How to stay eligible for Google Ad Grants?

The Google Ad Grants program is a powerful resource for your nonprofit organization, but using it effectively requires a well-thought-out strategy. This grant is more than just a tool—it’s an opportunity to elevate your mission to new heights. By understanding and adhering to the eligibility criteria, you can transform your efforts into tangible results.

What are Google Ad Grants’ eligibility requirements?

Let’s break down each criterion

1 – Maintain a click-through rate (CTR) of at least 5%

Google Ad Grants requires your account to maintain a click-through rate (CTR) of 5% each month. If this threshold is not met for two consecutive months, your account may be temporarily suspended. This criterion ensures that your campaigns are relevant and effective. It is therefore essential to create ads that capture the attention of your donors, volunteers, and beneficiaries.

Maintaining a high CTR demonstrates to Google that your message is reaching those genuinely interested in your cause while proving that you are optimizing the use of the grant to maximize your nonprofit’s impact.

2 – Ensure a keyword quality score of at least 3

A quality score below 3 indicates that your keywords are not well-optimized, which can harm the effectiveness of your campaigns and reduce the visibility of your ads. In such cases, Google may require these keywords to be paused or removed.

To check the quality score, you can access the Google Ads interface and navigate to the “Audience, Keywords, and Content” tab in your account. There, you will find the quality scores for each of your keywords. It is also possible to set up automated rules to pause keywords with low scores.

3 – Avoid single-word keywords

Google restricts single-word keywords such as “volunteering” or “donations” as they lack precision in reflecting your mission.

For example, the keyword “help” is too vague to discern whether someone seeks to provide or receive assistance. However, some branded terms or specific exceptions are permitted.

4 – Avoid overly generic keywords

Similar to single-word keywords, overly generic terms like “humanitarian aid” or “environment” don’t target specific search intent. These keywords are restricted as they affect quality scores and overall campaign performance.

Instead, opt for more specific phrases like “reforestation projects,” which highlight your nonprofit’s unique work.

5 – Track conversions

Conversion tracking is critical for measuring the impact of your ads. It helps you understand user actions after engaging with your campaigns, such as :

• Donations
• Petition signatures
• Event registrations
• Information requets
• Volonterre program sign-ups

Using Google Analytics to track conversions provides invaluable data to refine your strategies. Note that Google requires at least one conversion per month to maintain eligibility.

6 – Use one of the required bidding strategies

To optimize campaigns, Google Ad Grants mandates the use of a conversion-based bidding strategy. These include :

• Maximize conversions
• Maximize conversion value
• Target CPA (Cost per acquisition)
• Target ROAS (Return on ad spend)

These strategies ensure your ads are optimized for impactful user actions. Non-compliance may result in automatic adjustments to your strategy.

7 – Have at least two ad groups per campaign

Ad groups structure your Google Ads campaigns by organizing keywords, ads, and landing pages under a common theme. For example, a nonprofit focused on education might create two ad groups: “tutoring programs” and “reading workshops,” each with targeted keywords and ads.

Google requires at least two ad groups per campaign to ensure your campaigns are well-structured and goal-oriented.

8 – Include at least two sitelink extensions

Sitelink extensions improve campaign performance by offering additional clickable links to specific, relevant pages on your website. Google requires at least two sitelink extensions to maximize click opportunities.

9 – Enable geographic targeting

Targeting specific geographic areas ensures your ads are shown only in regions where your services are available, meeting Google’s eligibility criteria.

For example, a food bank might focus its campaigns on active cities, while a national nonprofit could target broader regions. If expanding to new areas, consider adding location-based terms like “Ottawa support line” in your campaigns.

10 – Complete Google’s annual Ad Grants survey

After optimizing your ads, refining your keywords, and tracking conversions, this final requirement is the simplest. Google asks nonprofits to complete an annual survey to provide feedback on the program’s impact. There are no keywords to analyze or CTRs to monitor—just keep an eye on your email inbox. This quick step also helps improve the program for all nonprofits.

By adhering to these 10 eligibility criteria and getting the free Co-Pilot plug-in, you can ensure your Google Ad Grants renewal month after month.