What Google Ad Grants is
Ad Grants is part of Google for Nonprofits, the programme through which Google offers its products free or discounted to charities. It is an in-kind donation: you receive no money, only advertising on Google Search that can be used within the programme. Google's own approved wording, published in its media and press guidance for Ad Grants, describes access to up to $10,000 per month in Search ads shown on Google.com.
That figure is a ceiling, not an amount you will automatically spend. How much a charity actually uses depends on how many people search for subjects related to its mission and how well the campaigns are built. Amounts and rules can change, so always check Google's current pages before planning around them.
Things to know before you start:
- Grant ads are text ads in Google Search results.
- You pay nothing for clicks within the programme.
- The account is a separate Google Ads account with its own policies, stricter than a normal paid account.
New to paid search? Read our explanation of what Google Ads is first.
Who is eligible in the UK
Eligibility runs through Google for Nonprofits. According to Google's eligibility guidelines for the United Kingdom, an organisation must be registered as a charitable organisation in a participating country, be verified by Goodstack (Google's validation partner) and accept the Google for Nonprofits additional terms of service. For the UK, Google lists these registrations:
- England and Wales: registered with the Charity Commission;
- Scotland: registered with OSCR, the Scottish Charity Regulator;
- Northern Ireland: registered with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland;
- organisations with tax exemption from HMRC as a charity, and exempt charities;
- churches.
Goodstack decides whether your particular registration is accepted. Google's list does not mention other structures, such as community interest companies or social enterprises without charitable status, so do not assume they qualify; check before you apply.
Who is excluded
Google excludes governmental entities, hospitals and healthcare organisations (although their charitable arms or foundations can be eligible) and schools, academic institutions and universities (although their philanthropic arms can be eligible). An NHS trust would fall under the exclusions, while a registered NHS charity linked to it could qualify as a charitable arm, subject to verification.
Website requirements
Approval also depends on your website. Google's Ad Grants website policy sets out what reviewers look for. In summary:
- Domain ownership. The charity must own and control the domain the ads point to, and it must host your site directly rather than redirecting to a donation platform or social media page. A .org domain is not required.
- Substantial, original content about your mission and activities, not thin pages, copied text, placeholder pages or core information hidden in PDFs.
- A clear mission, with programmes or services described and contact details, plus your registration number or an annual report. For a UK charity, showing the charity number is the natural way to do this.
- Working navigation and links, including donation buttons that lead to a secure, functioning donation page.
- Speed, mobile usability and HTTPS across the whole site.
- Limited commercial activity and no AdSense ads or affiliate-led content.
How to apply for Google Ad Grants
- Check eligibility. Read Google's UK guidelines and exclusions. Make sure your registration details match what your website and the regulator's register show.
- Request a Google for Nonprofits account. Goodstack verifies your organisation. Watch your inbox, as further documents may be requested.
- Activate Ad Grants. Once your Google for Nonprofits account is approved, choose Ad Grants and complete that application, including the website review.
- Build the grant account. It is a separate Google Ads account from any paid one. Set up conversion tracking, campaign structure and sitelinks properly from the start.
- Go live and maintain it. The real work begins after approval: keeping campaigns useful and within the rules.
Google states that it may grant or deny an application or participation at any time and may amend its guidelines, so treat its documentation as the authority at every step.
The account rules that keep a grant active
The difference from a normal Google Ads account lies in the programme policies. The main ones are summarised below from Google's Ad Grants account management policy and policy compliance guide. Grant accounts must also follow standard Google Ads policies. Check the current versions before relying on this summary.
| Policy | What it requires | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 5% click-through rate | Account-level CTR of at least 5% each month (for accounts not using only Smart campaigns); two consecutive months below can lead to temporary deactivation | Pause high-impression, low-CTR keywords; write ads that match the search closely |
| Conversion tracking | Valid tracking of meaningful conversions, with at least one conversion a month; time on site or home page visits must not count as conversions | Track donations, volunteer sign-ups, email sign-ups or enquiries |
| Conversion-based Smart Bidding | Accounts created from 22 April 2019 use Maximise conversions, Maximise conversion value, Target CPA or Target ROAS on all campaigns, unless using Smart campaigns | Get tracking working first so bidding has something to learn from |
| Location targeting | Ads shown only where your information and services are useful | Target the areas you actually serve |
| Sitelinks | At least two unique sitelink assets | Link to donate, volunteer, get help and about pages |
| No single-word keywords | Single keywords are not allowed, with exceptions such as your own brand | Use specific multi-word phrases tied to your mission |
| No overly generic keywords | Keywords that do not show intent must be paused or removed | Reword them using search terms with strong CTR |
| Quality Score of 3 or more | Keywords scoring 1 or 2 must be paused or removed | Use an automated rule to pause them |
| Programme survey | Respond to Google's periodic programme survey | Make sure Google's emails reach someone who reads them |
If your account is deactivated
Deactivation is usually reversible. Google describes the fix per policy: bring the account back into compliance, then request reinstatement. For low CTR, that means pausing poorly performing keywords; for missing conversions, setting up valid tracking; for structure, adding proper geotargeting and sitelinks. Google also notes that accounts in violation can be suspended automatically without notification, so prevention matters. Set a fixed monthly slot to review CTR, conversions, Quality Scores and search terms. What Quality Score measures and how to lift it is covered in our guide to Google Ads Quality Score.
Getting real value from Ad Grants
Many charities are approved and then use only a small part of the grant, or attract visitors who do nothing. A few principles make the difference.
Start from goals, not the budget
What should visitors do: donate, volunteer, find support, sign a petition, attend an event? Each goal deserves its own campaign, keywords, ads and page.
Think in the questions people ask
Grants work well for searches where your charity has a genuine answer: information about a condition, help with a problem, volunteering in a particular field. Generic terms tend to miss the CTR requirement. Our guide to Google Ads keywords explains how to choose and exclude.
Pages that do the work
Ads pointing at the home page rarely perform. Build a page per topic or action with a clear next step; focused landing pages help both CTR and conversions.
Measure what matters
Because conversion-based bidding is mandatory, your tracking decides where the grant goes. Count only newsletter sign-ups and you will mostly get sign-ups. Track donations and volunteer applications too, and handle cookie consent properly under UK GDPR and PECR; see our page on conversion tracking. Google's policy notes that 15 to 30 conversions in the last 30 days is typically a good starting point for conversion-based bidding.
Ad Grants alongside paid Google Ads, and getting help
A grant account and a paid account can run side by side as two separate accounts with their own settings. Some charities use paid search for a major fundraising appeal while the grant covers everyday information and volunteering searches. That only makes sense once you know which campaigns work and what a donor or sign-up is worth; for most smaller charities, a well-run grant account is already a significant step.
The advertising is free, but management takes time: building campaigns, tracking conversions, reading search terms, improving ads and checking compliance each month. Often it falls to a volunteer or a staff member alongside other duties. If you bring in outside help, make sure the account stays in the charity's name, that someone checks CTR, Quality Scores and conversions monthly, and that reports cover donations and sign-ups rather than clicks alone. Be wary of anyone promising a fully spent grant or a set number of donations. Our page on PPC management explains how we approach ongoing account work.