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I just wrapped up an incredible podcast interview with Grant Hensel (yes, his name is literally Grant - talk about destiny!) who runs Nonprofit Megaphone and manages Google Ad Grants for more nonprofits than anyone else in the world.

What he shared absolutely blew my mind - and I had to immediately turn it into this week's newsletter because this is information that needs to get out there!

Here's what we're covering today:

• The Google Ad Grant that gives 501c3 nonprofits $10,000/month in free ad spend FOREVER

• Why 92% of nonprofits are leaving money on the table (only spending $800 of their $10k budget)

• The exact step-by-step process to get approved (hint: it's easier than you think)

• The biggest mistakes that get accounts suspended

Let's dive in...

The 120,000/Year Secret Google Doesn't Advertise

Here's the crazy part - Google has been quietly giving away $10,000 per month in free ad spend to qualifying nonprofits for over a DECADE.

That's $120,000 per year. Every year. Forever.

Think about that for a second... If a nonprofit had signed up 10 years ago, they would have received over $1.2 MILLION in free advertising by now.

And yet, most nonprofits either don't know about it or are massively underutilizing it.

Grant shared that the average nonprofit using the Google Ad Grant only spends $800/month of their $10,000 credit. That's leaving $9,200 on the table every single month!

Meanwhile, Grant's average client spends around $8,700/month - nearly 11X more than the average.

Who Qualifies? (Spoiler: Almost All Nonprofits)

Here's where it gets really interesting...

Unlike traditional grants where 100 people apply and maybe 2 get selected, the Google Ad Grant has virtually a 100% approval rate if you meet these simple requirements:

✅ You're a registered 501c3 nonprofit (or equivalent in other countries)

✅ You have a website with an SSL certificate

✅ Your website has meaningful content (not just a single page)

✅ You're NOT a hospital or school

That's it. Seriously.

Grant told me that organizations he expected - animal shelters, museums, churches, environmental groups, performing arts venues, advocacy organizations - they ALL qualify.

The Hidden Catch (And How to Beat It)

Now here's the part Google doesn't shout from the rooftops...

There's a reason most nonprofits only spend $800 of their $10k budget - Google enforces strict relevance rules on Ad Grant accounts.

It works like this:

1. When someone searches on Google, paying advertisers get first dibs in the primary auction

2. THEN there's a secondary auction just for Ad Grant participants

3. Your ads will only show if they're highly relevant to the search AND the landing page

This means you can't just throw up generic ads and expect to spend the budget. You need a strategic approach.

The Winning Formula Grant's Team Uses

After managing 800+ nonprofit accounts, Grant's team has cracked the code. Here's their process:

Start Wide, Then Optimize Unlike traditional PPC where you start narrow, with Ad Grants you cast a wide net first. Look at EVERY page on your website and brainstorm relevant keywords for each.

Think Beyond Donations The keywords "donate to charity" are super competitive with paying advertisers. Instead, target informational searches like:

• "How to adopt a dog in [city]"

• "Free museum days near me"

• "Youth programs in [area]"

• "How to help endangered species"

Content is King If you don't have pages that answer common questions in your space, create them! Grant's team often helps nonprofits identify content gaps where thousands of people are searching but they have no relevant page.

Track Everything Google REQUIRES conversion tracking for Ad Grants. Set up Google Analytics and Tag Manager to track:

• Form submissions

• Newsletter signups

• Ticket purchases

• Resource downloads

• Video views

Real Results from Nonprofits

Grant shared some killer case studies:

🎭 Performing Arts Venue: Running ads for "date night ideas this weekend" pointing to their concert pages. Result? Consistent ticket sales boost.

🐕 Animal Shelter: Targeting "adopt a dog [city]" and related terms. Result? Increased adoptions and volunteer signups.

🎓 Education Nonprofit (UNCF): During moments of heightened awareness, they saw massive donation spikes from people searching for ways to support historically black colleges.

💰 The Bequest Story: A lawyer searching for local animal organizations clicked an ad, contacted them through the form, and delivered a substantial bequest from a client's will. Talk about ROI!

The Application Process (And the #1 Mistake to Avoid)

Ready to claim your $10k/month? Here's the process:

1. Go to google.com/nonprofits

2. Sign up for Google for Nonprofits account (bonus: this also gets you free Google Workspace!)

3. Create a NEW Google Ads account (this is crucial)

4. DO NOT add payment information (this will disqualify you permanently!)

5. Set up conversion tracking with Google Analytics

6. Apply for the Ad Grant through your Google for Nonprofits dashboard

The biggest mistake? Adding payment info to the account. Once you do that, that account can NEVER be approved for the grant. You'd have to start over with a new account.

Listen to the Full Episode on Spotify or Apple:

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