Guide to Google Ads Grant for Non-Profit Organisations- Singapore

Now, US$10,000 worth of free advertising each month is certainly nothing to be sniffed at, particularly on the world’s largest search engine (and, arguably, one that is without peer). With it, one could use Google Ads to attract more donations, or recruit more volunteers, or simply to raise awareness of one’s organisation and charitable endeavours.

The monthly grant also does not look like it will expire, as long as the participating non-profit organisation manages to retain its eligibility.

If this is starting to sound too good to be true, it is important to note that there are some significant caveats that come with tapping on the Google Ads Grant. We will be mentioning them below as we cover everything you need to know about this grant.


What is Google Ads

Basically, Google offers paid advertising spaces above their search results on Google, as well as on other websites that have partnered with Google and agreed to host their ads.

It is here that the first caveat emerges. The Google Ads Grant only applies to advertisements on google.com; advertisements that appear on other websites via the Display Network or AdSense programmes will not be covered.

Advertisers then choose to bid for keywords, basing each bid on how much they are willing to pay for a Google user to click on their ad. Keywords often include words that are relevant to their organisation or business operations, and those which people would often use to search for the advertiser’s product. Based on this, an ad will be produced.

When someone clicks on the ad, they will be directed to your website. Google then deducts a fee from the US$10,000 a month based on the auctioned keyword as well as a Quality Score that is attributed to the ad. Higher quality ads utilising more popular keywords will thus be able to make more use of the grant.


How to qualify for the Google Ads Grant

Here comes another caveat: to qualify for the Google Ads Grant, a non-profit has to go through a fairly convoluted application process.

First, in order to be eligible, an organisation must:

·        Hold current and valid charity status;

·        Acknowledge and agree to Google Grant’s required certifications regarding non-discrimination and donation receipt and use; and

·        Have a high-quality website that provides adequate detail on its non-profit operations

The following organisations are not eligible for Google Grants:

·        Governmental entities and organisations

·        Hospitals and medical groups

·        Schools, academic institutions and universities (but philanthropic arms of educational organisations are eligible).

If your non-profit fulfils these conditions, then the next step is to apply to Google for Nonprofits. This is a programme that offers qualified organisations access to free versions of paid Google products and special features designed for non-profits. The offering available to non-profits in Singapore include G Suite for Nonprofits, premium access to YouTube via the Youtube Nonprofit Program, Google Earths and Maps, and of course, the Google Ad Grant.

As a Singaporean non-profit, you will have to register with TechSoup Asia first in order to be validated. The process takes up to ten business days after the receipt of any necessary documents. Once you have done so and obtained your validation token, you may create a Google account to apply for Google for Nonprofits.

Sign in to Google for Nonprofits, click “activate” under Google Ad Grants, and fill in the eligibility form. Once that has been submitted for review, it should take around three working days before you receive an email confirmation with further instructions.


How to maintain eligibility for continued use of the grant

Getting the Google Ads Grant already needed quite a few steps. But maintaining eligibility for the grant is arguably even trickier. To do so, your organisation must abide by Google’s very comprehensive programme policies. There are a lot of terms and conditions involved but below are a few of the main ones:

·        All the ads in your account must link to the non-profit URL that was approved in your application process.

·        You must log into your Google Ads account monthly. If not, the account is subject to being paused without notification.

·        The ads being promoted must reflect the mission of your non-profit. Advertisements for the purposes of selling products are allowed as long as all the proceeds go towards supporting your non-profit programme.

·        An exception to this is financial products, such as mortgages or credit cards, which are not allowed to be advertised. Your ads also cannot ask for donations in the form of large goods such as cars, boats, or property donations.

·        The ads you create cannot point to pages that are used to primarily send visitors to other websites.

·        Your website cannot display ads from Google AdSense or other affiliate advertising links while participating in Google Grants.