The Google Ad Grant combines marketing and fundraising opportunities so nonprofits like yours can amplify their missions and reach larger pools of donors, volunteers, and advocates. By equipping eligible organizations with $10,000 in ad credits per month, the program enables them to increase website activity and digital conversions.
Your nonprofit can strategically leverage your website and push your mission forward by getting started with Google Ad Grants to establish a dependable marketing foundation. In this complete guide to Google Ad Grants, you’ll learn:
At Getting Attention, we specialize in Google Ad Grants management so nonprofits can take full advantage of the program. We’ll walk you through your application and craft compelling ads that comply with Google’s rules. With professional guidance on the latest best practices, your nonprofit can effectively connect with a larger pool of motivated prospects. Let’s dive in!
What Is the Google Ad Grant?
Google Ads are a digital marketing solution that businesses and nonprofits use to promote their products, services, and other content to web users. Essentially, advertisers bid on keywords that strategically target their ideal audience. If they win the bid, their ads will appear on Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs).
The Google Ad Grant program is a free version of Google Ads for select charitable organizations. While regular Google Ad accounts have to pay per ad click, Google Grant participants can display their advertisements for free. That way, nonprofits can allocate less of their budgets toward marketing.
The grant gives eligible nonprofits $10,000 in free monthly advertising credits. As long as the organization complies with the program’s rules, the grant will automatically renew each month.
Organizations can use their grant money to bid on different keywords and promote specific pages on their website through text-based ads on the SERPs for those keywords. These promoted pages most often include:
- Donation pages
- Service pages
- Educational content
For example, when you search for “ocean conservation” on Google, you’ll see advertisements at the top and bottom of the page for content from nonprofits dedicated to supporting this cause. Some of these are donation pages, while others are service pages or blog posts that explain the organization’s work.
The program’s overall goal is to make a positive impact by enabling nonprofits to increase awareness of their causes. Since 2003, Google has awarded more than $10 billion in free advertising to more than 115,000 nonprofits across 51 countries.
While the Google Ad Grant program is entirely free, creating and maintaining your account will take substantial time and effort. To truly be successful, you’ll need to either devote staff time to managing your ad campaigns or outsource the work to a Google Ad Grants agency.
How Do Google Ads Differ From Organic Search?
Google Ads and organic search results serve different purposes but are both essential for online visibility. While Google Ads are paid placements that appear at the top and bottom of SERPs, organic results are unpaid listings that appear based on SEO factors and each page’s relevance to the search query. Organically achieving high rankings requires optimizing website content, building backlinks, and ensuring a good user experience.
While both are essential for improving online visibility, nonprofit SEO and Google Ads are best suited for different goals:
- SEO is best for long-term growth and creating a sustainable online presence. By optimizing content to rank organically on SERPs, your nonprofit can generate more leads for revenue-generating programs, services, and products. SEO can increase traffic from qualified online audiences and grow your brand recognition. Essentially, it’s a cost-effective strategy for attracting consistent traffic over time.
- Google Ads are best for immediate visibility and targeted campaigns. With Google Ads, nonprofits can quickly appear at the top of SERPs for specific keywords. It’s ideal for time-sensitive campaigns, fundraising events, and promoting specific actions like donations and volunteer sign-ups.
Nonprofits should leverage both strategies to maximize their online impact. Plus, when you optimize your website for SEO, you’ll also have effective landing pages to promote via Google Ads.
While our team at Getting Attention can help craft your Google Ads strategy, we recommend turning to the experts at Nexus Marketing for your SEO needs, particularly if you generate significant revenue by selling products, programs, or services.
With more than 10 years of experience in ROI-driven SEO within the mission-driven sector, Nexus Marketing’s talented team can craft strategic SEO content that captures your brand and reaches your audience. The agency has an extensive network of 500+ partners in the nonprofit, association, faith-based, education, and healthcare sectors, so you can scale your organization’s authority-building strategy and fuel your SEO growth.
Google Ad Grant Eligibility Requirements
To be considered eligible for the Google Ad Grant, Google requires that nonprofits meet several requirements. After all, $10,000 per month is a sizable contribution! We have an entire article that walks through the program’s eligibility requirements, but let’s cover the highlights.
What Are the Google Grant Eligibility Requirements for Nonprofits?
To apply for Google Ad Grants, nonprofits must first meet the program’s universal standards, which include:
- Holding current and valid charity status. For U.S.-based organizations, you must have current 501(c)(3) status, meaning that the IRS recognizes you as an official charitable organization and exempts you from tax obligations. When you register for Google for Nonprofits, Goodstack will verify your organization’s legitimacy.
- Acknowledging and agreeing to the Google Ad Grant’s required certifications. You’ll need to agree to Google’s process of receiving and using donations obtained from the grant, as well as the Google for Nonprofits and Google Ads terms of service.
- Having a functioning website that provides valuable content on your nonprofit and mission. Any information you promote through Google Ad Grants has to live on your nonprofit’s website. As part of their standard eligibility check, Google requires that you own the domain, have unique website content, and feature a detailed description of your organization’s mission and activities.
- Having an SSL certificate. SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer and is a security protocol between a web server and a browser. It will cause a lock icon to appear in the navigation bar in Google Chrome. If there is no lock and you see the words “not secure” next to your website’s URL, it means SSL is not installed or there is another issue.
If your organization has a solid foundation in the digital space, it doesn’t take much to be eligible for the Google Ad Grant. However, to save time and trouble, Google Ad Grant managers can help you check your eligibility.
Which Organizations Are Not Eligible for Google Ad Grants?
While the Google Ad Grants program is widely available to many nonprofits, there are some exceptions. Organizations that are not eligible to apply for Google Ad Grants include:
- Governmental entities and organizations
- Hospitals and healthcare organizations
- Schools, academic institutions, and universities—however, the fundraising arms of educational organizations are eligible!
The Google Ad Grants team implements these requirements to ensure that only organizations that will genuinely benefit from the program apply. However, Google also offers a similar grant program for educational institutions in addition to the nonprofit program. If that applies to your organization, check it out!
How to Apply for the Google Ad Grant Program
If your nonprofit meets all of the eligibility requirements and is ready to apply for the Google Ad Grant program, follow these basic steps:
1. Enroll in Google for Nonprofits.
You must have an active Google for Nonprofits account to apply for the Google Ad Grants program. If you already do, you can skip this step. Otherwise, the application is available through Google for Nonprofits.
With a Google for Nonprofits account (for U.S. organizations), you’ll receive access to Google Ad Grants, along with these additional services:
- Google Workspace for Nonprofits, which includes free access to Google’s apps like Gmail, Drive, Calendar, and Meet.
- YouTube Nonprofit Program, which provides nonprofits with special features on YouTube, like a donate button.
- Google Earth and Maps, which helps users locate community programs and resources in their area.
To enroll in Google for Nonprofits, you’ll need to provide your tax ID number, contact information, and other relevant information about your nonprofit.
When getting started with Google for Nonprofits, Google’s technology verification partner, Goodstack, will confirm your nonprofit’s status. Just click the “Get Started” button on Google for Nonprofit’s homepage and fill out the requested information.
2. Make Sure Google Analytics Is Installed on Your Website
While Google Analytics is important for your own website data tracking purposes, having it installed is also required prior to applying for Google Ad Grants.
Install Google Tag Manager on your website and set up conversion tracking goals for your site. To determine these goals, think of valuable actions that you want your audience to complete while on your site, like donating or signing up for your newsletter. These goals will guide your analytics strategies and provide insight into conversions for the pages that most effectively inspire visitors to take action.
3. Validate Eligibility with Goodstack
Goodstack is Google’s new eligibility verification partner. They’ll verify your nonprofit’s 501(c)(3) status and other aspects so you’ll be pre-approved to apply for Google Ad Grants.
4. Submit Your Website and Account to the Google Ad Grants Team for Review
After your Google for Nonprofits account is approved, you’re ready to apply for the Google Ad Grants program! You’ll need to submit your website for review to the Google Ad Grants team. They’ll certify whether you’re eligible by determining if your web presence and content are ready. This typically takes three business days. Once you’re approved, Google will send further instructions for you to start building out a basic Google Ads account, which you’ll also need to submit for review.
When you apply, you’ll be given the choice of a “Smart Campaign” or a “Classic” Google Ads account. To gain access to the full suite of tools and options, make sure you apply for the “Classic” account, as the “Smart Campaign” is a much more basic version of Google Ad Grants. Then, you’re ready to start building out your Google Ad Grants management plan.
How Nonprofits Can Use Google Ad Grants
The Google Ad Grant program does more than drive traffic to your website. It allows nonprofits to create targeted ads that spread awareness about a cause and recruit passionate supporters to take action.
Effective Google Ad Grants management empowers nonprofits to:
- Inform and educate the public about their missions by promoting educational content.
- Increase the visibility of upcoming events like webinars, conferences, and fundraisers.
- Share volunteer registration forms and other volunteer-related content to boost recruitment.
- Promote advocacy activities like online petitions or click-to-call campaigns.
- Share donation and sponsorship opportunities to boost revenue generation.
- Provide information to potential beneficiaries about the organization’s services.
You can promote a wide range of content with Google Ad Grants. Just think carefully about how the pages you choose support your nonprofit’s goals.
What Goals Don’t Align With The Google Ad Grant Program?
Certain goals may not align well with the Google Ad Grant program’s structure and restrictions. Here are some specific objectives that may not be suitable for the Google Ad Grant and how you can accomplish them with different marketing channels:
- Direct Revenue Generation: The primary purpose of the Google Ad Grant is to raise awareness and drive engagement, not sales. Ads promoting commercial activities like professional development products or camp registrations might not perform well under the grant’s restrictions. Focus instead on email marketing, content marketing, and affiliate marketing since these channels allow for direct engagement with potential buyers.
- Brand Building: While Google Ad Grants can help increase visibility, building a strong, recognizable brand requires a more comprehensive marketing approach. Paid multimedia ads, social media campaigns, affiliate marketing, and content marketing are better suited for brand building.
- Targeting Highly Competitive Keywords: Organizations targeting highly competitive keywords may find that Google Ad Grant ads do not provide the desired level of visibility. The grant restricts bids to $2 per click, and while there are ways to exceed this bid cap, it might not be enough to get ads chosen for competitive keywords. Instead, focus on SEO efforts to rank organically for these terms, along with strategic investments in paid ads.
The experts at Nexus Marketing can help you create a comprehensive digital marketing strategy to achieve long-term goals like the ones listed above. From their high-quality SEO work and networking opportunities to email marketing and video production services, Nexus has the resources you need to boost sales via organic marketing strategies.
For instance, the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance (NLA) works with Nexus to increase its digital presence and drive more sales for its Certified Nonprofit Professional (CNP) credential and Leaderosity Programs. Through optimized product pages, educational blog posts, partner posts throughout Nexus’ network, webinars, and more, NLA now ranks on page one for 32 new high-priority keywords.
Maintaining Your Nonprofit’s Google Ad Grants Eligibility
Rather than being a one-and-done event, Google Ad Grants eligibility requires ongoing maintenance. While regularly visiting the official compliance page is your best bet for up-to-date policies, here are the most important requirements to remember as you develop your campaigns:
- Don’t use single-word keywords unless it is one of the approved exceptions.
- Avoid overly generic keywords that don’t indicate the intent of the person searching, such as “free videos”, “e-books,” or “today’s news.”
- Ensure your keyword Quality Score is 3+. You can determine keyword quality with expected clickthrough rate, ad relevance, and landing page experience.
- Maintain at least a 5% click-through rate (CTR) each month. CTR is the number of clicks your ad receives divided by the number of impressions, or times your ad is shown. For example, if you had five clicks and 100 impressions, then your CTR would be 5%.
- Have valid conversion tracking set up through Google Analytics or Google Ads conversion tracking tag.
- Have at least two sitelink ad assets that link to additional pages on your site.
- Follow the appropriate account structure by having multiple ads per group and leveraging responsive search ads.
- Respond to the annual program survey sent to the email address on your Ad Grants account.
Frequently check (and consider bookmarking) the Google Ad Grants compliance page to ensure you stay up-to-date, as the rules occasionally change. Failing to comply with the Google Ad Grants policies will lead to your entire account being suspended. Here are the most common reasons for account suspension:
- Losing your organization’s 501(c)(3) status
- Failing to meet the eligibility criteria
- Abusing the ad network
- Failing to re-verify your account
- Repeatedly violating the program’s terms and policies
- Misrepresenting your organization
These limitations not only ensure your nonprofit remains eligible for the grant but also help you make the best use of the grant money. If you have any questions, your best bet is to rely on a dedicated Google Ad Grants management team that spends its time familiarizing itself with the program rules.
Benefits of Google Ad Grants for Nonprofits
If your nonprofit has a website and is active online, applying for a Google Ad Grant is the natural next step for your marketing strategy. After all, current and prospective supporters are likely already looking up topics related to your mission.
While free funding and connecting with new supporters is undoubtedly a plus, there are additional, specific benefits of properly using the Google Ad Grant program. Let’s explore a few advantages that nonprofits experience when they invest in Google Ad Grants.
1. Better Site Engagement
You spend time creating valuable content for your nonprofit’s website because you want to provide high-quality information and resources that help visitors better understand your mission. Google Ad Grants allow you to direct visitors to the pages that they’ll find most valuable, improving the user experience.
By analyzing the search intent for different keywords, you can pinpoint what content searchers will find most valuable. For instance, someone who searches for “animal shelter volunteering” would be a strong prospect for an animal rescue’s volunteer program. In that case, that organization would want to use its Google Ad Grant money to promote its “Volunteer” page, where visitors can explore volunteer opportunities.
2. Increased Online Conversions
Backed by a strategic Google Ad Grants management plan, you can effectively promote key pages and forms to boost conversions for activities such as:
- Event registrations and ticket sales
- Donations
- Volunteer registrations
- Online petition signatures
- Email list signups
Whether you’re focused on becoming well-known in the event space or advocating for a cause that’s important to your community, effective Google Ad Grants management can get you there. Think through the specific pages you promote and how they’ll help you meet your conversion goals.
3. Enhanced Supporter Communications
If you work in mission-driven marketing, you understand the ongoing challenges of increasing your email open rates, boosting social media interactions, and generally keeping your supporters informed.
Google Ad Grants are a natural addition to your communication strategies. While they certainly don’t replace your need to email and text supporters, they can help increase your visibility online. Strategically amplify your web content on Google so that it’s delivered directly to those most likely to support your cause, whether they’re longtime supporters or brand new to your nonprofit.
4. Insight Into Digital Supporters’ Motivations
When you leverage Google Ad Grants, you’ll be able to track campaign performance through Google Analytics, view the exact actions users take once they enter your site, and draw conclusions about what inspired them to get involved.
Google Analytics will provide you with in-depth data regarding:
- The success of your ad campaigns
- The sources driving visitors to your site
- The actions users take on your website
With this information, you can optimize the content you’re promoting via Google Ad Grants, effectively inspiring more users to engage with your cause.
5. No Competition For Funds
One of the best parts of the Google Ad Grants program is that it doesn’t limit its grants to a select few organizations. Traditional grants require organizations to compete for funding, and whichever organizations craft the best proposals are most likely to win the grant.
With Google Ad Grants for nonprofits, there’s no competition to win the grant money. Instead, any organization that applies and meets the program’s requirements will be awarded $10,000 in ad credits each month.
Tips for Effective Google Ad Grants Management
After setting up your Google Ad Grants account, you still need to allocate your $10,000 smartly, create targeted campaigns with carefully chosen keywords, and track those campaigns. Here are 12 easy ways you can make the most of the program.
1. Create Valuable and Promotable Website Content
For your Google Ad Grants account to provide value, you need to have high-quality website content that inspires your audience to take action. Your pages should have:
- A high search volume topic. To get a better idea of the terms and topics your audience is actively seeking out, check out Google Trends or other search engine optimization (SEO) tools like Moz.
- One single focus. While you should certainly target high-traffic keywords, don’t simply lump them into one page. Each distinct topic should have its own page or blog post on your website.
- Enough content. Taking the time to develop researched and comprehensive pages will not only align your content better with your Google Ad Grants campaigns but also increase your organic search engine rankings.
- Effective calls to action. Users should know the exact next step you want them to take. From filling out a form to signing up for text alerts, make this next step clear with a strategically placed call to action in the form of a prominent button or link.
- Mobile responsiveness. According to Double the Donation’s fundraising statistics, more than half of all nonprofit website traffic comes from mobile devices. Ensuring that your content is mobile-friendly will encourage mobile users to stay on the site and continue exploring your content.
Valuable and promotable website content is not only critical to getting your account approved, but it also ensures that the Google Ad Grant actually helps you gain meaningful conversions.
2. Measure Campaign Performance
Upkeep is vital to your campaign performance. For the Google Ad Grant, it all depends on your ability to monitor (and translate) performance data and make adjustments as needed.
Managing your Google Ad Grant campaigns can be simple, but you need to set up conversion tracking and data analytics in order to do so successfully. The best part is that to apply for the Google Ad Grant, you’ll already have Google Analytics installed on your website, so use it! Set up one or more “Goals” within Google Analytics so you can track valuable actions on your website.
To determine the best goals to track, explore your website and note the actions that you want users to take the most to push your mission forward. Common goals include:
- Online donations
- Volunteer registrations
- Email list sign-ups
- Contact form submissions
- Event registrations
- Online petition signatures
Set up conversion tracking for each action using Google Analytics. Monitoring performance on an ongoing basis is key to ensuring your nonprofit continues to comply with all Google Ad Grant rules.
3. Understand Your Target Audience
Google Ads provides several options when it comes to how often your ads will appear and who will see them. That’s why you should define your target audience for each of your campaigns and the keywords you want to target. Then, you can leverage this information and configure your campaign settings accordingly to ensure ads show up for the intended audience.
Thorough keyword research also allows you to shape your content to meet users’ needs and make them more likely to convert. By understanding what your audience is searching for when they look up different terms, you can adjust your ads so that they’re more likely to show up whenever they’re searching online.
4. Focus on Generating Quality Conversions
This may come as a surprise, but the majority of nonprofits using Google Ad Grants actually don’t spend the full $10,000 every month. This could occur for many reasons, but two of the most common are:
- Difficulty in management: Not every nonprofit has the resources and support to maintain multiple marketing campaigns, resulting in a large amount of credit not being put to use.
- Lack of high-quality online content: If your Google Ads aren’t performing well, it might be because your website and other online content aren’t meeting the needs of your audience.
However, just because you don’t spend $10,000 a month doesn’t mean you don’t have a fully optimized and successful Google Ads account. For instance, perhaps your audience is relatively narrow. If you’re promoting ads in one specific city, you probably don’t need to spend the full amount of money to target your entire audience.
The bottom line: It’s much more important to focus on the quality of your visitors and the number of online conversions than just maxing out your monetary quota.
5. Experiment With Your Ad Titles and Copy
Each ad within your Google Ad Grant account will be made up of several components, including a headline (title) and description (copy). Think of your headlines as a way to grab users’ attention and your descriptions as an explanation of why they should click through to your site.
With Google’s responsive search ads feature, Google will automatically test different headlines and descriptions for you. You’ll enter a variety of headlines and descriptions. Then, Google will algorithmically mix and match them to find the combinations that are most relevant to a search term and will drive more clicks.
This feature reduces the manual labor needed to manage your account, saving your marketing team time crafting multiple variations of each ad.
6. Choose Your Keywords Carefully
Your keywords—the word combinations and phrases that users enter into Google—are a vital part of your Google Ad Grant campaigns.
Put yourself in your supporters’ shoes and ask yourself which keywords you’d type into Google to find your nonprofit’s programs, services, and engagement opportunities. Then, head to Keyword Planner to find related keywords that users also search for.
Additionally, you can use negative keywords to indicate which audiences you don’t want your ads shown to. Monitor the search queries that lead people to your site and determine which terms aren’t relevant to your organization. This will allow you to continue refining your list of negative keywords and only show your ads to those who will be interested.
7. Pick the Right Landing Pages
When choosing keywords for different ad campaigns, think carefully about what landing pages you’ll assign to them. Remember, your goal is to meet searchers’ needs with your ads. A common mistake is to send users to your homepage, leaving it up to them to find the desired information. Instead, sending them to a page tailored to the initiative you’re promoting makes them more likely to take specific actions.
Let’s say you’re looking to boost registrations for an upcoming 5K fundraiser for your nonprofit. When users search terms like “upcoming races near me,” they expect to find information and registration pages for 5Ks, 10Ks, and other races. In this case, the best web pages to promote are your 5K race information and registration form.
You should also consider what types of content to create that your Google Ads will link to. If it seems like users are actually searching for an educational guide on the topic, you’d likely want to create effective “cornerstone” content that someone searching for your keyword would find useful.
Cornerstone content refers to web content such as blog articles that are educational, high-quality, and align both with your organization’s overall purpose and potential searchers’ keywords. For example, a nonprofit with a mission related to protecting oceans might write an article explaining how beach clean-ups work and the positive impact they have on the environment and people living nearby. Then, someone who searches the term “beach clean-up” would see the nonprofit’s article and have their questions about the topic answered.
Cornerstone content can also promote your nonprofit’s other pages by including links to other blog articles, initiative information pages, and anything else relevant on your website. If your cornerstone content is detailed and valuable, readers will likely click on these links to explore the rest of your site.
8. Strengthen Your Ads With Geotargeting
Google requires all Ad Grant accounts to have proper location settings enabled. This allows you to use geotargeting to show ads in the locations where users will find your programs and services useful.
Here are a few tips for making the most of geotargeting:
- If you primarily serve your local community, show your ads in your town and nearby communities.
- If your nonprofit works in one area but primarily fundraises in another, adjust your ads to target users who are likely to donate. For instance, a humanitarian relief program that serves Indonesia but fundraises in the United States could use geotargeting to promote its fundraising activities to U.S.-based users.
- If you offer different services in various geographic areas, create separate campaigns to ensure the right content is delivered to the users it’s made for.
In the example below, Google delivered a specific ad to a user based on their location.
Without geotargeting enabled, ads like these would be delivered to people who aren’t geographically close enough to benefit. Targeting by location like this allows you to deliver content to your unique audience, meeting their needs and driving greater value for your cause.
9. Run Three to Five Ad Campaigns at a Time
Within your Google Ad Grant account, you’ll have separate ad campaigns composed of ad groups. These ad groups then host individual ads. For the best results, create your campaigns based on each core goal you want to reach, such as the content and opportunities you want to advertise. For most nonprofits, it’s best to run between three to five ad campaigns at a time to make the most of the Google Ad Grant funds without making managing your account overwhelming.
To create easy-to-manage campaigns, make sure to:
- Set clear goals
- Always keep the target audience in mind
- Use mobile-preferred ads
- Implement conversion tracking
- Modify campaigns when needed
What campaigns you choose to run will depend on your nonprofit’s current goals, but you should aim to run a campaign for each of your ongoing projects. For instance, you might run four campaigns: one focused on earning donations, the second focused on recruiting volunteers, the third to spread awareness about a new initiative, and a fourth to promote an upcoming event.
Creating separate campaigns like this allows you to allocate your budget to the topics that are imperative to your mission. Then, you can create ad groups that target specific keywords related to each primary goal.
10. Focus Each Ad Group on a Central Topic
Each Google Ad Grant campaign you create should have multiple ad groups that target related keywords. For best results, include at least three ads in each group. One ad per group should be a responsive search ad, or an ad that adapts to show more text and relevant messaging to your customers.
Within each ad group, you’ll have a cluster of related ads that target different keywords and phrases. For instance, let’s say your organization provides at-risk youth with mentoring services. Within your ‘Volunteer’ campaign, create a series of related ads that promote volunteer opportunities. In this case, your ads might target keywords like:
- Volunteer to teach kids
- Mentoring opportunities for underprivileged teens
- Teach underprivileged kids
Targeting specific topics with your ad groups will keep your Google Ad Grants account organized and structured properly. That way, you can see what goals the program is helping you to achieve.
11. Use a Liberal Amount of Ad Assets
Formerly called extensions, ad assets allow you to expand your ads with additional information and provide people with more reasons to click through to your online content.
In our Google Ad Grants account optimization guide, we dive into these assets in detail. While there are several ad assets to choose from, here are the most commonly used ones:
- Callout assets: Add short bullet point phrases beneath your ads to emphasize key information.
- Sitelink assets: Append links to other pages on your website.
- Call assets: Enable mobile users to call your organization by tapping a button.
- Lead form assets: Add a lead form directly to your ad.
Ad assets encourage more users to engage with your Google Ads. Plus, robust ads naturally draw readers’ eyes, giving you a competitive edge over other ads.
12. Use Google Ads in Conjunction With Other Marketing Efforts
At this point, it’s clear that Google Ad Grants are a great addition to your nonprofit’s overall fundraising and communications strategy. Join the program to drive people to register for your email list, follow your social media accounts, or sign up to receive texts from your nonprofit.
Not to mention, you’ll gather a lot of useful data through your Google Ad Grants campaigns, which will be applicable to other advertising methods. By applying for Google for Nonprofits, you also have access to a suite of other specialized marketing tools designed to amplify your cause.
You can also extend your Google Ad Grants management skills to the Microsoft Ad Grant program. This program allows you to create ads across the Microsoft Search Network, so you can tap into a new audience that may not use Google. Carefully consider how your Microsoft and Google ads can complement one another, rather than simply replicating ads on both platforms.
Working With a Google Ad Grants Manager
Google Ad Grants management is a full-time job. Oftentimes, nonprofits will turn to professional consulting agencies to manage their Google Ad Grants accounts.
Invest in an agency that’s a certified Google Partner. These professionals have been recognized by Google as agencies that have demonstrated exceptional skill and expertise in managing Google Ad Grant accounts. They know what it takes to help your nonprofit meet eligibility requirements, select the right keywords for your cause, write ads to stand out among search results, and continually monitor campaign performance.
Ultimately, the price you pay to outsource the work to a professional will pale in comparison to the $10,000 you’ll receive in free funding—not to mention the revenue you’ll generate from your ad campaigns!
How Getting Attention Handles Google Ad Grant Management
As a proud Google-certified agency, our team at Getting Attention specializes in Google Ad Grants management with the intention of handling every aspect of the process for you, no matter if you’re learning about the program for the first time or need help getting your existing Google Ad Grant account off the ground.
Some of our core services include:
- Application and Account Reactivation: Our team of experts will verify your eligibility and walk you through the application process to ensure that your nonprofit is accepted. If your account is currently deactivated, we can help you get back up and running.
- Strategy Creation: To help you maximize your grant’s value, we’ll help you select goal-oriented conversion actions, such donations, volunteer registrations, or event sign-ups.
- Ad Creation: We’ll create powerful ads that reach your target audience and communicate your cause effectively. Your ads will be backed by thorough keyword research, so you can connect with valuable prospects who are likely to become supporters.
- Routine Account Optimization: We’ll monitor your ad performance to adjust bid strategies, tweak ad copy, and ensure compliance with Google’s rules.
- Monthly Data Reporting: You’ll stay in the loop through transparent reports that cover metrics like conversions, clicks, and ad spend.
Even if you need solutions that don’t appear on our website, we’re open to chatting about our experience with the additional services you need. If you’re interested in a free consultation, contact us to learn more about how Getting Attention’s services can help your nonprofit grow!
Additional Resources for Better Google Ad Grants Management
The Google Ad Grants program is a great opportunity for nonprofit organizations looking to take control of their digital marketing and effectively expand their audience. However, getting started and maintaining your account requires time and effort.
Between developing high-performing landing pages and pinpointing the keywords that matter most for your work, there’s a lot of work that goes into effectively managing your account. That’s why we highly recommend outsourcing the work to a professional agency.
Ultimately, understanding all the Google Ad Grant rules in addition to best practices is your best bet when it comes to making the most of your account. If you want to continue your research on Google Ad Grants management and learn how to market your mission effectively, explore these additional resources:
Google Ad Grants: The Complete Guide + How to Get Started
/in Google Ad Grants, Nonprofit Communications /by Jessica KingThe Google Ad Grant combines marketing and fundraising opportunities so nonprofits like yours can amplify their missions and reach larger pools of donors, volunteers, and advocates. By equipping eligible organizations with $10,000 in ad credits per month, the program enables them to increase website activity and digital conversions.
Your nonprofit can strategically leverage your website and push your mission forward by getting started with Google Ad Grants to establish a dependable marketing foundation. In this complete guide to Google Ad Grants, you’ll learn:
At Getting Attention, we specialize in Google Ad Grants management so nonprofits can take full advantage of the program. We’ll walk you through your application and craft compelling ads that comply with Google’s rules. With professional guidance on the latest best practices, your nonprofit can effectively connect with a larger pool of motivated prospects. Let’s dive in!
What Is the Google Ad Grant?
Google Ads are a digital marketing solution that businesses and nonprofits use to promote their products, services, and other content to web users. Essentially, advertisers bid on keywords that strategically target their ideal audience. If they win the bid, their ads will appear on Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs).
The Google Ad Grant program is a free version of Google Ads for select charitable organizations. While regular Google Ad accounts have to pay per ad click, Google Grant participants can display their advertisements for free. That way, nonprofits can allocate less of their budgets toward marketing.
The grant gives eligible nonprofits $10,000 in free monthly advertising credits. As long as the organization complies with the program’s rules, the grant will automatically renew each month.
Organizations can use their grant money to bid on different keywords and promote specific pages on their website through text-based ads on the SERPs for those keywords. These promoted pages most often include:
For example, when you search for “ocean conservation” on Google, you’ll see advertisements at the top and bottom of the page for content from nonprofits dedicated to supporting this cause. Some of these are donation pages, while others are service pages or blog posts that explain the organization’s work.
The program’s overall goal is to make a positive impact by enabling nonprofits to increase awareness of their causes. Since 2003, Google has awarded more than $10 billion in free advertising to more than 115,000 nonprofits across 51 countries.
While the Google Ad Grant program is entirely free, creating and maintaining your account will take substantial time and effort. To truly be successful, you’ll need to either devote staff time to managing your ad campaigns or outsource the work to a Google Ad Grants agency.
How Do Google Ads Differ From Organic Search?
Google Ads and organic search results serve different purposes but are both essential for online visibility. While Google Ads are paid placements that appear at the top and bottom of SERPs, organic results are unpaid listings that appear based on SEO factors and each page’s relevance to the search query. Organically achieving high rankings requires optimizing website content, building backlinks, and ensuring a good user experience.
While both are essential for improving online visibility, nonprofit SEO and Google Ads are best suited for different goals:
Nonprofits should leverage both strategies to maximize their online impact. Plus, when you optimize your website for SEO, you’ll also have effective landing pages to promote via Google Ads.
While our team at Getting Attention can help craft your Google Ads strategy, we recommend turning to the experts at Nexus Marketing for your SEO needs, particularly if you generate significant revenue by selling products, programs, or services.
With more than 10 years of experience in ROI-driven SEO within the mission-driven sector, Nexus Marketing’s talented team can craft strategic SEO content that captures your brand and reaches your audience. The agency has an extensive network of 500+ partners in the nonprofit, association, faith-based, education, and healthcare sectors, so you can scale your organization’s authority-building strategy and fuel your SEO growth.
Google Ad Grant Eligibility Requirements
To be considered eligible for the Google Ad Grant, Google requires that nonprofits meet several requirements. After all, $10,000 per month is a sizable contribution! We have an entire article that walks through the program’s eligibility requirements, but let’s cover the highlights.
What Are the Google Grant Eligibility Requirements for Nonprofits?
To apply for Google Ad Grants, nonprofits must first meet the program’s universal standards, which include:
If your organization has a solid foundation in the digital space, it doesn’t take much to be eligible for the Google Ad Grant. However, to save time and trouble, Google Ad Grant managers can help you check your eligibility.
Which Organizations Are Not Eligible for Google Ad Grants?
While the Google Ad Grants program is widely available to many nonprofits, there are some exceptions. Organizations that are not eligible to apply for Google Ad Grants include:
The Google Ad Grants team implements these requirements to ensure that only organizations that will genuinely benefit from the program apply. However, Google also offers a similar grant program for educational institutions in addition to the nonprofit program. If that applies to your organization, check it out!
How to Apply for the Google Ad Grant Program
If your nonprofit meets all of the eligibility requirements and is ready to apply for the Google Ad Grant program, follow these basic steps:
1. Enroll in Google for Nonprofits.
You must have an active Google for Nonprofits account to apply for the Google Ad Grants program. If you already do, you can skip this step. Otherwise, the application is available through Google for Nonprofits.
With a Google for Nonprofits account (for U.S. organizations), you’ll receive access to Google Ad Grants, along with these additional services:
To enroll in Google for Nonprofits, you’ll need to provide your tax ID number, contact information, and other relevant information about your nonprofit.
When getting started with Google for Nonprofits, Google’s technology verification partner, Goodstack, will confirm your nonprofit’s status. Just click the “Get Started” button on Google for Nonprofit’s homepage and fill out the requested information.
2. Make Sure Google Analytics Is Installed on Your Website
While Google Analytics is important for your own website data tracking purposes, having it installed is also required prior to applying for Google Ad Grants.
Install Google Tag Manager on your website and set up conversion tracking goals for your site. To determine these goals, think of valuable actions that you want your audience to complete while on your site, like donating or signing up for your newsletter. These goals will guide your analytics strategies and provide insight into conversions for the pages that most effectively inspire visitors to take action.
3. Validate Eligibility with Goodstack
Goodstack is Google’s new eligibility verification partner. They’ll verify your nonprofit’s 501(c)(3) status and other aspects so you’ll be pre-approved to apply for Google Ad Grants.
4. Submit Your Website and Account to the Google Ad Grants Team for Review
After your Google for Nonprofits account is approved, you’re ready to apply for the Google Ad Grants program! You’ll need to submit your website for review to the Google Ad Grants team. They’ll certify whether you’re eligible by determining if your web presence and content are ready. This typically takes three business days. Once you’re approved, Google will send further instructions for you to start building out a basic Google Ads account, which you’ll also need to submit for review.
When you apply, you’ll be given the choice of a “Smart Campaign” or a “Classic” Google Ads account. To gain access to the full suite of tools and options, make sure you apply for the “Classic” account, as the “Smart Campaign” is a much more basic version of Google Ad Grants. Then, you’re ready to start building out your Google Ad Grants management plan.
How Nonprofits Can Use Google Ad Grants
The Google Ad Grant program does more than drive traffic to your website. It allows nonprofits to create targeted ads that spread awareness about a cause and recruit passionate supporters to take action.
Effective Google Ad Grants management empowers nonprofits to:
You can promote a wide range of content with Google Ad Grants. Just think carefully about how the pages you choose support your nonprofit’s goals.
What Goals Don’t Align With The Google Ad Grant Program?
Certain goals may not align well with the Google Ad Grant program’s structure and restrictions. Here are some specific objectives that may not be suitable for the Google Ad Grant and how you can accomplish them with different marketing channels:
The experts at Nexus Marketing can help you create a comprehensive digital marketing strategy to achieve long-term goals like the ones listed above. From their high-quality SEO work and networking opportunities to email marketing and video production services, Nexus has the resources you need to boost sales via organic marketing strategies.
For instance, the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance (NLA) works with Nexus to increase its digital presence and drive more sales for its Certified Nonprofit Professional (CNP) credential and Leaderosity Programs. Through optimized product pages, educational blog posts, partner posts throughout Nexus’ network, webinars, and more, NLA now ranks on page one for 32 new high-priority keywords.
Maintaining Your Nonprofit’s Google Ad Grants Eligibility
Rather than being a one-and-done event, Google Ad Grants eligibility requires ongoing maintenance. While regularly visiting the official compliance page is your best bet for up-to-date policies, here are the most important requirements to remember as you develop your campaigns:
Frequently check (and consider bookmarking) the Google Ad Grants compliance page to ensure you stay up-to-date, as the rules occasionally change. Failing to comply with the Google Ad Grants policies will lead to your entire account being suspended. Here are the most common reasons for account suspension:
These limitations not only ensure your nonprofit remains eligible for the grant but also help you make the best use of the grant money. If you have any questions, your best bet is to rely on a dedicated Google Ad Grants management team that spends its time familiarizing itself with the program rules.
Benefits of Google Ad Grants for Nonprofits
If your nonprofit has a website and is active online, applying for a Google Ad Grant is the natural next step for your marketing strategy. After all, current and prospective supporters are likely already looking up topics related to your mission.
While free funding and connecting with new supporters is undoubtedly a plus, there are additional, specific benefits of properly using the Google Ad Grant program. Let’s explore a few advantages that nonprofits experience when they invest in Google Ad Grants.
1. Better Site Engagement
You spend time creating valuable content for your nonprofit’s website because you want to provide high-quality information and resources that help visitors better understand your mission. Google Ad Grants allow you to direct visitors to the pages that they’ll find most valuable, improving the user experience.
By analyzing the search intent for different keywords, you can pinpoint what content searchers will find most valuable. For instance, someone who searches for “animal shelter volunteering” would be a strong prospect for an animal rescue’s volunteer program. In that case, that organization would want to use its Google Ad Grant money to promote its “Volunteer” page, where visitors can explore volunteer opportunities.
2. Increased Online Conversions
Backed by a strategic Google Ad Grants management plan, you can effectively promote key pages and forms to boost conversions for activities such as:
Whether you’re focused on becoming well-known in the event space or advocating for a cause that’s important to your community, effective Google Ad Grants management can get you there. Think through the specific pages you promote and how they’ll help you meet your conversion goals.
3. Enhanced Supporter Communications
If you work in mission-driven marketing, you understand the ongoing challenges of increasing your email open rates, boosting social media interactions, and generally keeping your supporters informed.
Google Ad Grants are a natural addition to your communication strategies. While they certainly don’t replace your need to email and text supporters, they can help increase your visibility online. Strategically amplify your web content on Google so that it’s delivered directly to those most likely to support your cause, whether they’re longtime supporters or brand new to your nonprofit.
4. Insight Into Digital Supporters’ Motivations
When you leverage Google Ad Grants, you’ll be able to track campaign performance through Google Analytics, view the exact actions users take once they enter your site, and draw conclusions about what inspired them to get involved.
Google Analytics will provide you with in-depth data regarding:
With this information, you can optimize the content you’re promoting via Google Ad Grants, effectively inspiring more users to engage with your cause.
5. No Competition For Funds
One of the best parts of the Google Ad Grants program is that it doesn’t limit its grants to a select few organizations. Traditional grants require organizations to compete for funding, and whichever organizations craft the best proposals are most likely to win the grant.
With Google Ad Grants for nonprofits, there’s no competition to win the grant money. Instead, any organization that applies and meets the program’s requirements will be awarded $10,000 in ad credits each month.
Tips for Effective Google Ad Grants Management
After setting up your Google Ad Grants account, you still need to allocate your $10,000 smartly, create targeted campaigns with carefully chosen keywords, and track those campaigns. Here are 12 easy ways you can make the most of the program.
1. Create Valuable and Promotable Website Content
For your Google Ad Grants account to provide value, you need to have high-quality website content that inspires your audience to take action. Your pages should have:
Valuable and promotable website content is not only critical to getting your account approved, but it also ensures that the Google Ad Grant actually helps you gain meaningful conversions.
2. Measure Campaign Performance
Upkeep is vital to your campaign performance. For the Google Ad Grant, it all depends on your ability to monitor (and translate) performance data and make adjustments as needed.
Managing your Google Ad Grant campaigns can be simple, but you need to set up conversion tracking and data analytics in order to do so successfully. The best part is that to apply for the Google Ad Grant, you’ll already have Google Analytics installed on your website, so use it! Set up one or more “Goals” within Google Analytics so you can track valuable actions on your website.
To determine the best goals to track, explore your website and note the actions that you want users to take the most to push your mission forward. Common goals include:
Set up conversion tracking for each action using Google Analytics. Monitoring performance on an ongoing basis is key to ensuring your nonprofit continues to comply with all Google Ad Grant rules.
3. Understand Your Target Audience
Google Ads provides several options when it comes to how often your ads will appear and who will see them. That’s why you should define your target audience for each of your campaigns and the keywords you want to target. Then, you can leverage this information and configure your campaign settings accordingly to ensure ads show up for the intended audience.
Thorough keyword research also allows you to shape your content to meet users’ needs and make them more likely to convert. By understanding what your audience is searching for when they look up different terms, you can adjust your ads so that they’re more likely to show up whenever they’re searching online.
4. Focus on Generating Quality Conversions
This may come as a surprise, but the majority of nonprofits using Google Ad Grants actually don’t spend the full $10,000 every month. This could occur for many reasons, but two of the most common are:
However, just because you don’t spend $10,000 a month doesn’t mean you don’t have a fully optimized and successful Google Ads account. For instance, perhaps your audience is relatively narrow. If you’re promoting ads in one specific city, you probably don’t need to spend the full amount of money to target your entire audience.
The bottom line: It’s much more important to focus on the quality of your visitors and the number of online conversions than just maxing out your monetary quota.
5. Experiment With Your Ad Titles and Copy
Each ad within your Google Ad Grant account will be made up of several components, including a headline (title) and description (copy). Think of your headlines as a way to grab users’ attention and your descriptions as an explanation of why they should click through to your site.
With Google’s responsive search ads feature, Google will automatically test different headlines and descriptions for you. You’ll enter a variety of headlines and descriptions. Then, Google will algorithmically mix and match them to find the combinations that are most relevant to a search term and will drive more clicks.
This feature reduces the manual labor needed to manage your account, saving your marketing team time crafting multiple variations of each ad.
6. Choose Your Keywords Carefully
Your keywords—the word combinations and phrases that users enter into Google—are a vital part of your Google Ad Grant campaigns.
Put yourself in your supporters’ shoes and ask yourself which keywords you’d type into Google to find your nonprofit’s programs, services, and engagement opportunities. Then, head to Keyword Planner to find related keywords that users also search for.
Additionally, you can use negative keywords to indicate which audiences you don’t want your ads shown to. Monitor the search queries that lead people to your site and determine which terms aren’t relevant to your organization. This will allow you to continue refining your list of negative keywords and only show your ads to those who will be interested.
7. Pick the Right Landing Pages
When choosing keywords for different ad campaigns, think carefully about what landing pages you’ll assign to them. Remember, your goal is to meet searchers’ needs with your ads. A common mistake is to send users to your homepage, leaving it up to them to find the desired information. Instead, sending them to a page tailored to the initiative you’re promoting makes them more likely to take specific actions.
Let’s say you’re looking to boost registrations for an upcoming 5K fundraiser for your nonprofit. When users search terms like “upcoming races near me,” they expect to find information and registration pages for 5Ks, 10Ks, and other races. In this case, the best web pages to promote are your 5K race information and registration form.
You should also consider what types of content to create that your Google Ads will link to. If it seems like users are actually searching for an educational guide on the topic, you’d likely want to create effective “cornerstone” content that someone searching for your keyword would find useful.
Cornerstone content refers to web content such as blog articles that are educational, high-quality, and align both with your organization’s overall purpose and potential searchers’ keywords. For example, a nonprofit with a mission related to protecting oceans might write an article explaining how beach clean-ups work and the positive impact they have on the environment and people living nearby. Then, someone who searches the term “beach clean-up” would see the nonprofit’s article and have their questions about the topic answered.
Cornerstone content can also promote your nonprofit’s other pages by including links to other blog articles, initiative information pages, and anything else relevant on your website. If your cornerstone content is detailed and valuable, readers will likely click on these links to explore the rest of your site.
8. Strengthen Your Ads With Geotargeting
Google requires all Ad Grant accounts to have proper location settings enabled. This allows you to use geotargeting to show ads in the locations where users will find your programs and services useful.
Here are a few tips for making the most of geotargeting:
In the example below, Google delivered a specific ad to a user based on their location.
Without geotargeting enabled, ads like these would be delivered to people who aren’t geographically close enough to benefit. Targeting by location like this allows you to deliver content to your unique audience, meeting their needs and driving greater value for your cause.
9. Run Three to Five Ad Campaigns at a Time
Within your Google Ad Grant account, you’ll have separate ad campaigns composed of ad groups. These ad groups then host individual ads. For the best results, create your campaigns based on each core goal you want to reach, such as the content and opportunities you want to advertise. For most nonprofits, it’s best to run between three to five ad campaigns at a time to make the most of the Google Ad Grant funds without making managing your account overwhelming.
To create easy-to-manage campaigns, make sure to:
What campaigns you choose to run will depend on your nonprofit’s current goals, but you should aim to run a campaign for each of your ongoing projects. For instance, you might run four campaigns: one focused on earning donations, the second focused on recruiting volunteers, the third to spread awareness about a new initiative, and a fourth to promote an upcoming event.
Creating separate campaigns like this allows you to allocate your budget to the topics that are imperative to your mission. Then, you can create ad groups that target specific keywords related to each primary goal.
10. Focus Each Ad Group on a Central Topic
Each Google Ad Grant campaign you create should have multiple ad groups that target related keywords. For best results, include at least three ads in each group. One ad per group should be a responsive search ad, or an ad that adapts to show more text and relevant messaging to your customers.
Within each ad group, you’ll have a cluster of related ads that target different keywords and phrases. For instance, let’s say your organization provides at-risk youth with mentoring services. Within your ‘Volunteer’ campaign, create a series of related ads that promote volunteer opportunities. In this case, your ads might target keywords like:
Targeting specific topics with your ad groups will keep your Google Ad Grants account organized and structured properly. That way, you can see what goals the program is helping you to achieve.
11. Use a Liberal Amount of Ad Assets
Formerly called extensions, ad assets allow you to expand your ads with additional information and provide people with more reasons to click through to your online content.
In our Google Ad Grants account optimization guide, we dive into these assets in detail. While there are several ad assets to choose from, here are the most commonly used ones:
Ad assets encourage more users to engage with your Google Ads. Plus, robust ads naturally draw readers’ eyes, giving you a competitive edge over other ads.
12. Use Google Ads in Conjunction With Other Marketing Efforts
At this point, it’s clear that Google Ad Grants are a great addition to your nonprofit’s overall fundraising and communications strategy. Join the program to drive people to register for your email list, follow your social media accounts, or sign up to receive texts from your nonprofit.
Not to mention, you’ll gather a lot of useful data through your Google Ad Grants campaigns, which will be applicable to other advertising methods. By applying for Google for Nonprofits, you also have access to a suite of other specialized marketing tools designed to amplify your cause.
You can also extend your Google Ad Grants management skills to the Microsoft Ad Grant program. This program allows you to create ads across the Microsoft Search Network, so you can tap into a new audience that may not use Google. Carefully consider how your Microsoft and Google ads can complement one another, rather than simply replicating ads on both platforms.
Working With a Google Ad Grants Manager
Invest in an agency that’s a certified Google Partner. These professionals have been recognized by Google as agencies that have demonstrated exceptional skill and expertise in managing Google Ad Grant accounts. They know what it takes to help your nonprofit meet eligibility requirements, select the right keywords for your cause, write ads to stand out among search results, and continually monitor campaign performance.
Ultimately, the price you pay to outsource the work to a professional will pale in comparison to the $10,000 you’ll receive in free funding—not to mention the revenue you’ll generate from your ad campaigns!
How Getting Attention Handles Google Ad Grant Management
As a proud Google-certified agency, our team at Getting Attention specializes in Google Ad Grants management with the intention of handling every aspect of the process for you, no matter if you’re learning about the program for the first time or need help getting your existing Google Ad Grant account off the ground.
Some of our core services include:
Even if you need solutions that don’t appear on our website, we’re open to chatting about our experience with the additional services you need. If you’re interested in a free consultation, contact us to learn more about how Getting Attention’s services can help your nonprofit grow!
Additional Resources for Better Google Ad Grants Management
The Google Ad Grants program is a great opportunity for nonprofit organizations looking to take control of their digital marketing and effectively expand their audience. However, getting started and maintaining your account requires time and effort.
Between developing high-performing landing pages and pinpointing the keywords that matter most for your work, there’s a lot of work that goes into effectively managing your account. That’s why we highly recommend outsourcing the work to a professional agency.
Ultimately, understanding all the Google Ad Grant rules in addition to best practices is your best bet when it comes to making the most of your account. If you want to continue your research on Google Ad Grants management and learn how to market your mission effectively, explore these additional resources:
Crafting a Nonprofit Marketing Plan: Key Tips & Channels
/in Nonprofit Communications, Nonprofit Marketing /by Jessica KingYou’ve worked hard to build an organization that fulfills its mission and makes a difference for the community you serve. However, your work can’t reach its full potential without a strategic nonprofit marketing plan. Outlining a plan is critical for meeting your audience’s needs and driving meaningful conversions.
Whether you’ve never created a dedicated plan before or you want a refresher, we created this guide to walk through the following topics:
When it comes to representing your mission, reaching your goals, and driving conversions, your team needs a definitive nonprofit marketing guide. Let’s dive into an overview of nonprofit marketing plans.
What Is a Nonprofit Marketing Plan?
A nonprofit marketing plan is a dedicated document that helps marketing teams create promotional materials, stay consistent with branding and goals, and reach target audiences effectively.
This document should be available to everyone in your organization so that no matter the campaign or event you are promoting, your messaging and tactics support your core mission. By maintaining consistency and having a strategic plan you can better communicate with current supporters, acquire new ones, generate sales, and keep all team members on track to reach your goals.
The Benefits of a Strong Nonprofit Marketing Plan
A strong nonprofit marketing plan should consist of much more than just guidelines for picking the right outreach channels. A well-crafted plan helps nonprofits focus their efforts, allocate resources, and measure results. It’s also essential to document objectives, strategies, and tactics to guide your marketing team and ensure that they’re staying on track.
When you take a comprehensive approach, your nonprofit marketing plan can:
You won’t be able to accomplish all of this without a well-crafted and developed nonprofit marketing plan. The plan will outline the exact tasks that need to be done, the steps each will take, and when they should be completed.
The Essential Components of a Nonprofit Marketing Plan
When it comes to your nonprofit marketing plan, be as thorough as possible. Don’t leave any stone unturned to ensure clarity for team members and fill in any gaps in outreach methods.
While your specific marketing plan will be unique to your mission and campaign, several core components will still need to be included.
Overview of The Organization
When crafting your plan, start with the basics of your organization. Think about the foundation on which your organization is built. Then, define elements, such as your:
Communicating the basics of your organization will give everyone a solid understanding of your mission and what your marketing campaign hopes to accomplish. In turn, your messaging can communicate those aspects accurately.
Audience Overview
Your goal should be to motivate your audience to take action, and that starts with knowing who you want your marketing to reach. As you fill out this section of your nonprofit marketing plan, define the following elements:
You create personas for prospective customers using data about your current customers, like their ages, traits, employers, preferred communication methods, and giving preferences. Knowing who currently supports your work and who else you’d like to reach will enable you to connect with the widest audience possible. Even if you already have a strong base of support, you likely want to grow your organization, which is where defining your target audience comes in handy.
Messaging and Communication
Think critically about how you want to present your nonprofit in its messaging. This will set the tone with your audience and establish your brand image. Some key communication elements you’ll want to define in your nonprofit marketing plan include:
It’s easy to look at these components and think you can fill them out at once. However, it actually takes careful planning and data analysis to accurately determine factors like the most valuable goals to target and which marketing channels to use.
8 Steps to Create a Nonprofit Marketing Plan
With the basic elements of a solid plan in mind, you can move forward with drafting your plan. We’ll break it down into eight easy steps, ensuring you include all of the essentials.
1. Review Past Performance.
Before you really get into the nitty-gritty of your nonprofit marketing plan, take a moment to reflect on your current standing and past performance. To ensure your marketing plan is as valuable as possible, determining what has and hasn’t worked in the past is your best bet.
Review your previous marketing efforts and ask yourself the following:
Analyzing data, having a sense of your past efforts, and determining the gaps in your strategies will help determine how you can improve your next campaign. If you’re not sure where to start, consider working with a nonprofit marketing consultant.
How to Conduct A Nonprofit Marketing Audit
Along with reviewing past performance, you can even conduct a more in-depth marketing audit. Start by collecting various marketing assets and resources. That way, you’ll have all the information in one place and will be better able to consider your options.
From here, we recommend conducting a SWOT analysis. This method is a strategic planning technique used to help a person or organization identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats related to competition or project planning.
Here’s a breakdown of this approach:
Knowing what’s actively working to help you and what’s working against you will help you craft a holistic nonprofit marketing plan. After completing your analysis, create an action plan based on what you discovered in your audit. What’s working? What could be improved? Where are the gaps? What’s your unique value proposition that other organizations can’t bring to the table?
In many cases, your internal marketing team can successfully conduct a marketing audit. If this is your first time or you don’t have an established team yet, consider working with a professional marketing consultant.
2. Establish SMART Goals for Your Nonprofit Marketing.
Once you have an idea of your past marketing performance, your current resources, and relevant data trends, you can move forward with setting actionable goals.
Your goals should be carefully chosen and aimed to drive meaningful conversions that support your overall mission. That’s why we recommend using the SMART goal-setting method:
Following this framework will allow you to set clear objectives that drive action. Otherwise, you may end up with overly generic goals like “raise more donations” or “get more social media followers.”
Examples of SMART Marketing Goals
If you need help brainstorming potential primary goals, here are some core ideas to kickstart your creativity:
Note that you’ll need to take these primary goals and get more specific to give your team concrete numbers to work toward.
Let’s look at a more specific example. Here’s an example of a SMART goal you might set for your nonprofit to increase awareness of animal welfare:
Or, for a nonprofit looking to earn new customers, a goal might be:
These goals are time-based, have specific and attainable targets, are relevant to the organization’s missions, and include how their success will be measured.
How To Apply for Google Grants: 4 Easy Steps for Approval
/in Google Ad Grants /by Jessica KingAre you looking to drive traffic to your nonprofit’s landing pages without breaking the bank? The Google Ad Grant program will help you do exactly that! After completing the Google Grant application process, you’ll receive $10,000 every month to spend on Google Ads.
Whether you’re an advocacy organization looking to boost petition signatures or an animal shelter aiming to increase volunteer signups, Google Grants can empower your nonprofit to broaden its reach, enhance its search visibility, and drive conversions at exponential rates. As long as you meet all of the Google Grant requirements and follow the proper steps, you’ll get your application approved in no time.
In this guide, we’ll dive into the basics and steps of how to apply for Google Grants! Here’s what we’ll cover:
At Getting Attention, we’re a Google-certified Google Ad Grant Agency devoted to helping nonprofits make the most of the Google Ad Grants program. We know exactly how to apply for Google Grants and get approved on the first try. Let’s start our journey by answering some of the most common questions that nonprofits have about the program.
Google Grant Application FAQs
Before diving into the required steps for applying for Google Grants, let’s run through a few of the most common questions that nonprofit professionals have when they first start looking into the program.
What is the Google Grant?
The Google Ad Grants program enables nonprofits to acquire valuable search engine ad space at no cost. The grant supplies eligible organizations with $10,000 in Google Ad credits every month to put toward driving traffic to their websites’ most important content.
Since Google generates more than 80% of desktop search traffic in the United States alone, this program has the potential to boost your nonprofit’s visibility and generate more support for your cause. All you have to do is follow the required Google Grant application process and get approved.
Google Grants can benefit nonprofits in a variety of ways, including:
Action Against Hunger is one of many nonprofits that have benefited from the program, driving 158,000 visitors to its website and raising over $66,000 in just 12 months thanks to Ad Grants. However, the Google Grant has several specific guidelines that determine an organization’s eligibility to participate in the program.
How do I get a Google Grant?
There is a pretty lengthy Google Grant application process that your nonprofit must follow, from verifying eligibility to creating relevant accounts to producing your first ad campaign.
The goal is to confirm that you’re a trustworthy nonprofit that will benefit from the program and promote content users will find valuable. To save time and ensure that your application gets approved the first time around, consider getting guidance from a Google-certified Google Grant experts like Getting Attention.
How long will it take to apply for Google Grants?
The actual Google Grants application itself doesn’t take long to fill out or get approved. However, you’ll need to complete some pre-qualifying steps that may take some time.
For instance, if you’re already registered with Google for Nonprofits, the Google Grant application process will likely take anywhere from 2 to 14 days. Otherwise, you’ll need to apply and await for approval for a Google for Nonprofits account first.
4 Steps to Apply for Google Grants
To set you up for success, let’s explore each step in the Google Grants application process in more detail:
1. Check your Google Grants eligibility status.
To qualify for a Google Ad Grant, your organization must meet several criteria. Check your eligibility upfront to ensure that the time and effort you invest in the application process pay off.
Given that the program is available in over 50 countries, be sure to locate the specific guidelines of your current location. In the United States, the following is required to be eligible:
Outside of these eligibility requirements, there are specific types of nonprofits that are ineligible, regardless if they meet the above requirements. These include:
If your organization falls within one of these ineligible categories, consider conducting further research into similar initiatives that do apply to your nonprofit. For example, Google for Education offers separate benefits for educational institutions.
However, if your organization does not fall into one of the above categories, you’re free to apply for the Google Ad Grant! For example, if your church is looking to reach out to the community for more congregation members, consider applying for this program.
Additional Google Grant application requirements
Once you’ve evaluated your initial eligibility, you’re almost ready to start moving through the Google Grant application process. However, there are a few more requirements you should meet before you officially get started.
Some of the most important Google Ad Grant requirements include:
Doing as much preparation as you can upfront will help you move through the actual application much quicker.
2. Create a Google for Nonprofits account.
The next step is to register for a Google for Nonprofits account. Beyond Ad Grants, Google for Nonprofits offers an array of advantages for growing awareness for your mission. Some of the most useful perks you’ll receive include:
If this seems like an offer you can’t refuse, follow these steps to successfully apply for a Google for Nonprofits account:
When you request a Google for Nonprofits account, Google’s verification partner, Goodstack, will verify your organization’s eligibility.
Make sure you’re signed in with an email address that you check frequently when you create your Google for Nonprofits account. Whatever address you use is where Google will send updates about your account, which also include any outreach about your Google Ad Grants account once you get it up and running.
3. Prepare your website for your Google Grant application.
When you apply for Google Grants, they’ll require you to submit your website, then they’ll evaluate it to ensure you have useful content that users will find trustworthy.
Google will run through a checklist of conditions regarding the quality of your website before approving your application. Beyond getting your Google Grant application approved, improving your nonprofit’s website will help you develop much more valuable ads that users will actually interact with.
Let’s explore a few website optimization tips that will maximize your application chances.
Include your EIN and mission statement
Google requires you to have a clear description of your organization, its mission, and its activities on your site. Doing so is not only crucial for getting your Google Grant application approved, but it also improves your credibility with website visitors and helps them determine whether their values align with your work.
While Google doesn’t require you to display your EIN (in the case of U.S.-based nonprofits), doing so doesn’t pose any security threats. It simply shows that you’re a registered 501(c)(3) organization to anyone who might be considering donating, volunteering, registering for an event, or sharing any sensitive information with your team.
You can display your EIN by including it in your website’s footer, so it will automatically show up on every page of your site without interfering with your website’s design.
Implement the proper security measures for your website
To meet the Google Grant requirements, your nonprofit’s website needs to be secure and trustworthy. The main way to do this is by securing an SSL (Secure Socket Layer) certificate. This encrypts any data that’s transferred on your site, so if someone’s donating, their payment details, name, address, and any other sensitive information they share will automatically be encrypted.
You can check whether a website is encrypted by looking at the URL. If the web address begins with https instead of http, that indicates that it’s SSL-certified. Google Chrome will even mark sites that don’t have an SSL certificate as ‘Not Secure’ in the address bar. Not having an SSL certificate is a quick way to turn visitors away from your website, since they’ll automatically consider your site to be untrustworthy.
Additionally, having an SSL certificate is an effective way to improve your organic traffic. According to Google’s Transparency Report, Google Chrome users on Windows, Android, and Mac all spend over 90% of their browsing time on HTTPs sites. Google, among other search engines, uses SSL certification as a ranking factor. Not having an SSL certificate can actually hurt your rankings!
To obtain an SSL certificate, Hubspot recommends that you verify your website’s information through ICANN Lookup, generate the Certificate Signing Request (CSR), validate your domain by submitting your CSR to the Certificate Authority, and install the certificate on your website.
Optimize your site
Overall, your website should be visually attractive, easy to navigate, and filled with valuable content. To optimize your website and maximize your Google Ads conversions, focus on these primary areas:
Professional help is the most reliable resource for making the most of your site through Google Ad Grants. A Google Grants agency like Getting Attention that’s a recognized Google Partner will ensure that your website is up to par and optimized for the user experience.
4. Submit your Google Grant application.
Once your Google for Nonprofits account is approved, you’ll receive an email from Google, and you can finally apply for Google Grants! You can find the most up-to-date activation steps in your Google for Nonprofits account. Here’s what the process currently looks like:
At this point, you’re all ready to start creating your campaigns, spreading your message, and connecting with new prospects online.
Advice for completing your Google Grant application
If you’re eligible and follow the provided steps, you’ll more than likely get approved. Even if your application is denied the first time around, Google’s team will provide you with a reason why so you’ll have clear next steps on how to get approved.
Some best practices for maximizing your chances of success include:
If you’re still confused about the process or you simply don’t have enough time in your day to apply, we fully recommend reaching out to a professional Google Grants agency. Our team is happy to chat about your needs and handle the entire Google Grant application process for you!
What to Do When Your Google Grant Application Gets Approved
Learning how to apply for Google Grants was the easy part! Now you have to create highly targeted campaigns and ensure you’re meeting the program’s compliance requirements.
While your best bet for success is to outsource account management to a Google-certified grants agency, here are the immediate next steps your team should take after getting approved:
Configure your Google Ads account
To start leveraging your grant money, you must set up your first few campaigns. Within Google Ads, you’ll find the Campaigns tab on the navigation bar to the left.
Keep these tips in mind to configure a well-organized account:
If you’re interested in learning more about setting up high-performing campaigns, check out our ultimate guide to optimizing your Google Grant account. In it, we dive into account management tips and requirements that will help you connect with your audience.
Meet Google Grants compliance requirements
To ensure your account remains in good standing with the program’s rules, keep an eye on these essential components:
Google implements these requirements to ensure that you’re actually generating value from the program. Failing to meet these compliance requirements will result in account deactivation, so keep an eye on your account and continue optimizing your ads over time!
How an Expert Can Help You Apply for Google Grants
To see meaningful results from this marketing grant, you need consistent upkeep, performance tracking, and compliance with Google’s official account requirements. With the weight of running a nonprofit already on your shoulders, this may seem like a lot to handle. Have no fear—that’s why Google Grant agencies exist.
From application assistance to ad creation, Google Grant agencies that are official Google partners like Getting Attention will ensure your success every step of the way. Some valuable areas of assistance include Getting Attention offers include:
If you’re curious about the role that an agency will play in Google Grants management, our team is happy to chat! Reach out to our team to discuss how we can support all your Google Grants needs, from applying to the program to researching the best keywords for your cause.
Final Thoughts on Applying for Google Grants
The Google Grants program is a wonderful opportunity for any nonprofit looking to amplify its digital marketing strategies. All you need to do is learn how to apply for Google Grants and then configure your Google Ads account according to your goals.
All of this information may feel a bit overwhelming, but the opportunity to utilize $10,000 a month of free Google Ads spending is worth weathering the confusion. Contact us today for a free consultation with our agency to help plan the best Google Ad Grants strategy for your nonprofit.
In the meantime, learn more about the program and maximize the success of your ad campaigns with these great resources:
How To Promote a Fundraiser: 10 Ideas To Boost Donations
/in Nonprofit Communications, Nonprofit Fundraising /by Jessica KingA successful fundraiser doesn’t just happen. It needs strong promotion to attract donors, rally supporters, and build momentum. Whether you’re hosting an in-person event, a digital fundraising campaign, or a grassroots effort, getting the word out is essential.
Reaching the right audience and inspiring them to take action requires a thoughtful strategy and the right marketing techniques. But with new marketing platforms and donor engagement strategies popping up each year, how do you ensure your fundraiser stands out? This guide will walk you through the essentials of how to promote a fundraiser using both digital and offline methods. We’ll cover the following:
No matter what type of fundraiser you’re running, effective promotion requires planning and strategy. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the moving parts, but the right approach can set you up for success.
Types of Fundraisers to Promote
Knowing how to promote different types of fundraisers is key to maximizing engagement and reaching the right audience. Fundraisers come in many forms—some rely on in-person events and community participation, while others leverage digital platforms to reach a wider network of supporters. Whether you’re promoting your donation page or inviting people to charity run, each type requires a tailored marketing approach to ensure success.
Let’s explore the most common types of fundraisers to promote.
Nonprofit Digital Fundraising Campaigns
A nonprofit digital fundraising campaign is a strategic fundraising effort conducted online to achieve a specific goal within a set timeframe. It leverages digital fundraising tools and online marketing channels to engage supporters, collect donations, and maximize impact.
With over 5.5 billion internet users worldwide, your potential donors are just a click away. A well-planned digital fundraising campaign that’s promoted effectively can make your nonprofit experience the following benefits:
While the main goal of a digital fundraising campaign is to generate revenue, you can also raise awareness of your mission and build your reputation along the way. Digital fundraising campaigns can do wonders for your mission and your nonprofit’s larger public image. You just need to use the right fundraiser marketing tools to power these fundraisers.
Fundraising Events
Fundraising events are a powerful way to engage supporters, build community, and generate donations. Whether in-person, virtual, or hybrid, events create opportunities for interaction and storytelling that inspire giving.
Popular types of fundraising events include:
No matter what event you’re hosting, active fundraiser marketing is key. Use social media, email marketing, and community outreach to boost attendance. You can even encourage supporters to invite their loved ones to expand your event’s reach.
Ongoing Giving Programs
Ongoing giving programs provide nonprofits with a steady stream of donations, often through recurring contributions or membership-based fundraising. Consistently promoting fundraisers that are continuous is essential for growth.
Common types of giving programs include:
You can promote fundraising programs like these through targeted email campaigns and social media to highlight long-term impact. If you feature them on your website, paid ads are also a great way to promote these fundraisers.
The Elements of Successful Fundraiser Marketing
Successful fundraiser marketing requires a strategic approach to drive donations. From crafting compelling messaging to choosing the right channels, every element plays a role. Let’s explore the key components of an effective fundraiser marketing strategy.
A Strong Nonprofit Marketing Plan
Even engaging fundraising ideas will fall short if not promoted effectively. A clear, comprehensive marketing plan ensures your team is clear on messaging and timing. Include these elements in your fundraiser marketing plan:
A well-structured marketing plan gives your fundraiser the direction needed to engage supporters and drive donations.
SMART Goals
Set a firm foundation for your campaign by setting well-defined goals. We recommend using the SMART goal framework:
Let’s say you’re hosting a fundraising gala. Here’s what your SMART goal might look like:
Essentially, be realistic about what you can achieve, but push your team. If you have multiple priorities for your fundraiser, create different goals and list them in order of priority to focus your fundraiser marketing.
Effective Key Performance Indicators
After determining your campaign goals, consider the key performance indicators (KPIs) you’ll use to measure success. Examples include:
For instance, one of your goals might be to increase the matching gifts you receive online by sharing educational materials. You might measure your digital fundraising campaign’s success based on the number of donors who work at organizations with corporate giving programs and whether you receive a match from their employer.
With KPIs, you’ll have a sense of whether your fundraiser promotion is working and what you could do to improve your results.
Multiple Marketing Platforms
With new marketing platforms emerging constantly, nonprofits have a wide range of tools and channels to promote their fundraisers. Each marketing tool has its own strengths, so carefully research and choose the ones that best fit your strategy. Here are some useful channels, some of which we’ll dive further into later:
Some fundraising platforms have built-in marketing tools to simplify outreach. For instance, your online auction software might offer email and text marketing features to notify participants about new bids, event updates, and donation opportunities.
A balanced approach using both digital and offline channels will maximize your reach. If you’re running a digital fundraising campaign, online marketing channels will be especially useful in reaching donors.
How To Promote a Fundraiser
Depending on your resources and target audience, there are likely tons of digital fundraising marketing trends you can capitalize on. For the ambitious nonprofit professional, you may even try to combine several of these strategies into one campaign!
Let’s explore some of the most effective promotional strategies for you to explore.
1. Advertise on Google.
Fundraising advertising is an important part of any online campaign, because digital ads can increase brand awareness by 80%. One of the best places to run ads is Google. For a majority of web users, if they have a query they want answered, they’ll turn to Google’s search engine.
Google Ads allows organizations to promote their services, products, digital fundraising campaigns, and other mission-related content in search engine results as well as non-search websites, mobile apps, and videos. Since Google owns around 90% of the global search market share, Google Ads can make a world of difference for your nonprofit.
To help nonprofits with their digital fundraising campaigns, Google offers the Google Ad Grant program. This program offers nonprofits $10,000 in Google Ad credits to spend each month on text ads. Here’s a rundown of the program:
How To Promote a Fundraiser on Google
A Google Ad Grants campaign is one of the best ways to push your digital fundraising campaigns and educational content to a targeted audience without blowing your marketing budget. To maximize your impact with this program, try the following tips:
To fully maximize the Google Ad Grant for your digital fundraising campaigns, your nonprofit needs a solid understanding of digital marketing. If your team lacks expertise, consider partnering with a Google Ad Grant agency like Getting Attention to manage your campaigns, optimize content, and ensure you maximize your grant funds.
2. Leverage Email Marketing.
Email outreach generates approximately 28% of all online nonprofit revenue, making it a powerful tool for fundraiser marketing. An email series for a digital fundraising campaign will likely span weeks or months to introduce your campaign, build anticipation, and drive donations.
However, email’s popularity can also be a detriment since the average person receives up to 121 business-related emails every day.
Try these strategies to make your nonprofit’s emails stand out in donors’ inboxes:
To maximize success, schedule emails for fundraisers in advance. Automate personalization with email marketing tools that integrate with your CRM system to streamline outreach, improve engagement, and run a more effective digital fundraising campaign.
3. Launch A Social Media Campaign.
Whether you’re promoting an in-person event or a digital fundraising campaign, social media is essential for reaching a wide audience. When current supporters share your posts, you’ll reach their friends and family members who share similar values and are likely to contribute.
These platforms have become one of the most meaningful ways for nonprofits to engage with their supporters and release exciting news. In fact, 32% of donors are most inspired to give via social media.
With so many social media platforms out there, it can be difficult to decide where to promote a fundraiser. Carefully consider the following platforms:
Across these platforms, use hashtags, Stories, polls, and more to drive engagement. Get creative with your content, such as by posting beneficiaries’ testimonials or behind-the-scenes footage of fundraising events.
Rather than trying to master all of these channels, we recommend focusing on the platforms where you already have a following or where supporters are active. With each post, aim to bring attention to your fundraiser and work, encouraging your audience to donate.
4. Create Meta Ads.
Meta Ads (formerly Facebook Ads and Instagram Ads, respectively) are an effective way to promote a fundraiser to a targeted audience. With billions of active users across Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger, you can tap into these platforms to drive awareness and donations for your cause. The key to success is creating compelling, targeted ads that resonate with your audience.
Here are some strategies for using Meta Ads effectively:
Check out this example ad on Facebook for Doctors Without Borders:
This ad was part of its GivingTuesday campaign and encouraged supporters to donate within a certain time frame to receive a match from a campaign sponsor. This fundraiser advertising campaign led to $72,000 with a 2.8x return on ad spend.
When set up correctly, Meta Ads can help expand your nonprofit’s reach, drive traffic to your donation page, and engage a larger group of potential supporters. Unlike Google Ads, Meta Ads doesn’t offer discounts to nonprofits, though.
5. Encourage Donations with Matching Gifts.
Matching gifts are a corporate philanthropy initiative in which employers financially match donations that their employees make to eligible nonprofit organizations. In a nutshell, here’s how they work:
While valuable, not all eligible donors know about this opportunity! In fact, Double the Donation estimates that $6 to $10 billion in matching gift funds go unclaimed each year, primarily because of a lack of awareness.
On the bright side, roughly two to three billion dollars are donated through matching gifts annually, and there’s been an increase in companies offering matching gifts to their employees over the last three years as well, from 12% to 51%.
How To Promote A Matching Gift Fundraiser
If you want to conduct a digital fundraising campaign focused on matching gifts, either encourage donors to check their eligibility for their companies’ programs or find a sponsor for a matching donation challenge. In the latter option, a major donor or a company will promise to match any and all donations during a set time frame.
Alternatively, to encourage individuals to check into their employers’ programs, launch a matching gift awareness campaign. Here’s how to do that successfully:
As you incorporate matching gifts in your digital fundraising campaign, keep track of those who submit matching gifts and where they work. This can help uncover other eligible donors and ensure future matches don’t go unclaimed.
6. Rely on Supporters With Peer-to-Peer Fundraising.
Peer-to-peer fundraising leverages your supporters’ passion and energy. It’s one of the most valuable ways to promote your nonprofit’s mission and reach new prospects. In fact, nearly 40% of Americans have donated due to a friend or a family member’s request.
Here’s how this type of digital fundraising campaign works:
Ensure your staff members are available to answer questions and assist volunteers so that they have a positive experience as they help you fundraise.
7. Create A Text Fundraising Campaign.
Text fundraising is a form of digital fundraising for connecting with your supporters through their most frequently used devices, their mobile devices. Donors simply text a short code or a donation amount to your organization’s assigned number. With a text fundraising tool, you can:
Beyond using texting as your fundraiser, you can promote other fundraisers with text marketing. Send short, impactful texts to announce events and digital fundraising campaigns they can contribute to like this:
This is a valuable way to establish consistent communication. Just make sure you have their permission to send texts. You can get each donor’s preferred cell number and their confirmation to opt into texts when they sign up for opportunities.
8. Leverage Corporate Partnerships.
Your corporate partners can promote fundraisers to their employees and customers to expand your reach. They might post on social media, highlight your fundraiser in an email, or even post a flyer on a bulletin board in their storefront.
If you don’t already have corporate partners, start by identifying local businesses with similar values and audiences. For instance, an animal shelter might partner with a pet supplies store. Once you’ve established a partnership, work together on cross-promotion. Ask your partners to share your campaign across their marketing channels by featuring it in their newsletters, on social media, on their websites, or among their employees.
In return for them promoting fundraisers, offer them prominent branding opportunities at events, on your website, and across marketing materials.
9. Create Compelling Flyers
Flyers are a great way to promote a fundraiser in your local community. Design eye-catching flyers that convey key information, such as the event date, location, or how to donate. Include a strong CTA, clear contact details, and a website URL or QR code to easily contribute. Keep the design simple but impactful, using bold fonts and visuals that grab attention while conveying your message quickly.
Distribute these flyers in high-traffic areas like community bulletin boards, local businesses, and schools. You can also target previous donors by sending them in the mail.
10. Reach Out to Local Media Outlets
Media coverage can greatly expand your fundraiser’s reach. Reach out to local newspapers, radio stations, and TV stations to promote your campaign. Write a compelling press release that highlights the impact of your fundraiser and its impact.
Many local media outlets offer public service announcements (PSAs), which are free ads for organizations. Nonprofits often qualify for PSAs, especially on community radio stations, due to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules. Consider also working with local journalists to feature stories about your cause or upcoming event. By leveraging local media, you can promote and increase community support for your fundraiser.
Examples of Successful Fundraiser Marketing
Now that you know of the variety of strategies for promoting fundraisers, let’s take a look at some successful digital fundraising campaigns. Fundraisers can take a variety of shapes, and you can create successful campaigns by learning lessons from other great marketing and advertising examples.
These concrete examples will show you how to promote a fundraiser like yours.
1. ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge went viral in 2014. It challenged participants to pour a bucket of ice water over their heads to promote awareness of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and encourage donations to research associations. The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge allowed the ALS Association to increase its annual funding for research around the world by 187%, and it was all thanks to effective fundraiser marketing.
The success of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge was driven by its clever marketing strategy, which leveraged social media and user-generated content to create a viral movement. By encouraging participants to challenge their friends, the campaign spread quickly, generating massive visibility while encouraging donations through a fun experience.
2. The Red Cross’s Haiti Earthquake Relief Effort
The Red Cross held this digital fundraising campaign in 2010 to help Haitians affected by the earthquake by providing food, water, shelter, medical care, and other essentials. This campaign implemented a text fundraising strategy by asking supporters to “Text HAITI to 90999” to donate $10. The Red Cross raised tens of millions of dollars to help more than 4.5 million Haitians, making this digital fundraising campaign a huge success.
The Red Cross’s Haiti Earthquake relief campaign capitalized on the convenience of mobile giving, making it easy for people to donate directly from their phones. The campaign’s use of high-profile media coverage and celebrity endorsements further amplified its reach, encouraging widespread participation and rapid fundraising support.
3. Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals’ Extra Life Campaign
The Extra Life campaign is an annual digital fundraising event held by the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Participants sign up to play games from home or online and ask friends and family to donate in support. There are Game Days every year, and the funds raised go towards helping children get the medical care they need.
The Extra Life campaign is effectively marketed through a combination of social media engagement, influencer partnerships, and gaming community outreach. The nonprofit even offers a charity stream toolkit, such as stream overlays, flyers, and graphics. By tapping into the gaming culture and encouraging participants to share their fundraising efforts, the campaign has successfully built a dedicated and growing community of supporters.
Additional Resources for Promoting Fundraisers
If you’re looking to boost your fundraising efforts, engage your supporters, and reach new prospects, learning how to promote a fundraiser is key. Don’t just rely on sharing your donation page for a digital fundraising campaign. Use the strategies outlined above to amplify your fundraiser and create lasting connections with your audience.
To continue becoming an even better fundraiser, explore these free resources about marketing:
Are Google Ad Grants Confusing You? Become an Expert Now!
/in Google Ad Grants, Nonprofit Communications /by Jessica KingThe Google Ad Grants program provides eligible nonprofits with $10,000 per month to spend on Google Ads. Since its inception, the program has driven over 14 billion clicks to nonprofit websites, boosting donor acquisition, volunteer recruitment, and more. While many organizations recognize the program’s value, some may hesitate to apply simply because they find Google Ad Grants confusing.
To simplify the Google Ad Grants program for your nonprofit, we’ll cover these topics:
At Getting Attention, we provide professional Google Ad Grant support to help nonprofits make the most of this valuable opportunity. We’ll eliminate any confusion surrounding the program so you can start connecting with more committed supporters. Let’s get started!
Why Are Google Ad Grants Confusing?
Many nonprofit professionals have limited experience regarding their Google Ad Grants accounts, which can lead to missed opportunities over time. Some of the most common roadblocks you may face include:
All of that said, managing nonprofit marketing grants like the Google Ad Grant doesn’t have to be confusing. Learning more about the program can prevent potential obstacles down the line.
FAQs to Clear Up Google Ad Grants Confusion
Let’s clear up anything that might be making Google Ad Grants confusing for your team with these frequently asked questions.
How much are Google Ad Grants worth?
Google Ad Grants are worth $10,000 per month, which averages out to $329 per day. So far, the program has awarded over $9 billion in free advertising to more than 115,000 nonprofits around the world. You won’t receive the grant in cash, but in the form of Google Ad credits.
Plus, if your nonprofit uses Google Ad Grants to promote your fundraising initiatives, that will make the Google Ad Grant worth even more as more donations start to roll in.
How long does it take to get approved for Google Ad Grants?
Depending on where you are in the process of applying, it may take several weeks to get approved for Google Ad Grants. The application process requires you to:
We recommend that you start the application process as early as possible. If applying for Google Ad Grants still seems confusing to you, our team of experts is here to help you succeed!
Can I have an Ad Grants account and a paid Google Ads account at the same time?
Yes, Google actually encourages nonprofits to create a paid Google Ads account if the program is positively benefiting the organization! Standard, paid accounts are a proven way to expand your impact and gain access to features that are not included with your Google Ad Grants account, such as:
Your accounts won’t compete with one another since Ad Grants ads already appear below paid ads on search results pages. Your Google Grant ad will be eligible to show if there’s available space, regardless of whether a paid ad is already showing.
Do I have to spend the $10,000 every month to keep my Google Ad Grant?
There are no Google Ad Grant rules regarding how much you have to spend each month to maintain your eligibility. In fact, most nonprofits don’t spend the full $10,000 every month.
The ultimate goal is to drive meaningful outcomes for your mission, not spend as much money as possible. A specialized agency can help you strike the balance between maximizing your monthly ad credits and generating optimal results.
Why does Google have a policy regarding click-through rate (CTR)?
Google requires grantees to maintain a 5% CTR every month. They use this as an indicator of ad quality since it lets them know whether users find the ads relevant to their search query.
While Google Analytics will automatically calculate your CTR for you, you can do so yourself by dividing the number of people who click through to your landing page by the number of impressions (i.e., how many people see your ad). So, if 100 people see your ad and five people click the link to your website, your CTR will be 5%.
Google recognizes that it takes time to get your account up to speed and understand what compels users to click an ad. That’s why new accounts have a grace period of 90 days to comply with the policy.
How do I use Google Ad Grants effectively?
While there’s room for a lot of flexibility with the Google Ad Grant program, there is a proper account management protocol you should follow to make the most of this technology grant. Effective Google Ad Grant management consists of:
To ensure success and free up your staff resources, consider reaching out to a dedicated Google Ad Grant agency to have them effectively manage your account for you.
5 Confusing Google Ad Grants Marketing Challenges
Alongside their unique benefits, Google Ad Grants can bring about some unique marketing challenges. Let’s walk through five confusing challenges that nonprofits often face with the program.
1. Failing to meet Google Ad Grants guidelines
Some nonprofits may not understand how to meet all of the Google Ad Grants guidelines. Failing to follow these requirements can result in a temporary suspension of your account or loss of the Google Ad Grant.
Here’s a quick breakdown of Google’s guidelines:
While these rules are extremely important for remaining compliant and retaining access to the grant, they also double as tips for improving your ad campaigns.
2. Neglecting your website’s landing pages
To give your ads the best chance of success, fortify your nonprofit’s web presence before applying for Google Ad Grants. Each ad you run will direct users to a landing page on your website, through which they’ll be able to complete a desired action, such as registering for an event or making an online donation.
If your web pages are outdated or have unclear calls to action, your supporters won’t know what to do once they follow an ad and land on the page.
3. Targeting broad and generic keywords
Broad keywords like “donation” or “fundraising event” often have many bidders, and Google’s algorithm is not particularly conducive to smaller organizations winning these highly competitive terms. Therefore, it’s unlikely that your nonprofit will be able to edge out large organizations that are bidding on the same words, lowering the chances for supporters to see your ads.
Plus, with generic keywords, it’s more difficult to create relevant, targeted ads that will actually motivate many users to click through to your nonprofit’s website and engage with your content.
If you’re struggling to pick the right keywords for your cause, consider seeking professional help from Google Grants experts, like Getting Attention. We’ll take care of anything that makes Google Ad Grants confusing for your team, including keyword research!
4. Not running multiple ads in each group
Each Google Ads account is broken down into campaigns that contain different ad groups assigned to specific keywords. Then, each ad group is made up of multiple ads that feature your ad copy, link to a relevant landing page, and target those keywords.
Running only one ad violates Google’s policies and could put your account at risk. Additionally, with one ad, your nonprofit can’t track or evaluate performance. With no way to note how and why ads perform differently, it can be hard to improve your Google Ad Grants strategy over time.
Essentially, running multiple ads per group helps test different messaging, improve relevance, and comply with Google’s best practices for better ad rotation.
5. Creating unclear calls to action
Calls to action are essential to the success of your nonprofit marketing strategy. When you create a call to action, be clear, consistent, and specific.
For example, an ad that encourages people to “donate here!” but directs them to a page about your upcoming events creates a bad user experience and leaves potential supporters feeling confused and frustrated.
5 Ways to Improve Your Google Ad Grant Management
By practicing account management best practices, your nonprofit can anticipate and minimize the challenges associated with Google Ad Grants. Use these top five tips to transform your advertising efforts:
1. Create valuable and promotable web pages
There are a few steps you can take to optimize each of your landing pages before you implement ads that promote them:
A high-quality landing page is a must-have to prevent confusion and ensure high conversion rates from your ads.
2. Familiarize yourself with Google Ad Grant policies
Becoming eligible for Google Ad Grants is the easiest part of the process. Staying eligible is a little more difficult. Because of this, it’s best to continually check Google’s policies to stay current on all the requirements.
If you still find the rules for Google Ad Grants confusing or hard to keep up with, consider reaching out for professional help. Hiring a Google Grants agency means you can maintain compliance without ever fully understanding the guidelines.
3. Use Google Analytics to track your CTR and conversions
Not only is it required, but tracking your nonprofit’s data is also a helpful way to understand how effective your ads are. To get started, ensure that you’re meeting the minimum monthly threshold by tracking your conversions and CTR within Google Analytics. From there, you can set goals for the individual actions you want people to take, like making a donation.
A low conversion rate or CTR might mean:
When setting goals and tracking conversions, make sure you’re looking at actions that are valuable to your work. For instance, your organization’s goals might relate to donations, petition signatures, event signups, volunteer registrations, or something else.
4. Make the most of your Google Ad Grant allowance
Now that you have an advertising allowance, what is the best way to make the most of it? Here are some tips for managing your funds:
Using $10,000 in ad credits per month can be a challenge, especially when you want to make the most of it. These tips are a great place to start when you are budgeting your Google Ad Grant.
5. Use geotargeting to hone your outreach
If you’re a community-based organization or simply want to reach a local audience, leverage the geotargeting feature when creating your ads.
Geotargeting allows you to show ads only in geographic locations where users will find the information you share and the services you offer useful.
Some effective times to enable geotargeting include:
Features like geotargeting can make Google Ad Grants confusing to nonprofits, but with a little practice or expert assistance, you’ll be able to use them to your advantage.
Overcoming Confusion With Google Ad Grant Professionals
Working with an agency can make applying for, managing, and maintaining your Google Ad Grants account a more straightforward, manageable process. Even if you don’t find Google Ad Grants confusing, you might not be able to invest as much time as you need to properly manage your account and its campaigns.
Getting Attention is a Google Grants agency that’s ready to assist with all of your Google Ad Grant needs, big or small. No matter where you are in the process, you can benefit from Getting Attention’s full range of services, including:
No matter what’s making Google Ad Grants confusing for you, we’re here to streamline every step of the process. We’ll work with you to make sure we fully understand your organization’s brand and goals to make the most of the program.
Think you might benefit from our expert Google Ad Grant help? Get a free consultation, and we can chat about all of your Google Grants needs!
Bonus Resources: Eliminate Google Ad Grant Confusion
The Google Ad Grant is a stellar marketing tool for many nonprofits. While it can be a game-changer for your nonprofit, joining the program can be confusing and difficult to navigate. Don’t let this stop you from benefiting from this valuable program!
While our top recommendation is to reach out to an experienced agency, like Getting Attention, we also have plenty of helpful resources to boost your knowledge of Google Ad Grants:
Nonprofit Advertising: The Essential Guide (With Examples!)
/in Nonprofit Marketing /by Jessica KingNonprofit advertising is critical to spread the word about your organization and earn donations. But while for-profit businesses can afford traditional advertising channels like billboards and commercials, nonprofits with tight budgets might struggle to inspire support for their causes. Thankfully, nonprofits have little-to-no-cost advertising options at their disposal.
To help you create a well-developed nonprofit advertising plan that keeps costs low and success high, we’ll walk you through the following topics:
Effective nonprofit advertising can help your organization increase awareness and accomplish more for your mission. Ready to jump in?
Nonprofit Advertising Basics
Before you can craft a stellar ad for your nonprofit, you need to understand the fundamentals. Let’s take a look at the basic information you need to know!
What is Nonprofit Advertising?
Nonprofit advertising is a specific type of marketing that refers to the paid channels and strategies an organization uses to spread awareness of its mission and projects.
While general mission-driven marketing includes all of the strategies and channels an organization uses to amplify its mission, nonprofit advertising only refers to traditionally paid channels. Regardless, the ultimate goal is the same: to raise more donations, grow a following, and bring attention to your cause.
The Difference Between Inbound and Outbound Marketing
As part of your nonprofit marketing plan, document how your team will promote its cause, balancing paid and free channels appropriately. Doing so enables your team to create promotional materials, stay consistent with branding and goals, and reach your target audience without breaking your budget.
While making this plan, your team should balance outbound and inbound marketing tactics. Here’s the difference between these two types of channels:
To strike a balance, we recommend using inbound tactics like optimizing your website for SEO or nurturing leads with email marketing. Then, you can advertise your optimized content.
Inbound Marketing Explained
The majority of this guide to nonprofit advertising focuses on outbound advertising, but let’s take a moment to elaborate on inbound marketing and how it can complement your outbound strategy.
Inbound marketing revolves around content generation. What types of content are likely to interest and attract prospective supporters to your nonprofit? This might be a research report on your cause, a podcast with hosts who answer listeners’ questions, or a blog post that dives into a specific topic related to your nonprofit.
After creating this content, inbound marketing follows the principle that interested parties will find it and start the process of becoming supporters. However, very few inbound marketing strategies actually leave it up to chance that interested individuals will just stumble upon their content. Rather, they employ a number of strategies, the chief of which is SEO.
SEO is the process of adjusting your current content and creating new content that is search engine-friendly. By doing so, your content will rank higher on search engine results pages, increasing the chances that potential supporters will click on it. This helps build your brand recognition, drive website traffic, and reach your audience.
Generally, an SEO strategy can be divided into three components:
With a strong SEO strategy, you might reach a point where target keywords for your nonprofit feature your Google Ad as the top result and then more of your content for the organic spots right under it! You might even push the competition off the page and take up more real estate within results. This presents your organization as trustworthy and valuable and increases the chances prospective supporters will click on a link to your site.
Including Advertising in Your Nonprofit’s Budget
One of the limiting factors of advertising is budgetary constraints. That’s why it’s important to establish a detailed budget before each fiscal year to make sure you aim for and maintain a positive ROI.
Try to allocate between 5-15% of your budget to advertising and marketing. As you build this budget, consider applying for grants and seeking other free nonprofit advertising opportunities to reduce expenses.
Taking Advantage of Free Nonprofit Advertising Opportunities
While traditionally expensive, advertising platforms recognize the budgetary challenges nonprofits face, so they’ll often provide discounted and occasionally free nonprofit advertising. This can skyrocket the marketing channel’s ROI for your nonprofit.
For instance, Google provides eligible nonprofits with $10,000 in free advertising credits to spend on Google Ads each month through the Google Ad Grant program. This is an incredibly valuable opportunity for nonprofits. According to Nonprofits Source, search ads have the highest ROI of any paid advertising channel at $4.78. With this grant, you can dramatically reduce your spending on advertising and reach new, interested audiences more easily.
Along with the Google Ad Grant, other free nonprofit advertising opportunities include:
Due to the popularity of free nonprofit advertising options like these, more and more nonprofits are able to expand their reach through advertising.
The Benefits of Effective Nonprofit Advertising
In a recent year, nonprofits invested 19% more in digital advertising to reach their audiences. That indicates they’re experiencing worthwhile advantages from it. By crafting a smart nonprofit advertising plan, you’ll experience a ton of great benefits, including:
Advertising is too good to pass up. Even if you don’t have the time you’d like to dedicate to creating your ads, an expert can step in to help out. For example, the experts at Getting Attention understand everything there is to know about advertising on Google. With low prices, they can help you manage your Ad Grant account and craft winning ads that drive more revenue for your cause.
You won’t be able to accomplish the above without strategic advertisements and a well-crafted plan, though. We’ll explore some steps for crafting winning ads a little later.
The Challenges of Advertising for Nonprofits
Even with these great benefits, there are a few challenges you should familiarize yourself with. Knowing what to expect will help you combat these challenges before they arise:
So, how can you get ahead of these challenges? Start by choosing affordable and free nonprofit advertising channels and strategies that won’t blow your budget out of the water. From here, make sure your ads feature inspirational content in an authentic tone, rather than being too salesy.
Many organizations also turn to external agencies to manage their ads and overcome common challenges. Just be sure to choose an agency that specializes in your sector. For example, a church might hire a church marketing agency that understands the unique needs of the religious sector and knows proper messaging and terminology.
Types of Nonprofit Advertising
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to nonprofit advertising. What works for one organization might not work for another. The good news is that there are plenty of options out there! Let’s explore seven nonprofit advertising channels you can use.
Google Search and Display Ads
Google Ads allows you to advertise your mission when users search for relevant keywords. Paid search advertisements appear on the search engine results pages corresponding to your chosen keywords on Google. Meanwhile, display advertisements promote your organization to users watching YouTube videos, checking Gmail, or browsing sites within Google’s display network.
The average small business that uses Google Ads spends between $5,000 and $12,000 per month on paid search campaigns. That’s $60,000 to $150,000 of marketing expenses every year.
To make this opportunity more accessible, Google provides eligible nonprofits with a $10,000 monthly stipend to spend on paid search ads. This program is called Google Ad Grants and can be a real game-changer for your nonprofit advertising efforts.
While regular Google Ad accounts must pay per ad-click, Google Ad Grant participants can publish ads for free through the program. These ads enable your nonprofit, whether it’s a church or a cultural organization, to appear on Google and get in front of qualified prospects searching for topics related to your mission.
The ideal Google Ad Grant candidate has a high-quality website that effectively serves its audience and promotes its mission. By leveraging Google Ad Grants for nonprofits, your organization can accomplish the following:
As long as your organization stays compliant with the eligibility requirements, your grant will automatically renew each month. For tailored help, feel free to contact our team at Getting Attention. We work with nonprofits to create winning ads that champion their cause and garner meaningful attention.
Nonprofit Facebook Ads
Facebook remains one of the most popular social media platforms for interacting with and donating to nonprofits. In fact, 56% of donors say that Facebook is the social media platform that has the largest impact on their decision to donate.
Facebook offers a range of advertising solutions for nonprofits that make it easy to take advantage of this opportunity. With their nonprofit-oriented tools, you can:
Be sure to include clear calls to action in your Facebook ads, and consider including buttons to drive users to your donation page or other key landing pages on your websites.
Social Media Advertising
According to the 2023 Nonprofit Tech for Good Report, 87% of nonprofits regularly use social media in their digital marketing and fundraising strategies, while 53% of those spend money on social media ads.
There’s a good reason for this! Social media has an incredible reach and is estimated to reach 5.8 billion users worldwide by 2027. Tap into this audience by implementing social media ads on the following platforms:
When using social media to advertise, keep an eye on what’s trending and focus your messaging. Use real stories and photos from the communities that you’ve helped and the impact you’ve had on individuals to drive the point home.
Community Radio
Your nonprofit might qualify for free public service announcements on community radio stations thanks to the Federal Communications Commission. They require radio stations to allot a certain amount of radio time to nonprofit organizations.
However, radio messages must be formatted as announcements rather than ads, meaning you can’t make direct solicitations. You can still inspire action by sharing impact statistics or directing users to your site or social media where they can learn more. If your social media posts or website are optimized, visitors may inevitably click the ‘Donate’ or ‘Volunteer’ button.
Direct Mail and Print Ads
Although the world has transitioned into a digital-dominant space, print isn’t dead. Direct mail describes the hard copy requests for funds mailed to your existing supporters and prospects. These solicitations arrive in your supporters’ mailboxes and provide a tangible connection to your organization.
There are plenty of benefits to direct mail and print campaigns, including:
An awful lot of people prefer receiving mail from the nonprofits they support. It comes across as more meaningful, even though you’re still advertising your mission.
Retargeted Advertising
Also called remarketing, retargeting is a form of online advertising that enables you to target users with ads based on their interactions with your nonprofit’s website. These ads can work with pretty much any online marketing channel, like social media or email.
Nonprofits can leverage the power of retargeted advertising in some impactful ways, such as:
Using retargeted advertising allows you to achieve a high level of precision when reaching out to prospects. In turn, you can convert more users who were on the fence about supporting your work.
Sponsored Retargeting
Sponsored retargeting is when another business or organization that sponsors your nonprofit purchases ads from you. Often, these ads are co-branded, featuring elements of both the sponsor and nonprofit’s brands.
A company might purchase sponsored retargeting for a couple of reasons:
As with any corporate philanthropy initiative, the benefits go both ways! Your sponsor might share the ads on their platforms, too. This can bring exposure to your nonprofit and its sponsors.
Influencer Ads
Social media influencers who have an affinity for charitable missions can partner with their favorite nonprofits to promote the causes near to their hearts. This type of nonprofit advertising works well because influencers have loyal audiences, they’ve built credibility, and their followers trust what they have to say.
Larger nonprofits might have room in the budget to pay a celebrity, while smaller organizations might turn to an influencer within their circle, like a board member, politician, or local celebrity. Either way, partner with those who have positive reputations and values that align with your cause. Then, create co-branded marketing collateral, making it easier for the influencer to share it with their followers.
Bonus Tip: Organic Search
While the Google Ad Grant will significantly boost your organization’s presence on search engines, incorporating SEO strategies can enhance your results even further.
We’ve already touched on the basics of creating an SEO strategy, but a few other tips to keep in mind include:
If you’re ready to dive into SEO, consider getting a little help to eliminate the learning curve. Just as there are consultants for the Google Ad Grant, there are also SEO marketing consultants for nonprofits. The top agency we recommend is Nexus Marketing.
Nexus Marketing works with nonprofits to promote their products and services through an intensive SEO strategy that involves content creation, cross-blogging opportunities, webinars, and more. Their approach lays the foundation for turning search engine traffic into a long-term revenue-generating source. In the meantime, they can also earn your nonprofit short-term wins by getting your organization in front of new audiences with their impressive network of over 500 partners in the nonprofit space.
Steps for Creating An Eye-Catching Nonprofit Ad
Your marketing efforts should be ongoing to maintain supporter engagement, bring in consistent donations, and ensure your work is relevant. Here are 6 steps that your team can take to create an effective advertising plan:
1. Determine goals for your nonprofit ads.
First, consider what your organization hopes to accomplish. When creating goals, it’s helpful to use the SMART method:
Using this method, your goals will drive meaningful conversions and support your nonprofit’s mission. Use our SMART Goals Template to start planning your advertising goals today.
2. Define your target audience.
For each campaign or event you plan, you should have a specific audience in mind. This audience can include new donors, existing donors, lapsed donors, major donors, and more. Start by collecting the following data to determine your target market:
These insights can answer the who, what, why, and where of potential supporters. Once you define your audience and their preferences, you can tailor your marketing efforts to reach them and prompt them to take action.
3. Research and choose nonprofit advertising outlets.
Once you determine your goals and define your target audience, it’s time to choose an advertising outlet. Look back at the types of nonprofit advertising we discussed earlier to choose channels that work for you and your target audience.
We recommend using a multi-channel approach to marketing. This allows you to use a variety of strategies that work together towards a common goal.
4. Develop key performance indicators.
Key performance indicators (KPIs) are metrics that organizations use to measure the progress of their defined goals. KPIs can help your team gauge progress, make informed decisions, and turn metrics into actionable insights.
We’ve outlined a few top advertising KPIs to follow, using the example of digital advertising:
These are only a few of the trackable KPIs for digital ad campaigns. It’s important to know your platforms and the types of data that each offers.
5. Create your ad copy.
One of the last steps is content creation. When creating advertising content, keep the following best practices in mind to ensure your ads stand out:
These quick, simple tricks will help your campaigns reach the right audiences and drive meaningful action. Now you’re ready to launch campaigns!
6. Launch your nonprofit advertising campaign and track progress.
After you’ve completed the steps above, it’s time to launch your ad campaigns and track progress against concrete, measurable benchmarks. Monitoring your performance is critical. It reveals what works, what doesn’t, and how to improve the effectiveness of future campaigns.
Start by accessing your campaign data and downloading reports. Focus on the KPIs that relate to your campaign goals. Then, compare multiple metrics to find where leads drop off. For example, if the conversion rate for an ad campaign is low, you may need to make the CTAs more attention-grabbing.
3 Standout Nonprofit Advertising Examples
Let’s take a quick look at three advertising campaigns that will spark inspiration for your team. If you want to see more campaigns in action, check out our extended list of nonprofit advertising examples.
Breast Cancer Research Foundation
Type of Nonprofit Advertising: Google Ad
In this example, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) created a Google Ad campaign that targets terms related to “breast cancer research.” Using an inspirational and urgent tone, they establish a sense of trust with users and direct readers to the most important pages on their site.
As we mentioned, any eligible organization can tap into this nonprofit advertising channel by applying for the Google Ad Grant. Every month, the grant automatically renews, giving you $120,000 in ad credits each year.
Notice how BCRF also built out their ad with additional links and their phone number, giving users more ways to engage. This is a more technical strategy that you might turn to an expert Google Ad Grant agency to use.
CARE
Type of Nonprofit Advertising: Facebook Ad
In partnership with Procter & Gamble, CARE created a video ad campaign for International Women’s Day. They were the 2nd top-performing audience in terms of video completion rate (VCR) and engagement across the entire platform. They also pushed the same ad campaign on Instagram, resulting in some incredible statistics across both platforms:
This is a great nonprofit advertising example to model your campaign after, because it asked users to complete the low-effort task of watching a video. Short video ad campaigns can be a convenient way to hook users and inspire them to take action.
God’s Love We Deliver
Type of Nonprofit Advertising: Instagram Influencer Advertising
This nonprofit advertising example shows just how easy it is to tap into influencer marketing. God’s Love We Deliver strives to alleviate hunger and malnutrition among people living with serious illnesses. To spread the word about this mission, their marketing director cleverly asked the organization’s supporters to decorate a plate of cookies to be sent to those in need and promote that on their social media pages.
This yearly campaign brings attention from well-known influencers, especially because they make it so easy to get involved. They send sugar cookies and decorating kits to influencers for their annual holiday campaign, and they send cakes and decorating kits for their clients’ birthday fundraiser campaigns.
More Nonprofit Advertising Resources
Effective advertising can fuel your nonprofit’s impact. Best of all, you can leverage free nonprofit advertising, making it easy to get everyone on board. It’s no secret that our favorite option is the Google Ad Grant.
When you partner with a Google Ad Grant professional like Getting Attention, we’ll make sure you have a strong digital marketing strategy. Our team of experts offers free consultations and resources to help your organization expand its reach. We’re here to champion your nonprofit’s digital campaigns.
If you want to learn more about nonprofit advertising, explore these additional resources:
9 Worthwhile Marketing Grants for Nonprofits & How to Apply
/in Nonprofit Communications, Nonprofit Fundraising /by Jessica KingAn effective marketing strategy is paramount for accomplishing your nonprofit’s mission and making a genuine impact. Securing funds to power your nonprofit marketing plan isn’t always easy, though.
Marketing efforts should account for 5-15% of your operating budget. Sometimes, that’s still not enough to effectively spread the word. If your budget is tight or you simply want to expand your outreach efforts, consider exploring marketing grants for nonprofits.
There are several nonprofit marketing grants available. While some are specific to a certain cause or sector, others are geared toward only smaller or larger organizations. If you’re curious about which grant you should apply for, this guide will explore the following:
Nonprofit marketing grants can help your organization build a solid outreach strategy. But this can only be done after finding the right grant for your needs and following the necessary steps to apply. Let’s dive into the basics!
What are marketing grants for nonprofits?
A nonprofit grant is a fund awarded to an eligible organization that does not need to be repaid. Marketing grants are often rewarded based on nonprofit values or industry criteria. These grants come from various sources:
Nonprofit grants can be further divided by their funding project, such as:
Nonprofit marketing grants can assist with carrying out charitable initiatives, supporting donor outreach, and spreading awareness.
Any marketing or promotion you do for your online giving page, exciting fundraising events, and other initiatives can be taken to the next level with the right marketing grant. Plus, all donor communication and retention efforts can be elevated with enhanced marketing communications. For example, you can use a grant to send out targeted email newsletters to new members.
The value of grants to nonprofits is immeasurable, especially once you consider the impact that your organization can have on your mission if your marketing plan and fundraising efforts exceed goals.
Where to find marketing grants for nonprofits
The process for finding and applying for marketing grants will differ depending on your mission, your funding project, and the grant you choose. That’s why before you start your search for the best marketing grant for your nonprofit, make sure you define your mission and conduct the necessary research.
You already know what your mission is, but it’s important that you’re able to effectively communicate it to anyone, especially if you’re trying to get a grant from them. They need to resonate with your mission as much as you do, as well as entirely understand what your goals are and how a grant will help you reach them.
Next, we recommend you start off the search process with grant databases. There is a wide array of grant research resources that you could check, but we recommend these:
Along with dedicated grant databases, you can also conduct a simple online search. To narrow down results and find relevant grants, research popular keywords related to your mission.
For example, let’s say you run a nonprofit organization that provides clean water. If you search keywords like “sustainability” or “environment,” you might find grants like Georgia Power’s Waters for Georgia Grant that align with your eligibility.
How to apply for nonprofit marketing grants
As previously mentioned, each grant application process will differ according to the grant. To give you a general overview of the application process, most grants require you to perform these steps:
Keep in mind that some grants, including the Google Ad Grant, require you to optimize your existing website for the best marketing results. That might mean you need to scope additional time to audit your materials and make improvements based on grant requirements.
9 top nonprofit marketing grants
There are many grants to explore, so sifting through databases might seem daunting. Refer to this list of nonprofit marketing grants to start your search.
Google Ad Grants
With the Google Ad Grant program for nonprofits, organizations can:
The Google Grant isn’t your traditional nonprofit marketing grant where the funding organization has only a limited amount of money to allocate. Any nonprofit that meets Google’s eligibility requirements and complies with the ongoing guidelines can apply for this grant! Check out this video for eligibility tips:
These activities all fall under the umbrella of Google Ad Grant management. Depending on your budget and goals, your organization can choose to manage grants in-house or partner with an expert agency. Many nonprofits outsource their grant management to a dedicated Google Ad Grant agency, like Getting Attention. We’ll walk you through the application process, create strong ads, and make the most of your grant!
The Carnegie Corporation
The Carnegie Corporation usually contacts the organizations it awards grants to. However, their Grant Inquiries page states that you’re welcome to contact their team or explore their other potential funding sources. To read about past grantees, explore The Carnegie Corporation’s grant database.
The Coca-Cola Foundation
The company supports over 350 separate programs and projects related to safe water access, climate resilience, circular economy, economic empowerment, employee giving, and supporting its hometown community in Atlanta. Note that they don’t accept unsolicited proposals for grants out of respect for all stakeholders’ time.
Walmart Foundation
Over the past decade, Walmart has financially supported FoodCorps, a nonprofit that provides food and food education to American elementary schoolers. In the past four years, Walmart has awarded FoodCorps over $4 million in grants.
Ford Foundation
To see their past grants, explore their database of over 8,000 grantees. They support all sorts of organizations, like Columbia University, Carnegie Hall, and Borealis Philanthropy which addresses racial inequity in journalism.
Amazon Web Services
Award packages can range from $20,000 in AWS Promotional Credit to $200,000 in unrestricted financial support. Recent grantees include The Nature Conservancy, American Diabetes Association, and Saint Louis Zoo.
Bank of America
They have strong nonprofit alliances, including sponsorships and grants to local organizations that help improve financial lives. They even involve employees in the action through workplace giving. For instance, Bank of America proudly offers volunteer grants and matching gifts through its foundation. These funds are awarded to nonprofits where employees volunteer or donate.
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
While the foundation focuses on global health, education, and poverty alleviation, it also recognizes that effective outreach is fundamental for driving impact, making this a powerful nonprofit marketing grant opportunity.
Note that the foundation primarily directly invites proposals but occasionally awards grants through published RFPs. You can explore the grantmaking process and available opportunities on its website.
NBCUniversal Local Impact Grants
This year, NBCUniversal Local Impact Grants will award nonprofit organizations $2.5 million within NBC and Telemundo-owned television station markets.
To be eligible, organizations must work in at least one of three specific areas:
If your nonprofit engages in one of these areas, this may be the nonprofit marketing grant for you. The grants are unrestricted and will be awarded between $100,000 and $1 million.
PayPal
With it, they inspire philanthropy from individual consumers who use the PayPal platform. This drives more people to use their services and increases charitable giving.
Here’s how the PayPal Giving Fund works:
As one of our favorite CSR examples, PayPal repurposes its technology to help nonprofits. It also makes charitable giving a part of donors’ everyday lives.
Additional Resources
Marketing grants for nonprofits are invaluable resources that can catapult your mission and fundraising efforts farther than you’ve ever thought possible. This journey can all start by finding the right grant for your nonprofit needs. Hopefully, you found some viable options in the list above or through the grant databases that we recommended.
If you want to continue your research on the best nonprofit grant and how you can expand your marketing potential, explore the following resources:
Nonprofit Marketing Software: The Fundamentals & Top Tools
/in Nonprofit Marketing, Nonprofit Tools /by Jessica KingRunning a nonprofit often feels like balancing on a tightrope—limited budgets, tight deadlines, and the constant need to fundraise. Add marketing to the mix, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Especially if you run a small organization without a dedicated marketing team, promotional activities can feel like a secondary priority.
Your nonprofit’s mission deserves to shine, though. So, how do you expand your reach and grow your donor base when resources are tight? Enter nonprofit marketing software—tailored tools designed to help organizations like yours thrive.
From automating email campaigns to connecting with new audiences, these platforms empower even the busiest teams to market causes more effectively and make a bigger impact. The market is inundated with options, so we’ve narrowed it down to just a few that meet various common nonprofit needs, broken into these categories:
As you explore different solutions, check out user reviews to get a sense of how each one actually impacts the nonprofits that use them. First, let’s answer a few fundamental questions you might have about nonprofit marketing software.
Nonprofit Marketing Software FAQ
If you’re new to the marketing game, you might need some guidance before researching specific solutions. Let’s build your foundational knowledge of this type of software by answering common questions.
What is nonprofit marketing software?
Nonprofit marketing software refers to specialized tools and platforms designed to help nonprofit organizations effectively manage and execute marketing efforts. These tools address the unique needs of nonprofits, such as engaging donors, raising funds, promoting events, and spreading awareness.
Nonprofits can invest in all-in-one platforms or individual tools that specialize in one aspect of a marketing strategy, such as:
By combining tools from these categories, your nonprofit can create a powerful marketing strategy to enhance its outreach, grow its community of supporters, and achieve its mission.
How does marketing software help nonprofits?
Marketing software empowers you to streamline outreach, expand the number of channels you use, and connect with your audience more effectively. It helps you increase visibility by enhancing your online presence through social media, email, and web marketing tools. You can also use audience segmentation to better target your supporters with personalized outreach.
With automation features, you can streamline processes like email campaigns, social media scheduling, and workflows, saving time and reducing manual effort. Built-in content creation tools and templates make it easy to create professional-quality materials while maintaining consistent branding across all your platforms. Plus, analytics and reporting capabilities allow you to track campaign performance and gain the insights you need to optimize your strategy.
By integrating multiple channels like email, social media, and your website, marketing software helps unify your outreach efforts, ensuring a cohesive and efficient strategy. Whether you’re running local campaigns or large-scale initiatives, its scalability makes it easy to adapt. The cost efficiency of all-in-one platforms also means you can achieve more without juggling multiple tools, while tailored engagement features strengthen your connections with supporters.
With all these benefits, marketing software can help you bring attention to your work and expand your impact.
What should we look for when buying nonprofit marketing software?
Every nonprofit has different goals and needs, so there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Evaluate your marketing needs and ensure any software aligns with your mission and budget. Generally, keep an eye out for these components:
By carefully evaluating these factors, you can select nonprofit marketing software that aligns with your needs and goals. The right platform will empower you to engage your audience more effectively, streamline processes, and amplify impact.
Google Ads: The Best Advertising Platform for Nonprofits
Google is the most popular search engine, claiming around 90% of all searches. For nonprofits, it’s especially powerful thanks to the Google for Nonprofits program. If approved, your organization gains free access to Google Workspace, specialized Google Maps features, the YouTube Nonprofit Program, and more.
The best perk is access to the Google Ad Grants application, which gives all eligible recipients $10,000 worth of monthly Google Ad credits. Your nonprofit can spend these credits on creating powerful ads that instantly appear at the top of Google Search results for relevant keywords. Here’s an example of an ad from the World Wildlife Fund:
Ads like these enable nonprofits to connect with new supporters, drive traffic to their websites, and promote initiatives. The platform’s powerful targeting options let organizations tailor campaigns to specific demographics, locations, and interests. That means you can reach the right audience, whether you’re amplifying services to beneficiaries or promoting an event.
Additionally, Google Ads provides detailed performance analytics, allowing nonprofits to refine their campaigns for maximum impact. Its ability to connect you with millions of users while offering cost-effective solutions makes it a top choice for nonprofit advertising.
Check out this video that gives a concise overview of the program’s benefits:
Getting Started With This Digital Marketing Tool
To receive the Google Ad Grant, you need to register for Google for Nonprofits. Then, fill out the Google Ad Grants application. Google’s verification partner, Goodstack (formerly Percent), will confirm your nonprofit’s legitimacy, and the Ad Grants team will reach out to let you know whether you’re approved.
From here, create ads that promote your cause. Follow these steps:
From here, monitor ad performance with Google Analytics alongside built-in tools in Google Ads Manager. These platforms work together to provide detailed insights into how ads are performing and how users interact with your website.
There’s a learning curve that comes with the program. To maintain your eligibility, you’ll also need to meet ongoing requirements, such as using high-quality keywords. That’s why many nonprofits partner with Google Ad Grant specialists like ours.
We’ll walk you through your application, define your goals for the grant, find valuable keywords, craft compelling ads, and ensure you comply with the program’s rules. That way, you can make the most of this nonprofit marketing software.
Not convinced this is the right move? Check out our Google Grant Impact Report to learn more about the benefits.
Nonprofit Email Marketing Platforms
Email keeps your nonprofit connected with supporters, amplifying the latest updates on your programs and events. Dedicated email marketing software streamlines your outreach, ensuring communications reach those who are most likely to engage.
Here are several of the best nonprofit marketing software with notable open rates:
Brevo
Brevo boasts an average open rate of 46.49% for nonprofit emails. It’s a versatile email marketing and CRM platform designed for small to medium-sized organizations. It offers an array of tools for email marketing, automation, and audience segmentation, making it an excellent choice for nonprofits.
Key Features:
Constant Contact
This nonprofit email marketing platform experiences open rates of 39.58% for nonprofit services and 41.83% for nonprofit membership organizations. Constant Contact is a user-friendly platform designed for small businesses and nonprofits to enhance their email campaigns. It focuses on simplicity and includes tools for event promotion, list management, and basic automation.
Key Features:
GetResponse
GetResponse is an all-in-one marketing platform with strong email marketing, automation, and webinar hosting capabilities. It’s a good fit for nonprofits and businesses looking for integrated tools to support their campaigns. It also boasts an incredible 54.54% average email open rate for nonprofits.
Key Features:
Mailchimp
Mailchimp is one of the most popular email marketing platforms, known for its ease of use, robust integrations, and scalability. It’s particularly suitable for small and medium-sized organizations seeking a simple yet powerful tool. Plus, Mailchimp’s average nonprofit email open rate is 40.04%.
Key Features:
MailerLite
MailerLite is an affordable, minimalist email marketing platform that provides essential tools for campaigns without unnecessary complexity. This nonprofit marketing software is ideal for nonprofits with tight budgets or basic marketing needs. In fact, it performs exceptionally well for nonprofits with a 53.21% average open rate.
Key Features:
Omnisend
Omnisend is a powerful marketing platform tailored for e-commerce but equally effective for nonprofits looking to manage multi-channel campaigns. It excels in integrating email, SMS, and social media marketing. While OmniSend has a lower average open rate of 25.1% across all industries, many nonprofits still find its features useful.
Key Features:
Top Nonprofit Website Builders
Your website is the foundation of your digital marketing strategy. You’ll drive traffic to it across all communications—Google Ads, emails, social media, and even offline channels. It’s one of supporters’ key resources to learn about your mission, so create a strong website with a reliable, secure, and user-friendly website builder like one of the following.
Squarespace
Squarespace is a versatile website builder with elegant templates, making it popular for nonprofits seeking a professional online presence. It offers intuitive drag-and-drop features that make website creation accessible even for those without coding skills. Squarespace provides integrated tools for blogging, email campaigns, and fundraising, enabling nonprofits to communicate their missions.
Key Features:
WildApricot
WildApricot is a membership-focused website builder ideal for nonprofits that fundraise, have member directories, and host events. It’s an all-in-one platform that combines website building with CRM capabilities, allowing organizations to centralize operations.
Key Features:
Wix
Trusted by 250+ million users, Wix is a user-friendly website builder that caters to nonprofits seeking an affordable way to create a professional online presence. Its drag-and-drop interface allows users to customize their websites without coding. With built-in features like donation forms and event management, Wix is ideal for small to medium-sized nonprofits focused on quickly creating engaging, modern websites.
Key Features:
WordPress
WordPress is a highly customizable, open-source platform that powers over 40% of websites worldwide. It’s an excellent choice for nonprofits looking for flexibility, with thousands of themes and plugins available to tailor the site to their needs. While it requires more technical know-how than other platforms, it offers unparalleled functionality and control for organizations of all sizes.
Key Features:
Other Nonprofit Digital Marketing Tools
A well-rounded nonprofit marketing plan encompasses multiple channels. Let’s explore a variety of other nonprofit marketing software that you might not have considered.
Double the Donation Matching
Workplace giving generates an incredible $5 billion for charities every year. Matching gifts make up a big part of this, but a lot of revenue goes unclaimed for nonprofits since donors are often unaware of the opportunity. Double the Donation Matching can automatically identify and contact your match-eligible donors. You can also embed a convenient search tool where donors can manually check their eligibility for matching gifts from their employers.
Key Features:
eCardWidget
eCardWidget enables nonprofits to create and send digital greeting cards as part of their donor engagement and fundraising strategies. Using this nonprofit marketing software, design branded eCards for various occasions, providing supporters with a unique way to contribute while sharing your message. eCardWidget is an innovative way to combine creativity with donor outreach. Create thank-you cards, birthday cards, event invitations, or cause awareness eCards to boost peer referrals. You can even sell eCards to raise funds.
Key Features:
Tatango
Tatango is a text message marketing platform designed to help nonprofits engage supporters through SMS campaigns. It’s built for large-scale campaigns and offers advanced features like segmentation and automation to deliver personalized messages. Tatango is especially valuable for fundraising, event promotion, and driving immediate action.
Key Features:
Start marketing your nonprofit.
The right nonprofit marketing software will empower your team to amplify your message and connect with supporters. If you’re unsure where to start, stick with foundational platforms like email and powerful opportunities like Google Ads.
Remember, Google Ads is a powerful platform for targeting your audience, and the Ad Grant allows you to tap into it for free. If you need help creating your campaigns, reach out to our Google Ad Grant experts to confirm your eligibility and craft compelling ads for your cause.
To continue refining your nonprofit marketing plan, check out these free resources:
Nonprofit Awareness Campaigns Guide: Steps, Tips, & Examples
/in Google Ad Grants, Nonprofit Communications, Nonprofit Marketing /by Jessica KingDoes your organization need to get the word out about an urgent funding need? Are you looking to boost public understanding about an issue in your community? A nonprofit awareness campaign can quickly put your cause in the spotlight!
These marketing campaigns primarily focus on educating people about your work, and they can be facilitated through traditional media channels or run entirely online.
To help you get started with your own nonprofit awareness campaign, this guide will cover everything you need to know to be successful:
If you’re ready to spread the word about a cause that’s close to your heart, an awareness campaign is likely the best move. Let’s dive in!
Nonprofit Awareness Campaigns FAQ
Before we cover the process of hosting your own nonprofit awareness campaigns, here are some basics you should know.
What are nonprofit awareness campaigns?
Nonprofit awareness campaigns, also known as social awareness campaigns or public awareness campaigns, are marketing initiatives that aim to increase public knowledge of or interest in a cause.
These causes are directly related to your nonprofit’s mission, but they typically concern a specific issue rather than your organization’s entire purpose. Consider these examples:
When are the best times to launch nonprofit awareness campaigns?
This depends on your nonprofit. Many organizations find that the best time to host their campaign is in conjunction with an established day of nonprofit fundraising or awareness month, such as GivingTuesday or AAPI Heritage Month. During these months, your audience may be extra interested in your cause, and an awareness campaign can help your nonprofit stand out.
Ultimately, the best time to launch a nonprofit awareness campaign is the time that makes the most sense for your organization and your target audience.
Where do you promote nonprofit awareness campaigns?
Just like any other nonprofit marketing campaign, you should choose communication channels that align with your audience’s preferences. Social awareness campaigns see a lot of success online, but plenty of campaigns combine both digital and in-person elements.
Common places to promote nonprofit awareness campaigns include:
Look at the communication preference information in your donor database along with past results of marketing campaigns to determine the right channels for your nonprofit.
What tools and resources help nonprofits spread their awareness campaigns?
Since many nonprofits host awareness campaigns, there’s plenty of available support for organizations that want extra help. Consider using:
One of the best resources available for awareness campaigns is the Google Ad Grant. As part of their corporate social responsibility program, Google offers grants of $10,000 in free monthly ad credits to nonprofits.
This is an invaluable resource for getting your awareness campaign in front of the right audience, as you’ll gain access to users searching for terms relevant to your campaign—meaning they already have an interest in your cause. Plus, they’re proven to be effective. According to Double the Donation’s fundraising statistics, search ads like Google Ads have the highest return on investment of any nonprofit advertising method.
On top of that, reach out to expert consultants who can help you make the most of your Google Ad Grant. They’ll work with you to discuss your campaign goals and messaging strategy. Then, they’ll help create ads that grab your audience’s attention.
Do nonprofit awareness campaigns work?
When run strategically, nonprofit awareness campaigns can result in increased brand awareness, better fundraising performance, and more online visibility for your cause. Just take a look at the data:
Clearly, social awareness campaigns can be highly successful for nonprofits. But like any campaign, that success can vary depending on the strategies you use.
Tips for a Successful Awareness Campaign Strategy
To craft the most compelling ads and develop an effective awareness campaign strategy, follow these expert tips:
Use storytelling techniques to evoke emotion
Since awareness campaigns are all about generating public interest in a cause or issue, it’s crucial that your messages make an emotional connection with your audience. The best way to do that is by using stories.
Use these nonprofit storytelling techniques as a foundation for your campaign ads:
As you tell these stories, avoid evoking negative emotions like fear or guilt in your awareness ads. Uplifting stories are much more likely to prompt genuine empathy and action from audience members than scare tactics.
Provide clear calls to action
Most nonprofit awareness campaigns aren’t only about spreading awareness of an issue. Rather, they encourage supporters to take action immediately to support that cause. Even if the only action you want supporters to take is to share information, you need to let them know that!
Do this by including clear, compelling calls to action (CTAs) in your messages. Tell readers exactly what they need to do to help and how to do it. Make it as easy as possible to share a post, donate, or join your mailing list by providing directions and links.
Take a look at the CTA in this Instagram post from Color of Change:
In large, bold font, Color of Change calls on its supporters to start a petition to improve Black lives in their own communities. They don’t stop at “Start a Petition,” either. By telling supporters to “Start a Petition & Amplify Your Cause,” this post assures supporters that their action will have a clear and powerful impact on Color of Change’s mission.
Don’t be afraid to branch out
Social awareness campaigns are often the perfect time to get creative with your strategy. Don’t feel boxed in by your typical communication channels or your traditional marketing approaches. Some of the best nonprofit awareness campaigns are the ones that take their audience by surprise.
Consider branching out with your strategy by incorporating:
That being said, keep your audience in mind when choosing how to get creative. If you know that your target audience doesn’t use TikTok, for example, move in a different direction.
Launching a Nonprofit Social Awareness Campaign: 7 Steps
Now that you know the fundamentals, let’s explore the process of hosting your own nonprofit awareness campaigns.
1. Define your audience & set goals
Determining your audience and setting goals go hand in hand. Think about the purpose of your awareness campaign. Do you want to bring a new issue to the forefront of your supporters’ minds? Or do you aim to generate widespread awareness for a specific cause your nonprofit currently prioritizes, acquiring new donors in the process?
Once you’ve broadly determined your main goal and who your target audience is, take stock of their interests and communication habits. Then, use this information to guide your campaign’s messaging, communication channels, and event strategy.
Don’t forget to set key performance indicators (KPIs) so you can measure your progress. If your goal is to raise a certain amount of money using a unique fundraising idea, for example, your KPIs might be the total dollar amount raised and the cost per dollar raised (CPDR). Monitor these metrics throughout your campaign to see how successful your organization was and find opportunities for improvement.
2. Create a basic timeline
Like we mentioned earlier, many nonprofits choose to align their social awareness campaigns with established national awareness months or days. This helps drive support for your campaign because the public will already be thinking about your cause. However, there are also plenty of successful nonprofit awareness campaigns that run on their own timeline!
Once you’ve considered your options, make the following decisions about the timeline of your campaign:
With these decisions made, you’ll be able to create a basic timeline for your campaign and schedule major dates. As you go through the next steps, you can refer back to this timeline and fill it in with more detail to turn it into a thorough marketing plan.
3. Develop your campaign messaging
To develop a strong and cohesive campaign message, reflect on your mission and the themes of any national months or awareness days you’re participating in:
Choose one overarching message for your campaign that supports your goals, resonates with your audience, and aligns with any existing public associations or opinions. Use this message as the foundation for every advertisement or piece of campaign merchandise you create to maintain consistency.
In the ad example below, you can see how Wear Orange aligned its nonprofit awareness campaign with National Gun Violence Awareness Month and focused its messaging on how many Americans are affected by gun violence. Keeping their target audience in mind, Wear Orange created graphics in both English and Spanish:
4. Choose your marketing channels
The communication channels you use to advertise your social awareness campaign will be vital for its success. Use your donor data and additional research to determine which channels your audience is most active on, then choose a combination of digital and traditional channels to focus on. These might include:
You can also think outside the box when it comes to your marketing channels. For instance, say you create and sell t-shirts with your organization’s name or slogan on them as part of your campaign. You can encourage everyone who purchases a shirt to wear on a certain date to engage in a unique form of outreach!
5. Design your campaign ads
Once you have your communication channels set in stone, you can begin designing your campaign ads. Refer back to your overall campaign message, then use these tips to design your most important marketing materials:
Remember to maintain consistency throughout all of your advertisements in terms of colors, logos, and tone. Aligning all posts with your branding will ensure that your audience can immediately tell that these messages belong to your organization and to the same campaign.
6. Plan any campaign events
Not all nonprofit awareness campaigns include events, but many organizations choose to host them as a way to build community with donors or celebrate the progress of the campaign.
If you do decide to host a campaign event, determine if it should be a kickoff or conclusion event and if your audience would prefer the event to be in person, hybrid, or virtual. Then, start planning logistics. Don’t forget to budget for things like software costs and tech support if you’re hosting an online event or venue rentals for in-person events.
7. Launch your nonprofit awareness campaign
With your planning done, it’s time to launch the campaign! Follow your timeline for sending out messages on whatever channels you’ve selected for the campaign. Proactively connect with the people who engage with your campaign. For instance, promptly respond to social media comments and messages or questions that come in via phone or email.
Throughout the campaign, continue tracking the metrics that show your progress toward campaign goals. This will allow you to course-correct as needed if you’re not headed toward the results you want to see.
Once the campaign is over, don’t forget to thank everyone involved—every donor, volunteer, and influencer who helped drive awareness for your nonprofit’s cause. Here are some best practices for doing so:
Don’t forget to have fun with your appreciation strategies! Consider unique methods like sending an eCard, highlighting supporters’ impact on your website, creating a donor appreciation video, or throwing a volunteer appreciation event. Doing something out of the ordinary will make your campaign memorable for everyone involved.
Top Nonprofit Awareness Campaign Examples
Plenty of nonprofits have been in your shoes and found success. Get inspired by these popular nonprofit awareness campaigns:
ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
When you think of social awareness campaigns, the Ice Bucket Challenge is likely the first one that comes to mind. This 2014 online challenge rapidly became an international phenomenon, getting celebrities, families, and people everywhere to dump buckets of ice water on their heads in support of a cure for ALS. It’s known as a form of hashtag activism because of how it spread awareness and inspired action.
By advertising the unique challenge on Facebook, Twitter, and their website, the ALS Association was able to raise $115 million from 2.5 million donors. Years later, the funds raised as a result of this awareness campaign have led to dramatic progress in ALS research.
What made this nonprofit awareness campaign successful:
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s “I’m So Glad You’re Alive” Call 988 T-Shirt Fundraiser
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional stress on a 24/7 basis.
In 2022, the organization launched a t-shirt fundraiser through Bonfire to raise awareness about the new Lifeline phone number available to the public, 988. Proceeds from the fundraiser went toward all activities associated with running Lifeline.
What made this nonprofit awareness campaign successful:
Wear Orange for Gun Violence Awareness
Every year since 2013, Wear Orange has hosted a national awareness campaign for victims of gun violence. The campaign asks supporters to draw attention to the issue of gun violence with one simple action: wearing orange.
During the first weekend in June, Wear Orange hosts in-person events across the country in collaboration with local nonprofits. They also promote the campaign on social media, providing supporters with multilingual graphics and information to share on their own pages.
What made this nonprofit awareness campaign successful:
Neuroclastic, Inc.’s Bonfire Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Page
Neuroclastic, Inc. is a nonprofit publication headquartered in Lynchburg, Virginia. It features resources, articles, and creative expressions from Autistic people about the autism spectrum.
Neuroclastic, Inc. has its own profile and merch store on the t-shirt fundraising platform Bonfire that features their custom t-shirt designs and allows supporters to sell t-shirts on behalf of the organization’s cause.
What made this nonprofit awareness campaign successful:
Wrapping Up
When done well, nonprofit awareness campaigns can quickly bring your community together to learn about and support your organization’s cause. They can lead to plenty of new donors and turn your existing supporters into true advocates for your nonprofit.
Planning a nonprofit awareness campaign takes work, but you don’t have to do it alone. Consultants like the experts at Getting Attention are here to help you design compelling ads and run an impactful awareness campaign. To learn more, check out these additional resources:
Hiring A Google Grant Agency: Tips and 10+ Best Partners
/in Google Ad Grants, Nonprofit Communications /by Jessica KingGoogle is the world’s most popular search engine, fielding at least 8.5 billion searches per day. That’s 8.5 billion reasons nonprofits should take advantage of the Google Ad Grant program, which gives $10,000 worth of ad credits to eligible organizations every month to create ads on Google.
Ad campaigns require consistent upkeep, performance tracking, and compliance with Google’s official account requirements. That’s why we recommend working with a certified Google Grant agency.
Professional Google Ad Grant agencies devote their time to researching the program’s compliance requirements, mastering the application process, proactively researching the best keywords, and making the most of each nonprofit’s grant money. Plus, agencies that are Google Partners have a seal of approval you know you can trust.
To ensure you partner with the right agency, this guide will walk through:
Here at Getting Attention, we work alongside nonprofits to get their accounts approved and maximize their campaigns’ performance. As a Google Grant agency, we believe in the power that effective Google Grant management holds for nonprofits. Let’s get started so you can partner with the right Google Ad Grant manager.
What Is A Google Grant Agency?
A Google Grant agency is a business composed of experts that help nonprofits manage their Google Ads accounts. A professional agency will handle many aspects of Google Grant management, including:
Overall, the professional’s goal is to help each nonprofit build awareness for its cause and create high-converting campaigns that are meaningful to the organization’s work.
Some Google Ad Grant agencies are officially recognized by Google and have earned the title of Google Partner. While some start-up agencies that have yet to earn this designation may be worth exploring, Google-certified organizations have already proven their ability to maintain high-quality ad campaigns. When considering agencies, check to see if they’re a Google Partner.
What is Google Grant Management?
Before speaking with or even researching specific agencies, you must understand the actual services that Google Grant management entails. That way, you can determine the areas in which you need help and confidently enter your conversations with agencies.
Google Grant Application
If you don’t already have your account set up, a Google Grant agency can help you get started by checking your eligibility and guiding you through the application process. These are the application requirements they can help with:
If your nonprofit organization holds valid charity status and your website is well-developed, then you’ll most likely get the Google Grant. Work with a Google Grant agency to ensure that nothing slips through the cracks and that the application process goes smoothly.
Google Grant Account Management
Compared to other marketing channels, search ads have the highest return on investment (ROI) for nonprofits using paid advertising, meaning the impact of the Google Ad Grant goes far beyond simply being approved for the program. To help you make the most of your allotted $10,000 each month and strengthen your marketing, a Google Grant agency will offer the following account management services:
Managing your campaigns can be difficult, especially when you have other projects to juggle and events to plan for your organization. Your Google Ad Grant manager knows how to use it to drive conversions and see measurable results for your organization.
Google Grant Compliance
One of the most important roles of a Google Grant agency is to keep nonprofits’ accounts in compliance with the program’s guidelines. Google revisits and updates its policies from time to time, so the official compliance page will be your best bet if you want to check up on the rules.
Here are some of the most important requirements that a Google Ad Grant manager will handle for you:
Bottom line: A Google Grant agency will keep your Ad Grant account in check and fully compliant, even as Google updates its rules. Make sure the Google Ad Grant manager you partner with is able to support your needs as your account grows and evolves.
What is a Google Partner?
Any marketing agency can offer Google Ad Grant assistance. However, while there are some promising startup organizations that can provide high-quality service, nonprofits can ensure their Ad Grant account is in good hands by working with a certified Google Partner.
Google Partners are agencies that manage Google Ad Grants that Google has recognized as producing legitimate, quality work. These organizations are not run by Google, but the program does provide them with additional support to ensure their clients continue receiving unparalleled service.
Most Google Ad agencies will make it clear on their website that they are a Google Partner. However, if you want to only look at Google Partners, explore Google’s Partner Directory. Apply filters to find agencies that are near you and have the right level of certification, or enter the name of an organization you’re already considering to check if they’re a partner.
On our list of recommended Google Grant agencies, we have a mix of certified partners, like our own organization Getting Attention, as well as consultants that provide worthwhile services but have yet to enter the partner program.
The Benefits of Hiring a Professional for Google Grant Management
Partnering with a professional will drastically enhance your Google Ad capabilities. Especially when you hire an agency that’s Google-certified, you can rely on them to pick the best keywords for your cause and generate high-converting ads. Ultimately, they’ll empower you to make the most of your grant money and put your ads in front of likely prospects.
Here are some of the core benefits you should expect:
These professionals have in-depth knowledge of the program’s requirements, features, and tools, so you can spend your time focusing on other areas of your nonprofit. All in all, partnering with a Google Ad Grant agency can be incredibly beneficial, as long as you spend time choosing the right one for your team!
How to Hire a Google Ad Grant Agency
To unlock the benefits of a grant manager, hiring a knowledgeable Google Grant agency is essential. Start your search by following the three stages of the hiring process:
Above all else, prioritize a Google Grant agency’s Ad Grant program knowledge, services, and professionalism. In turn, you’ll wind up with a professional who acts as an extension of your team.
10+ Best Google Ad Grant Agencies
Whenever you outsource work to an agency, it’s important that you explore your options before signing a contract. That way, you’ll wind up with one that’s the best possible fit for your organization and needs. While you can certainly do the digging on your own, here are 10 Google Grant agencies that we’d recommend to kickstart your search.
1. Getting Attention | Best All-Around Google Grants Agency
Here at Getting Attention, we specialize in Google Ad Grants and are a proud Google Partner. Our team is made up of professionals who know what it takes to develop campaigns that drive real results for your cause, no matter if you’re just getting started or already have active campaigns.
We don’t just quickly review your account and offer some tips. Our team partners closely with yours to fully understand your mission, who your nonprofit serves, and how you can drive meaningful conversions.
Here’s how we can help you make the most of your grant money:
Getting Started with Getting Attention
Our experts are fully committed to helping you develop inspiring ad campaigns. Plus, we aim to be fully transparent in our pricing, which is why we don’t charge any upfront fees and will help you manage your Google Ad Grants account for only $600 per month.
Get a free consultation, so we can chat about how we can help your nonprofit grow through powerful Google Ad Grant management. Don’t see a Google Grants service on our website that you need? We’re open to chatting about our experience in other areas to help you make the most of your campaigns!
2. Nonprofit Source | Best Google Grants Agency for Information
If you’re starting at square one with the Google Ad Grant, the most important thing you need is information. Nonprofits Source provides marketing assistance to charitable organizations looking to grow their online impact, but where it really shines is its host of free educational information.
While they offer general digital marketing services and don’t manage Ad Grant accounts, you can learn a lot about the Ad Grant program from them. Scroll through the Nonprofits Source blog to find detailed information about nearly every aspect of the Google Ad Grant, including:
Check out Nonprofits Source’s blog to learn more about the Google Ad Grant and partner with them to expand your online presence.
3. DNL OmniMedia | Best Google Grants Agency for Nonprofit Technology
DNL OmniMedia is a well-known nonprofit technology consultant. While it’s not their sole purpose, their offerings also include Google Grant services. They’ll help you with the following:
Start by researching DNL OmniMedia’s other offerings to see how they can optimize other areas of your nonprofit’s technology strategy!
4. RKD Digital | Best Google Ad Grant Agency for Digital Marketing
As the first full-service direct-response company to be added to the Google Grant Certified Professional Community, RKD Digital works with nonprofits to produce effective marketing strategies. They’ll help you reimagine what marketing looks like with Google Grants services, such as:
If this agency sounds like a good fit, check out their website to learn more about their approach to Google Ad Grant management. You can also dive into some of their other digital marketing services before contacting their team!
5. Allegiance Group | Best Google Grants Agency for Fundraising
Allegiance Group is a full-service firm that combines fundraising, marketing, and technology, so their nonprofit clients can inspire action and make an impact. They’ll help you harness the power of the Google Ad Grant with the following services:
Explore Allegiance Group’s website to learn more about how they’ll enable you to intertwine your digital fundraising and marketing efforts through the Google Ad Grant.
6. WebFX | Best Google Grants Agency for NGOs
While their primary focus is on businesses, WebFX empowers NGOs to take advantage of Google Ad Grants and is even part of the Certified Partner Directory. As a leader in SEO, PPC, social, and web design services, they provide offerings like:
WebFX is backed by a team of experts to help you make the most of your SEO strategy. Take a look at their website to learn more about their digital marketing services to make sure they align with your nonprofit’s needs.
7. Digital Ninjas | Best Google Grants Agency for Advocacy Organizations
Digital Ninjas is a professional consulting firm that helps nonprofits drive greater fundraising and advocacy results through digital campaigns. Their services dedicated to Google Ad Grant management and organic search include:
Check out their website to learn how Digital Ninjas can make your search engine marketing (SEM) endeavors a breeze.
8. Uprise Up | Best Google Grants Agencies for UK-Based Organizations
Located in the United Kingdom, Uprise Up is a data-driven digital media agency. As part of their relentless endeavor to further social good, they offer Google Ad Grant management services to nonprofits, including:
As one of the few UK-based Google Grant agencies, Uprise Up is a great choice for UK organizations. Before reaching out, take a look at their website to learn more about their work.
9. Koios | Best Google Grants Agency for Libraries
With a sole focus on libraries, Koios empowers its clients to make their library’s resources more discoverable online. The agency helps libraries take advantage of the Google Ad Grant program through management services like:
Koios offers a 60-day free trial, so you can see what it’s like working with their experts. Before reaching out, explore their website to learn more about what they can do for you.
10. INTK | Best Google Grants Agency for Cultural Organizations
INTK works exclusively with cultural organizations, such as museums and performing arts centers, to generate awareness through targeted ads on relevant search results pages. Here are some of the core services they offer:
INTK is certified by Google and has direct access to the Google Ad Grants team, which means they’re in the loop with the latest changes in the program’s compliance requirements. Take a look at their website to learn more about their approach.
11. Platypus Digital | Best Google Grants Agency for Multichannel Strategies
Platypus Digital is a leading digital marketing agency for charities. With expert Google Ad Grant management, they’ll help you increase brand awareness and connect with motivated supporters through services like:
If you think Platypus Digital would be a good fit for your organization, explore their website to learn more about their Google Grant services.
Next Steps for Your Google Grant Strategy
When it comes to starting your nonprofit’s online marketing on the right foot, the Google Ad Grant is your answer. However, applying for and maintaining your account is no walk in the park. Turning to a professional Google Grant agency, like Getting Attention, is your best bet.
While we shared several recommendations, Getting Attention is the only Google-certified full-service agency that focuses solely on Google Ad Grants. We’ll handle every aspect of your account, starting with eligibility confirmation through ongoing maintenance. In no time, you’ll start driving more conversions, connecting with more prospects, and generating great results for your cause!
Are you interested in learning more about Google Ad Grants or marketing your mission effectively? Explore these great additional resources: