Google Ad Grants: your definitive guide

Google Ad Grants provide UK charities and not-for-profit organisations with over £7,500 per month in free Google Ads advertising credit.

Think of it as Google's way of helping good causes reach people who are actively searching for services like yours on Google Search. 

When someone searches for keyword terms related to your charity's work, your ads can appear at the top of Google's search results – without you paying Google a penny. 

All charities have unique goals. Whether you're trying to recruit volunteers, build awareness, promote events or increase donations, this £95,000 windfall can transform how you reach new supporters and increase your charity’s profile. 

How much does Google Ad Grants actually give you?

The daily budget is $329 (approximately £288), which equals roughly £8,640 per month or £95,000 annually. This budget applies regardless of how many campaigns you're running simultaneously, too. 

“We simply could not reach people and create the impact we do without the awareness generated by these Ad Grants.” – Elizabeth Hutton OBE, Kicks Count 

The overarching reason most charities use Google Ad Grants is to increase traffic to the most important pages of their website. But, that's not all they're good for - here's the top 8 reasons charities, like yours, embed Ad Grants. 

Meet the criteria above? You’re good to do, and applying is easier than you’d imagine. Here's the five steps to a successful start:  

1. See if you’re eligible

See above! Before you apply, make sure your charity is based in a country where Goole Ad Grants is available, and that you meet all other eligibility requirements. 

2. Apply for a Google for Nonprofits account

Application is next, and you can get started here. As part of this, don’t forget you’ll need to be registered with TechSoup, they handle the verification process for the programme. After completing your registration, you’ll get a validation token that allows you to register with Google as a charity or not for profit. 

3. Complete the Ad Grants pre-qualification requirements

Once Google approves your Google for Nonprofits account, you'll need to complete a straightforward pre-qualification process. This includes a 10-minute survey that helps Google understand your organisation and determine your eligibility for the Ad Grants program. You'll also need to complete the mandatory Ad Grants training module. This consists of a five-minute video covering program guidelines and success tips, followed by a brief quiz. Your Ad Grants account won't be activated until both the survey and training are completed - so make sure to finish both steps.

4. Create your account

After receiving pre-qualification approval, it's time to build your account. Google provides detailed setup guides in their Enrollment Guide, but the basic steps involve:

• Describing your organisation 
• Choosing your target geographic area for ad display  
• Defining the services or causes you want to promote 
• Creating a text-based ad 

Your ads should showcase what makes your charity unique and include a strong call-to-action. Be specific about what you want people to do next - whether that's "Volunteer with us today," "Donate now to help local families," or "Find support services near you." 

5. Submit your account for review

After creating your account and optimising your campaign, it’s time to submit your account to Google for review. Your account will be reviewed to make sure it complies with policies, and you’ll usually receive an email within two weeks to let you know the outcome.

Interested in more support with your application? Watch this webinar to learn:

• How to apply for a Google Ad Grant
• Optimising your Google Ad Grant funding effectively
• 3 x best practice examples from our Google Ad Grant customers that you can learn from
  

Tracking the right metrics is essential for understanding whether your Google Ad Grants are actually helping you achieve your charity's goals. With so many numbers to look at in Google Ads, it's easy to get overwhelmed - but focusing on these five key performance indicators will give you a clear picture of what's working and what needs improvement.

These KPIs will help you identify which campaigns deliver real value and where to focus your optimisation efforts:

1. Impressions

Impressions tell you how often your ads are being shown to people searching on Google. Think of this as your visibility metric - if your ads aren't showing up, nothing else matters.

While impressions alone don't guarantee success, they're your foundation. Low impression numbers might mean your keywords are too competitive, your bids are too low, or your ads aren't relevant enough for Google to show them regularly. Monitor your impressions weekly to ensure your ads are reaching your target audience.

Boost your impressions by:

• Making sure your ad copy directly relates to your chosen keywords
• Writing compelling headlines that include clear calls-to-action
• Ensuring your landing pages are relevant to your ad content

2. Click-through rate

Your click-through rate (CTR) shows the percentage of people who actually click your ad after seeing it. This metric reveals how compelling and relevant your ads are to your audience.

A strong CTR is crucial for Ad Grants success because Google requires a minimum 5% click-through rate to maintain your account. Beyond compliance, higher CTRs improve your ad positions, increase your quality scores, and reduce your cost per click - giving you more bang for your advertising buck.

You can improve your click-through rate by: 

• A/B testing different ad headlines and descriptions
• Including your target keywords naturally in your ad copy
• Adding negative keywords to filter out irrelevant searchers
• Writing copy that connects emotionally with your cause while being informative

3. Conversion rate

Your conversion rate measures the percentage of ad clicks that result in meaningful actions - like donations, volunteer signups or newsletter subscriptions. This is calculated by dividing your total conversions by your total ad clicks.

This might be your most important metric because it shows whether your ads are actually advancing your mission. A low conversion rate often indicates a mismatch between your ad content and landing page, or that you're attracting the wrong audience.

According to Smart Insights, industry benchmarks show that nonprofits typically achieve conversion rates around 2.63%, while the broader average across all industries is 3.48% on mobile. Use these as rough guides, but focus more on improving your own performance over time.

A poor conversion rate might mean your landing pages don't match what your ads promise, or that your call-to-action isn't clear enough.

4. Cost per conversion

Cost per conversion reveals how much of your Ad Grants budget you're spending to achieve each meaningful action. While you're not paying directly (thanks to the grant), this metric helps you understand which campaigns deliver the best value.

Lower costs per conversion mean you can achieve more with your daily budget limit. If one campaign converts volunteers at £15 per signup while another costs £45 per signup, you'll want to shift more budget toward the efficient campaign.

The key to reducing cost per conversion is ensuring your landing pages perfectly match what people expect when they click your ads. If someone searches for "donate to animal shelter" and clicks your ad, they should land on a donation page - not your general homepage.

5. Quality score

Quality Score is Google's 1-10 rating of how relevant and useful your ads are to searchers. This score considers your click-through rate, how well your keywords match your ads, and whether your landing page provides what people are looking for.

Higher Quality Scores lead to better ad positions and lower costs - meaning your grant budget goes further. Google rewards ads that provide genuine value to searchers, so focus on relevance rather than trying to game the system.

Think like your supporters: when they search for terms related to your cause, does your ad clearly address their needs? Does your landing page deliver on what your ad promises? The closer this alignment, the higher your Quality Score will be.

Quality Score improvement comes from ensuring every element - keywords, ads, and landing pages - works together to serve your audience's intent. 

"Access Ad Grants takes something complex and simplifies it for us. The ROI speaks volumes, making it easy to justify the marketing spend to our board." Victoria Withy, European Society of Endocrinology

Managing Google Ad Grants can feel overwhelming - from the complex application process to ongoing campaign optimisation and compliance requirements. Many charities find themselves wondering whether they have the internal expertise and time to maximize their £95,000 annual grant potential.

It's natural to feel hesitant about handing over such an important marketing tool to an external agency. You might worry about losing control, understanding ROI, or whether the investment is worthwhile. However, Google Ad Grants specialists bring dedicated expertise that most charity teams simply don't have time to develop internally. Google even runs a 'Google Partners' program to help you identify qualified, approved agencies with proven Ad Grants experience.

Professional management can support your charity in three key areas:

1. Google Ad Grants application

The application process is notoriously challenging, with many organisations facing rejection or delays. Even with comprehensive guides available, the process requires technical knowledge, attention to detail, and understanding of Google's specific requirements that can take months to master.

Experienced Ad Grants specialists have successfully navigated this process for hundreds of charities. They understand exactly what Google looks for in applications, how to structure your website to meet requirements, and how to avoid common pitfalls that lead to rejection. This expertise can be the difference between securing your grant in weeks rather than struggling for months.

2. Google Ad campaigns

Even if you already have an approved grant, effective campaign management requires ongoing specialist attention. Google Ads involves complex tasks like keyword research, bid optimisation, ad testing, and performance analysis that can easily consume 10-15 hours per week.

Dedicated Ad Grants management works with you to understand your specific goals and priorities, then handles the technical complexity, while you focus on your core mission.

Professional campaign management typically includes:

• Strategic keyword research and selection
• Competitive bid management within your budget constraints
• Ad copy creation that aligns with search intent
• Landing page optimisation recommendations
• Negative keyword implementation to prevent budget waste
• Continuous monitoring of quality scores and click-through rates
• Data-driven adjustments based on performance insights

3. KPI reporting

Understanding your Ad Grants performance shouldn't require a degree in digital marketing. Professional managers translate complex Google Ads data into clear, actionable insights that show exactly how your grant is supporting your charity's goals.

Quality reporting goes beyond basic Google Analytics - expect custom dashboards that highlight the metrics that matter most to your organisation. This transparency helps you make informed decisions about campaign priorities and demonstrates the tangible value of your Ad Grants investment.

Before choosing professional management, consider the true cost of internal management versus expert support. Factor in staff time, training needs, and the opportunity cost of diverting resources from your core charitable work. Many charities find that professional management actually increases their overall efficiency while delivering significantly better results.

Regular reporting should be standard - whether weekly, fortnightly, or monthly - and should include:

• Impression and visibility metrics
• Click-through rate performance
• Conversion tracking results
• Cost per conversion analysis
• Quality score improvements

“Google is critical for us. Without Ad Grants, families in need might not find us. The Access team are brilliant at structuring campaigns, refreshing ads, and advising on changes in the landscape. It’s an invaluable service.” - Jill Haines, Fashion & Textiles Children's Trust