If you run a nonprofit, you’re likely always on the lookout for ways to get the word out about your organization that are free or low cost. In the past, you may have relied on things like word-of-mouth marketing, email marketing, earned media, and/or social media marketing to promote your organization and its services. You also may have considered applying for the Google Ad Grant, which can provide nonprofits with up to $10,000 worth of free advertising per month on the largest search engine in the world! If you haven’t yet applied for the grant, it may be because you thought it sounded too good to be true, or maybe you just haven’t had the time to go through the application process.
If you’ve been putting off applying, make 2025 the year that you actually do it! Running Google Ads is a great way to reach a whole new audience, and when the ads are actually free, it really is a no-brainer!
You might be thinking, “I don’t know anything about running Google Ads. Even if my nonprofit qualified for the Google Ad Grant, I wouldn’t know how to take advantage of it.” You’re definitely not alone in this! Most nonprofit employees are not Google Ads experts, nor do they have any desire to become one. They would much rather focus on furthering their nonprofit’s mission.
If this is you, the answer may be to work with a person or company that offers Google Ad Grant management for nonprofits. Handing over the management of your nonprofit’s Google Ads campaign can allow you to take advantage of free advertising on Google, while still allowing you to focus on your mission.
Yes, you will have to pay for the services provided by a Google Ad Grant management company, but the ROI of your Google Ads campaign can make it well worth it!
A warning about hiring an outside marketing firm for Google Ad Grant management: make sure you maintain access to your nonprofit’s Google Ads account! Chris Barlow, owner of the nonprofit marketing firm Beeline, says, “I can’t tell you how many times I talk to an organization who used a marketing company in the past or who just started running ads with a new firm, who doesn’t have access to their own ad account. If your nonprofit is in this situation, politely, but firmly request access from your Agency/Consultant, and if they refuse, don’t feel stuck with them – just realize it’s time to move on.”
Maintaining access to your Google Ads account allows you to have direct oversight of your marketing company or consultant. Not only can you monitor the progress of your Google Ads campaign on your own, you can also make sure that the company you hired for Google Ad Grant management is actually doing what they said they would do when you signed a contract with them. Unfortunately, not every company out there is completely honest and will take your money and then not actually do any work—especially if they know you don’t have a way to check up on them!
If one of your goals this year is to grow your nonprofit, Google Ads can help with this, and the Google Ad Grant just might be the way to take advantage of this marketing tool.
