change to your account every 90 days
- A $2.00 is maximum cost-per-click (CPC), $329 is a maximum daily budget
Creating the AdWords account
Create your Google Ad Grants AdWords account by following the instructions on the Account Creation Guide:
- Please ensure that you select USD as your currency, regardless of country
- Do NOT submit credit card information– skip this section in your account set up and ignore any messages asking you to submit billing information
- Your campaign must only direct to the ONE non-profit website URL listed in this application and must have mission-based (not commercial) ads and keywords.
You can also follow this AdWords for Nonprofits guide with the detailed set-up requirements here.
Application steps:
Once you have the account created according the rules, you can fill in and submit your application. Application forms are listed below, please make sure you also have these documents ready:
- Write an essay on how your organisation plans to utilise AdWords to drive social impact.
- Submit your proof of charity status
- Submit your AdWords Customer ID and the e-mail address associated with this account.
Charities from Scotland and Northern Ireland:
You must be registered with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator or by the Inland Revenue or the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland. To apply, complete this online application.
Charities from England and Wales:
Only nonprofits registered with the Charity Commission for England & Wales, and whose headquarters are in the United Kingdom, are eligible for membership.
- Wait for the account review
There’s more for Nonprofits from Google
More products for nonprofits such as Google Apps, YouTube for Nonprofits or Google Earth Outreach. Why not to tell your story with video and use YouTube for Nonprofits?
Not sure what are you eligible for? Check the nonprofit product offerings by country.
Are you interested but too busy setting up the Google AdWords campaigns? Let us help you to create and manage the campaigns for you. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us.
