Unlocking Opportunity With a Google Ad Grant

During a strategy discussion with our external agency, the idea came up to explore Google’s Ad Grant program—a resource offering up to $10,000/month in free AdWords advertising to eligible nonprofits. On the surface, we didn’t qualify—our organization was a 501(c)(6), and the grant is restricted to 501(c)(3) entities.

​

But I saw a path forward. I realized our affiliated Fund was a 501(c)(3), and while it hadn’t been used for ongoing digital marketing, it was eligible. I proposed this workaround internally, coordinated with our finance team, and moved the grant application forward under the Fund’s designation.

 

After securing the grant, I worked with our agency to launch the organization’s first AdWords campaigns—starting with traffic to the Fund’s donation page and resources for the profession. Prior to this, promotion of the Fund was limited to a once-a-year giving campaign. This marked the first step in building a year-round awareness strategy.

 

Though still early, this effort laid the groundwork for a new top-of-funnel approach. We planned to update the Fund’s microsite and build out additional campaigns to tell impact stories, share thought leadership, and support future donor engagement.

 

By bridging a gap between organizational structure and digital opportunity, I helped unlock a new marketing channel that advanced long-term strategy—without increasing the budget.

​

​