Google Ad Grants for Churches: How To Grow Your Ministry

Just like other nonprofits, churches and religious groups rely on support from their communities. This support not only allows them to share their faith but also helps fund worship services, programs, and outreach efforts. To inspire giving and grow engagement, your church needs effective visibility and promotion.

Many businesses use Google Ads to attract customers. With Google Ad Grants for churches, your congregation can do the same without spending a dime. This program provides $10,000 in free monthly advertising credits, helping you reach new members, share your mission, and strengthen your community online.

In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know to get started with Google Ad Grants for churches:

• What is the Google Ad Grant?
• Can churches use Google Ad Grants?
• What are the benefits of using Google Ad Grants for churches?
• How can your church apply for Google Ad Grants?
• How can you optimize Google Ad Grants for your church?

Let’s kick things off by learning more about what Google Ads are and why your church or religious group should use them.

What is the Google Ad Grant?

When people search online, the first results they see are often sponsored ads at the top of Google’s search results pages (SERPs). These ads help organizations get noticed by appearing where people are already looking.

While traditionally paid, eligible nonprofits (including churches and religious organizations) receive up to $10,000 in free monthly ad credits to use on Google Search Ads. This grant makes it possible for your church to share God’s Word and invite more people into fellowship—without the worry of added expenses. Here’s an example of a Google Ad from the religious organization ACT International:

Bidding on valuable keywords and competing with corporate giants can make purchasing Google Ads expensive. Fortunately, the Google Ad Grant eliminates those direct costs.

Can churches use Google Ad Grants?

Yes, churches and religious groups are eligible for the Google Ad Grant! The only types of nonprofit organizations that are ineligible for this program are government entities, schools, and healthcare-related nonprofits. To be eligible for the Google Ad Grant, your church must:

• Be a registered charitable organization in a participating country. For U.S.-based organizations, this means registering as a 501(c)(3) with the IRS.
• Have a valuable website with original content.
• Agree to the Google for Nonprofits Additional Terms of Service.
• Have a secure and functioning website that follows the program’s website policy by having an SSL certificate.
• Meet all other program policies, like maintaining a minimum 5% click-through rate and using allowed keywords.

Before applying for the Google Ad Grant, read over all the program policies to ensure that your church is compliant or can make the necessary changes to be compliant. In most cases, this will usually mean giving your website a refresh in order to ensure you have valuable content that’s worth promoting via the Google Ad Grant.

What are the benefits of using Google Ad Grants for churches?

With Google Ad Grants for churches, your ministry or religious organization can open the door to powerful ministry outcomes. Here are some of the benefits you can look forward to:

• Reach people searching for faith. Google handles about 16.4 billion searches every day. Your Google Ads can appear when individuals look up terms relevant to your organization like “local churches” or “Bible studies.” In turn, you can extend your church’s message beyond your walls to individuals searching for hope, faith, or a new church home.
• Promote your ministries and events. Highlight worship services, Bible studies, outreach programs, and community gatherings to invite neighbors into fellowship.
• Guide people to spiritual resources. Direct visitors to sermons, devotionals, or support services on your website that encourage growth in faith.
• Build awareness of your church. Even if someone doesn’t click on your ad, they still see your church’s name and message—planting seeds for future connection.
• Encourage generosity. Use ads to promote giving opportunities, online tithing, or fundraising campaigns that support your church’s mission and community outreach.

For example, if you want to promote a Bible study program, you could create an ad targeting the keyword “mission trips.” When someone searches for that phrase, your ad may appear at the top of their results, inviting new participants and helping your ministry grow.

Ultimately, implementing Google Ads into your church’s marketing strategy can help you bring in more funds, attract more members, and ultimately spread God’s Word.

And with $10,000 in free ads each month, most churches find they have plenty of room to experiment with different messages, keywords, and strategies. That means you can improve your outreach without straining your budget. You can also hire an external church marketing agency to maximize these benefits. These professionals can write compelling ads and keep your account compliant with the program’s rules.

How can your church apply for Google Ad Grants?

Applying for the Google Ad Grant is a smooth and short process, especially compared to other grants. However, there is still a list of steps that your church or religious organization must complete before you can be approved for the program. Those steps are:

1. Confirm that your nonprofit is eligible for an account, which means having valid charity status and meeting the specific requirements for your country.
2. Request a Google for Nonprofits account using an email associated with your church or religious group.
3. Wait for your request to be reviewed, which will be done by Google’s verification partner GoodStack and might take a few weeks.
4. Activate your Ad Grants account with your Google for Nonprofits account.
5. Complete a Google Ad Grants application which requires providing some basic information like your organization’s name and website.
6. Accept your invitation to the Google Ad Grants program if approved. If you’re not approved, you can always reapply after making the necessary adjustments.

Then, you can start creating Google Ads for your church to spread the Gospel and reach new members!

Getting your website ready for approval

While straightforward, there’s an important in-between step that can determine whether your church is accepted into the Google Ad Grant program: optimize your website! Google wants to award the Google Ad Grant to organizations that will promote high-quality content that Google users will be happy to click on.

Before starting your church’s Google Ad Grant application, walk through this quick checklist to prepare your website for the Google Ad Grant:

• Ensure simple, user-friendly navigation. Your main menu should be consistent across your site and make it easy for visitors to find key pages like worship times, ministries, or contact information.

• Publish valuable, original content. Avoid thin or duplicate pages. Create helpful landing pages and resources tailored to your audience, such as event information, Bible study guides, or blog posts. Those posts could be about topics like faith and discipleship (e.g., “How to start a daily prayer habit,” “Understanding the Gospel of John”) or church updates (e.g., “Highlights from our community service project,” “What to expect at Easter services”).

• Avoid third-party ads. It’s fine to promote your own church programs, giving options, or online store, but external ads (like banners for outside companies) are not allowed.
• Check your site’s technical performance. Fix broken links and make sure your site loads quickly and works well on mobile devices. Tools like Google PageSpeed Insights can help identify issues.
• Set up Google Analytics. While not required for initial approval, Google Analytics (or GA4) will be necessary to track conversions and demonstrate impact once your ads are running. Installing it early saves time later.

Once your website is in good shape and your church is approved, you can begin building campaigns that grow your congregation, promote ministries, and reach seekers online. Just remember: Google requires ongoing management of your account (like maintaining a healthy click-through rate and updating ads regularly) to keep your grant active.

How can you optimize Google Ad Grants for your church?

1. Work with a Google Ad Grants agency.

Maintaining your church’s Google Ad Grants account can be time-consuming, especially when you consider the research and knowledge you need to set your ads up for success. Fortunately, you can turn to professionals, like Getting Attention, to help your church maximize the impact of its grant!

Some common services that Google Ad Grants agencies like ours offer include:

• Assistance with your application and account reactivation: If your church doesn’t already have a Google Ad Grant account, an agency like ours will help you apply for one. Or, if your church’s Google Ad Grant account has been suspended, we’ll help you get it reactivated.
• Strategy creation: We’ll help your church select goal-oriented conversion actions, such as online giving/tithing submissions or sign-ups for discipleship classes.
• Ad creation: We’ll design ads that help your church connect with people searching for faith, community, or support. Each ad will be built on thoughtful keyword research so you can reach those most likely to become new visitors, volunteers, or donors.
• Routine account optimization: We’ll regularly review your campaigns to improve performance, refine messaging, and keep everything in line with Google’s requirements. This way, your ads will continue to serve your ministry well.
• Monthly data reporting: You’ll receive easy-to-understand reports that show how your ads are working, including new visitors reached, event sign-ups, and other meaningful results for your church.

Agencies like Getting Attention bring years of professional experience and knowledge of the Google Ad Grant to our clients’ accounts. In fact, we’re even certified by Google as a trusted vendor! Check out this video to learn more about our Google Ad Grants services for churches, religious organizations, and other nonprofits:

By choosing to partner with a Google Grant agency like us, your church won’t have to do the heavy lifting. Our professionals will take care of your account and ensure you see the results you desire.

2. Access the Google Ad Grants Help Community.

If you have questions about using the Google Ad Grant, chances are you’re not alone and another organization has wondered the same thing. Leverage other nonprofits’ experience with the Google Ad Grant through Google’s Help Community. The Google Help Community consists of guides created by Google and user-submitted questions.

If you’re ever unsure about any aspect of your Google account, check in to see frequently asked questions and featured posts detailing any changes to the program. For example, Google provides a page with tips for Google Ad Grants success that your church or religious group can access.

If you can’t find a post answering your question, create a post of your own! Representatives from other nonprofits will weigh in and share their experience, and Google Ad Grants certified professionals might also jump in to help.

3. Target your audience strategically.

Targeting your audience is one of the most effective ways to use the Google Ad Grant for churches. Choosing the right keywords is a key part of this process, since they determine when your ads appear and help you connect with people searching for faith-related resources.

Beyond that, use built-in targeting features for reaching key demographics and specific locations. For example, geotarget lets you focus your ads on people searching for faith communities in your city or neighborhood—such as “churches near me” or “Sunday worship in [your town].” This ensures your outreach efforts connect with individuals who are close enough to visit your services, attend events, or join a Bible study.

You can also create different campaigns for specific ministries, like youth groups or community service programs, so each message reaches the people most likely to be interested. By tailoring your ads to your local community’s needs and searches, you’ll invite seekers into fellowship and strengthen your church’s impact right where you serve.

4. Implement SEO best practices.

Google Ads leapfrog your church’s content to the top of search results pages, but to ensure you’re putting the right content in front of the right users, you’ll need to follow search engine optimization (SEO) fundamentals. The first step towards SEO optimization is thorough keyword research. The keywords you choose dictate who sees your ads, so make sure you pick search terms your target audience is likely to use. Then, incorporate those keywords into:

• Your church’s Google Ads. This will ensure that these ads are properly targeted towards your audience and increase the amount of clicks you get from them.
• Your website’s landing pages. Naturally incorporating your keywords into your church’s landing pages helps these pages rank higher on the target keyword’s SERPs, resulting in increased organic (non-paid for) traffic to your website.

By following SEO best practices, you might even start to see your church’s website ranking among regular search results. These organic rankings appear below ads but still receive lots of clicks, especially if they are on the first page of search results. This means you drive free traffic to your website through the Google Ad Grant and free traffic without spending ad credits!

Start Using The Google Ad Grant for Your Church.

The Google Ad Grant is a worthwhile program for churches, but to make the most out of the program, consider whether your staff members can effectively manage the grant. Are they able to do the necessary research into SEO, keywords, and your target audience? Do they have experience in website optimization and an understanding of digital marketing?

If the answer to these questions is no, don’t be discouraged. Consider partnering with a professional Google Ad Grant agency, which will handle all things related to the program for you.

If you’d like to learn more about how the Google Ad Grant can help your church, take a look at the following resources:

• Digital Marketing for Nonprofits Made Easy: A Helpful Guide. Are you interested in other marketing opportunities for your church? Read this guide to learn more about digital marketing for nonprofits of all types.
• Google Grants Eligibility: Will Your Nonprofit Be Approved? Walk through the eligibility requirements in depth to learn if the Google Ad Grant is a good fit for your church or religious organization.
• Hiring A Google Grant Agency: Tips and 10+ Best Partners. Want to learn more about working with a professional agency for your church’s Google Ad Grant management? This resource outlines how to pick the best agency and gives suggestions.