Advertising spend for nonprofits is often a contentious topic. Why should a not for profit spend money advertising for more money instead of giving it directly to the beneficiaries of their cause?
Running a nonprofit organisation attracts all of the same overheads as any for-profit company and the more support they receive from donors, the more money can reach the hands of those who need it most. Advertising is vital to the success of any organisation, including those who operate to help others.
So, what if nonprofits could reduce their own advertising spend while extending the reach and audience of their cause?
This is where the Google Adwords Grant can help.
What is a Google Adwords Grant?
The Google Ad Grants Program enables nonprofits to advertise their cause on Google AdWords without any cost to the nonprofit, giving organisations that qualify, $10,000 per month in AdWords spending. This spending is to be used to further promote the initiatives and missions of charitable organisations on Google.com, expanding reach and visibility.
To qualify, organisations will follow the application process, and to maintain the grant long term, will need to ensure that they follow the program guidelines every month.
How do we know if our nonprofit qualifies?
To be eligible for the Google Grant an organisation must:
- Hold a valid and up-to-date charity status. In the US, this would be a current 501(c)(3) status, in New Zealand, your organisation must be registers with NZ Charity Services.
- Agree and acknowledge the Google Grant’s required certifications which outline how you will be able to receive and use your donations.
- Have a functioning website with quality content that outlines the purpose of your organisation and cause.
It is important to note that the following organisations are not eligible for Google Grants:
- Government agencies, organisations or entities
- Medical groups or hospitals
- Universities, academic institutions, childcare centres or schools
Please note, however that Google offers a similar grant to educational institutions.
Maintaining eligibility
Getting the grant is one thing, but maintaining your eligibility is another. Here are the steps involved:
- Any ads that have been setup in your account must link directly to the nonprofit URL that Google approved in your application process.
- Your account must be active, meaning you login in at least once a month. If a nonprofit advertiser with the grant doesn’t log at least this often, the account can be paused without warning.
- All ads setup under the grant must represent your nonprofit’s mission. This doesn’t mean that you can’t advertise products, however, 100% of the proceeds of the sale must support your program.
- Your ads cannot be used to direct traffic to pages that move them to other websites.
- Additionally, credit cards, mortgages or other financial products cannot be advertised, not can your ads ask for donations in the form of large ticket items such as property, boasts or cars.
- Any keywords related to this kind of activity are not allowed and will see your account suspended.
- Your website cannot display any affiliate or adsense ads while the grant is being used.
A violation of these rules can result in the instant removal of your account from the program.
How to apply
The application process begins on the Google Grants page. It is here that you will find out if your organisation is eligible, apply, enrol your website and set up your account if accepted.
Once accepted you will be able to put your grant into effect and start expanding your reach. If you’re new to Google Adwords and not sure how to setup your ads, read more about Adwords here or feel free to contact our friendly Adwords team to guide you through the process.