Your Google Grants are basically free ads, but are you fully taking advantage of them? In this session we will share best practices that will help marketers not only fully leverage their Google Grants, but also discuss how they can utilize their learnings from Google Grants to develop a strategy for Pay-Per-Click (PPC) campaigns, and to maximize ROI by having both a Google Grants and a Paid account. We will also talk about how producing powerful landing pages can boost your search campaigns, and we will share case studies from Special Olympics and the American Diabetes Association

1. Google Grants & Beyond: Secrets to Success
Austin Buckley
Account Manager,
Search & Advertising
RedEngine Digital
Twitter: @redengine
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2. What is “Google Grants”?
 Google Ad Grants is the nonprofit edition of
AdWords, Google's online advertising tool.
 To be eligible for Google Grants, your org must:
• Hold current and valid charity status, as
determined by your country. (U.S. – 501(c)(3))
• Agree to Grants’ required certifications regarding
nondiscrimination and donation receipt and use.
• Have a functioning website with substantial
content. (Your ads will be limited to the URL you
submit for review.)

3. What is “Google Grants”?
 Who is not eligible for Google Grants?
• Governmental entities and organizations
• Hospitals and medical groups
• Schools, childcare centers, academic institutions and
universities

4. Why Do I Care?
 FREE MONEY. (TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE.)

5. Maintaining Grants Eligibility
 Your ads must link only to the single nonprofit
website URL that was approved in the application.
 You are required to actively manage the AdWords
account by logging in monthly.
 Your ads must reflect the mission of the approved
nonprofit organization and your keywords must be
relevant to the nonprofit’s programs and services.
 Strictly commercial advertising is not allowed
through this program. 100% of sales/proceeds must
support your program.

6. Maintaining Grants Eligibility
 Your Google ads cannot link to pages that are
primarily links to other websites.
 Ads offering financial products (such as mortgages
or credit cards) or those requesting car, boat or
property donations and related keywords are not
allowed.
 Your website cannot display Google AdSense ads
or affiliate advertising links while participating in
Google Ad Grants.

7. Google Grants Features
 A daily budget set to approx. $330 USD, which is
equivalent to about $10,000 per month
 A maximum cost-per-click (CPC) limit of $2.00 USD
 Only run keyword-targeted campaigns
 Only run search-based text ads appearing on
Google.com. (No display advertising, etc.)
 Grants ads will always display below paid ads when
bidding on the same keywords

8. Google Grants Extras
 Included in your Google Grants membership:
 YouTube for Nonprofits
• Integrate “Donate” button with your YouTube channel so users
can donate directly from your videos
• Call-to-action overlays allow viewers to click through to your site
 Google Apps for Nonprofits
• Gmail, Calendar, Drive, etc.
 Google Earth Outreach Grants
• Free licensing for Google Earth Pro and Maps API for Business.
 One Today by Google (app)
• Android app available in US; users can donate $1 per day to
different nonprofits

9. How Do I Apply?
 http://www.google.com/nonprofits/
 Click “Join the Program” and fill out application

10. Maximizing Google Grants’ Value
 Use your full budget
• It’s “free money” that’s not coming back
tomorrow—spend it!
• When budget is maxed, find what’s converting
and ensure it’s not limited by budget.

11. Maximizing Google Grants’ Value
 Find overlooked or over-searched keywords.
• “Overlooked”—keywords that nobody else is
bidding on.
• Try the “long tail”—e.g., “donate to the Human
Fund,” “Human Fund Festivus giving” in
addition to “Human Fund”

12. Maximizing Google Grants’ Value
• “Over-searched”—keywords that get too many
clicks/too few conversions to bid on in Paid, but
might still return in Grants.
• “Qumar Refugee Crisis” is all over the news and
related keywords’ search volume is spiking. Too
much volume and too little ROAS to bid on in
Paid, but might be able to get some
conversions for “free” through Grants

13. Maximizing Google Grants’ Value
 Supplement your paid ad accounts with Grants.
• Experiment with keywords/campaigns of dubious
ROAS value. “Audition” campaigns before trying
them in paid accounts.
• Bid on keywords with high volume—or low
competition.
• Bid on low-value (ROAS-wise) but important (e.g.
for branding) keywords.
• Use Grants to get in front of people who might
not otherwise see your content; use
engagement/lead generation asks to get them
onto your mailing list, etc.—into “top of funnel.”

14. Example (Client X)
Daily SEM Visits: Aug-Sept 2013
1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
Paid Only
All

15. Example (Client X)
Daily SEM Revenue: Aug-Sept 2013
$3,500.00
$3,000.00
$2,500.00
$2,000.00
$1,500.00
$1,000.00
$500.00
$0.00
Paid Only
All

16. Other Resources
 http://googlegrants.blogspot.com/
• Google Grants blog
 https://support.google.com/nonprofits/
 https://support.google.com/grants/
• Google Support for Nonprofits and Grants
 http://productforums.google.com/forum/#!forum/g
rants
• Google Grants help forum

17. Thank You!
Got Questions?
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