More than money: how Google Ad Grants can transform your volunteer recruitment

We hear you. When service demand is rising and funding pots are shrinking, spending your precious Google Ad Grant on volunteer recruitment can feel like a gamble.

But here’s the thing: when people go online, they’re not just looking to give. They’re looking to help. According to Ubersuggest, the term “volunteer opportunities near me” gets 10,000–15,000 hits every single month. And that’s just in the UK.

That’s not casual browsing. That’s someone actively looking to roll up their sleeves and get involved. 

It makes sense when you think about it. At a time when “affordability” is one of the biggest barriers to charitable giving, donating time can feel a lot more do-able than donating cash. And when people do give, many now do so online — which is exactly where they expect you (their charity of choice) to be.  

So why are so many organisations still recruiting volunteers like it’s 1983? 

At a time when volunteer numbers are generally down and charities are struggling to recruit, the question isn’t “should you use Google Ad Grants to recruit volunteers?” It’s “why wouldn’t you?”

To quote Jodie Sparling at Charity Digital:

“Pressures on charities themselves have meant that they’ve been less likely to invest time, money, and training into volunteer recruitment and retention… with a huge 84% predominantly using a word-of-mouth approach to recruit volunteers. In this situation, adaptation is the magic word.” 

For us, “adaptation” starts with being found.

A well-managed Google Ad campaign doesn’t just boost your visibility. It transforms it.

Take Afghanaid, a humanitarian organisation delivering emergency shelter, food, hygiene kits, and blankets to vulnerable people across Afghanistan.  

With the situation in country making the headlines, the team’s crisis appeal gained traction. Fast. But with their Google Ad Grant maxing out early each day, they still weren’t getting the visibility and donations they needed. 

That’s where our Charity Ad Grants service came in. Through careful optimisation and hands-on management, we helped the team unlock more of their Google Ad Grant budget. More budget meant more targeted ads. More targeted ads meant more web traffic — and a 100% increase in appeal income (Really! Read the full case study here).  

But this story is about more than money raised. 

It’s about uplift, and what happens when visibility matches ambition.

Imagine you optimise volunteer recruitment in the same way. 

Someone searches for opportunities. Your charity takes top spot. Instead of relying on word-of-mouth, you have a regular, reliable stream of new applicants visiting your website.

And here’s the best part: because Google Ad Grants lets you run multiple campaigns at once, you don’t have to choose between fundraising and volunteer recruitment.

You can do both. 

Let’s be honest. Getting to grips with the inner workings of Google Ad Grants is not for the faint-hearted. It’s a complex, technical process — and probably not on top of your to-do list.

That’s why many charities choose to bring in support. With our Charity Ad Grants service, a dedicated account manager will do the heavy lifting for you — right from the application process (yes, we’ll take care of the paperwork) through to campaign optimisation and management.

Before you know it, you’ll have a healthy pipeline of potential volunteers knocking at your door.

All you need to do now is open it. 

Whether you’re raising funds or recruiting volunteers, a successful Google Ad Grant campaign doesn’t end with a click. It starts with it.

When someone lands on your site, they’re ready to get involved. Your job is to help them take the next step.

You can do this by:

1. Making sure messages match 

If you’re recruiting volunteers, the landing page should feel like a seamless continuation of the ad they clicked. It should use the same language and have the same focus — so that people know they’re in the right place. 

2. Signposting their journey

Don’t send people on a digital treasure hunt. If you can, host your volunteer job ads and application portal online. The less barriers people face, the more likely they are to keep moving forward. 

3.    Strike while their enthusiasm is hot

The shorter the gap between interest and action, the better. Automated confirmations, clear next steps, and prompt follow-up all help keep momentum.

Once someone is on your books, the focus should shift from process to people. 

Tools like Access Assemble can help with this by keeping your admin and day-to-day volunteer management running smoothly. This leaves your team free to focus on what really matters: getting to know your volunteers, and making sure they feel valued and supported.  

Because time is a gift too.
 
Volunteers are an essential part of any charity. They help keep services running, support day-to-day operations, and power your fundraising. With the right support and stewardship, some volunteers will stay with you for years. Many will also go on to become committed donors — championing your cause, advocating for your work, and even leaving a legacy gift.

All because you invested in that initial click. 

Google Ad Grants aren’t just about driving donations. They’re about being there at the exact moment someone wants to help, and making it easy to take the next step.

With the right support behind the scenes, you can unlock the full monthly budget and turn that ad spend into something far more powerful than clicks: volunteers. 
 
Manage your volunteers well and they will bring new energy, new skills, and long-term support. 

And that’s where real change begins.  

If you want to find out more about how our Charity Ad Grants service can help transform your fundraising and volunteer recruitment, contact our team today.