Raise your profile with Google Ad Grants for charities

Think of Google Ad Grants as Google's way of levelling the playing field for the charity sector. It's a programme that gives eligible nonprofits and charities up to $10,000 every month in free Google Search advertising credit – that's up to $120,000 a year, just for being a registered charity.

The best bit? It's not vouchers, it's not theoretical, it's real advertising credit that gets your organisation appearing at the top of Google Search results when people look for causes, services or support related to your work.

No bidding wars with big brands. No draining your fundraising budget. Just your charity, front and centre, when it matters most.

Read our guide to understanding Google Ad Grants for charities

Each month, Google loads $10,000 of free advertising credit into your Google Ads account. You use that credit to show text ads at the top of Google Search. 

This means, when someone types in something like "donate to a food bank" or "mental health support near me," your charity can be right there at the top.

You only "spend" credit when someone actually clicks your ad. And it resets every single month. Here's what you need to know to stay in good standing:

• Ads can only appear on Google Search (not Display or YouTube)
• You need to maintain a minimum 5% click-through rate
• Ads must link to your own approved website
• You must log in at least once a month – miss that, and your account risks suspension

That last point is why so many charities choose professional management like Access Charity Ad Grants.

Yes, completely and genuinely free. Google covers the cost of every click your ads receive through the grant. There's nothing to pay, no catch, and no hidden fees from Google.

The only costs involved are if you choose to work with a management service (like Access) to handle your application, campaigns and ongoing optimisation. But the grant itself? That's Google's gift to your cause.

Who qualifies for Google Ad Grants? Good news, if you're a registered charity with a decent website, there's a very good chance you do. Here's what Google needs from you:

You'll need to tick these boxes:

• Valid charitable status (registered with the Charity Commission,
• OSCR, or the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland)
• A live, professional website with a clear mission and a good user experience
• Agreement to Google's non-discrimination policy

You won't be eligible if you're:

• A government body or public institution
• A hospital or healthcare provider
• A school, college or university (unless it's the charity's fundraising arm)
• A commercial business, even one working in the social sector

Not sure if your charity qualifies? Check your eligibility here.

The honest answer? It's more involved than most charities expect, but it's absolutely worth it. Here's how the process works:

• Register with Google for Nonprofits: You'll need to verify your charitable status through Percent.org (Google's verification partner in the UK) before you can access any Google for Nonprofits products
• Activate Google Ad Grants: Once verified, you activate Ad Grants through your Google for Nonprofits account
• Set up a Google Ads account: Configured to Google's specific grant settings (no billing info required)
• Build your first campaigns: Google requires active, quality campaigns before your account is approved
• Submit for review: Google checks everything meets their requirements before switching your grant on

The whole process can take several weeks, and first-time applications are commonly rejected due to technical errors or policy missteps. Our team has a 100% success rate applying on behalf of eligible charities – so if you'd rather skip the headache, explore pricing.

We're often asked, "How do I use Google Ad Grants, and what can it be used for?"

The short answer: almost anything that drives people to your charity's website. Here's what charities use their grants for most effectively:

• Fundraising: driving traffic to donation pages, appeals and campaigns
• Volunteer recruitment: reaching people searching for volunteering opportunities in your area
• Raising awareness: getting your cause in front of people who care, but haven't found you yet
• Promoting services: helping beneficiaries find the support you offer (mental health, food banks, housing advice, and more)
• Events: driving registrations for fundraising events, charity runs or community activities
• Emergency appeals: amplifying time-sensitive campaigns when it matters most

The one rule though? Ads must link to your own approved website. They can't be used for commercial advertising, political campaigning, or sending people to third-party sites.

Here's some more helpful reading:

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

Visible when it matters: Google Ad Grants and crisis readiness

The monthly credit doesn't roll over, any unused portion of your $10,000 disappears at the end of each calendar month. That's why active, well-optimised campaigns are so important. You want to be using as much of that budget as possible, not leaving it on the table.

The grant itself has no fixed end date, it continues for as long as your charity stays eligible and compliant. But your account can be suspended if you miss a monthly login, fall below Google's 5% click-through rate requirement, or breach their policies. Reinstatement is possible, but it takes time and, in the meantime, your funding stops completely.

It's one of the biggest reasons charities choose expert management. Keeping your grant active and performing is an ongoing job, not a one-time setup.

Download the expert management brochure

Let's be honest about the challenges.

The application process isn't straightforward – it requires technical knowledge and specific formatting that many charities don't quite get right on their first try. Rejected applications mean starting over, often taking 3-6 months before you see a green light.

Once approved, you're then committed to following Google's constantly evolving policies. Miss an update or accidentally breach a guideline, and your entire monthly grant could disappear overnight. Your team would need to become really familiar with Google policy just to stay compliant.

The ongoing management burden is real too. Someone on your team needs the skills to write effective ads, choose the right keywords, and interpret performance data. Plus, you must log in monthly or risk automatic suspension – just one missed login could cost you £90,000 annually.

Speak to an expert

The above concerns are exactly why most charities choose professional Google Ad Grants management instead of going it alone.

Expert application handling means your submission gets approved first time, every time. Agencies with proven track records know the exact requirements and present your charity in the best possible light. What could take your team months of back-and-forth happens smoothly in weeks.

Compliance monitoring becomes someone else's full-time job. Professional teams live and breathe Google policy updates, adjusting your campaigns proactively so you never face suspension risks. Your funding stays secure while your team stays focused on your cause.

Campaign management transforms from a burden into a benefit. Specialists handle every technical aspect – from crafting ads that convert to optimising keywords and tracking performance. Your charity gets expert-level results without any internal resource drain.

Of course, if your organisation has the available time and necessary basic skills in-house, Google provides a number of resources to help you establish a plan of action and utilise your ad grants.

Speak to an expert

Of course! But ... While it's tempting to keep everything in-house, the reality is often more complex than it first appears. Your trustees will probably want answers to these practical questions:

• Who on your team can write compelling ads that inspire people to donate or volunteer?
• How will you research keywords that actually reach your target supporters?
• Does anyone have the skills to read analytics and know what changes to make?
• Are you confident about the rules to avoid accidentally overspending?
• Will the time investment from your team be worth more than the results you achieve?

The real question is often: Would your charity's mission be better served by expert management?

See how we handle all the complexity for you

Once we've completed your onboarding and understand what makes your charity special, we'll take complete care of your Google Ad Grant account. Here's what you can expect:

Google Ad Grants application – Whether you need help applying for the first time or recovering from a previous rejection, we'll guide you through every step. You can choose to work alongside us or hand the entire process over - either way, we'll ensure you meet all Google's criteria and keep you updated throughout.

Ad campaign management – We start by setting up tracking that measures what matters most to your charity: donations, volunteer sign-ups, and supporter engagement. Our experts then research the perfect keywords for your cause and build campaigns that comply with all Google Ad Grant policies. You'll review and approve everything before we go live.

Your complete campaign management includes:

• Strategic keyword research (long and short-tail)
• Smart bidding strategies to maximise your budget
• Compelling copywriting that drives action
• Negative keyword management to avoid wasted spend
• KPI tracking aligned with your charity's goals

Performance reports and ongoing support – You'll receive detailed monthly reports showing exactly how your campaigns are performing, including:

• Impressions (how many people saw your ads)
• Click-through rate (engagement with your message)
• Conversion rate (actual donations/sign ups)
• Cost per conversion (efficiency of your spending)
• Quality score (campaign optimisation level)

These insights help us celebrate your wins and identify opportunities for even better results. Plus, quarterly strategy calls ensure your campaigns keep evolving with your charity's needs.

Explore pricing

Of course! Google Ad Grants can integrate with other charity-focused Access solutions, including Access Charity CRM, Access Raise and Access Paysuite.

The choice is entirely yours, you can use it standalone or as part of an Access Charity Suite of modules - a fully connected charity software package.

We recommend the latter, if possible. When everything's connected, you get the full story of your supporter journey. You'll see exactly which Google ads lead to donations, and spot opportunities to improve your fundraising across all channels.

It's like having all your charity's data working together instead of in separate silos.

Access Evo for Charities is the platform that brings together the Access software you use. It's been designed for how we know charities work in the real world – fundraising overlapping with marketing, volunteers becoming donors, event participants becoming advocates. For example, if you use both Charity Ad Grants and Donorfy, you'll get analytics for both, in the same place.

 Access Evo gives you:

• One login
• One shared data layer
• One clear view of what’s happening across your charity

It's also packed with powerful AI tools and features!

Learn more

How quickly you get up and running depends on which package suits your charity best. We offer two routes: FlightPath A gets you started efficiently, while FlightPath B includes extra strategy work to create campaigns perfectly tailored to your cause.

As a general rule – this isn't a given – here's what you can expect with each package:

FlightPath A (38 days total)

• Week 1: Welcome call to discuss your goals and next steps
• Weeks 2-3: Application review and guidance through the Google grants process
• Week 3: Website tracking setup advice (same day)
• Weeks 4-5: Campaign building with in-depth keyword research for your cause
• Week 6: Final quality checks before launch
• Weeks 6-7: Account goes live with post-launch monitoring
• Week 7: Handover to your ongoing support team

FlightPath B (45 days total)

• Week 1: Welcome call plus detailed campaign strategy discussion
• Weeks 2-3: Application review and strategic planning
• Week 4: Custom campaign strategy document creation
• Week 4: Website tracking setup advice
• Weeks 5-6: Account building with tailored keyword research
• Week 7: Pre-launch quality assurance
• Weeks 7-8: Live launch with extended post-launch review
• Week 8: Enhanced handover to your dedicated support team

Great question! We’ve written a handy guide - How to make the most of free Google ads for charities (without being a technical wizard).

It walks you through the benefits, what a good campaign looks like, and how the right support can help you get the best out of every click.