Let’s face it, I am pretty sure 99% of the population at some point has used a ‘search engine’ to find information about a topic. There are many search engines available such as Google, Bing, Yahoo, and Ask. Google is undoubtedly the most popular with over 70% of the search market share.
With that said, in 2003 Google launched the Google Adwords Nonprofit Grant program. Google Ad Grants provide up to $10,000 worth of ads per month to qualifying nonprofits. You read that right, $10,00 per month, that’s $120,000 per year which could have a huge impact on a nonprofit’s ability to accomplish their mission. Google really cares about this program, and it shows in the numbers: Since 2003, more than 115,000 grantees have received over $9 billion in free advertising.
But beyond the statistics, Google has a team dedicated exclusively to Google Ad Grants that’s always finding ways to improve the program and help nonprofits grow. Google believes in helping nonprofits find and use available resources to improve their marketing efforts and grow their impact.
In this three part blog we explore what a Google Ad Grant is, the requirements and how to manage your Google Ad Grant. We will bust some myths and add clarification we hope your nonprofit will have the expectations, understanding, and confidence to apply for the Google Ad Grant and make the most of all that the program has to offer.
Simply stated, a Google Ad Grant allows a nonprofit to place text only ads on their search engine. A lot has changed since Google Ad Grants started in 2003, which has led to some common misconceptions about the process. The term grant conjures up some assumptions so here are some clarifying points.
- You are not competing for the grant. In the grant world the normal scenario is there is a pool of money, you apply, and hope to be one of the chosen few. Google Ad Grants are awarded to any eligible 501c3 organization.
- There is no application deadline. You can apply at any time.
- Technically not $10,000 per month. Google Ads budgets are set daily rather than monthly, so the $10,000 is disbursed as $330 allotments for each day of the month. Keep in mind that if you don’t spend the full $330, it doesn’t roll over to the next day or month. It’s common for nonprofits to underuse the grant because daily allotments aren’t spent.
While many organizations won’t need anywhere near that amount to reach their goals, these grants provide both the drive to help increase your organization’s reach and the scope to grow with your nonprofit.
A Google Ad Grants could benefit your organization but before you go jumping up and down, in our next blog, 5 Things Your Nonprofit Must Have To Get A Google Ad Grant, we will outline the requirements and systems you must have in place before you apply to make the process go smoothly.
