Hydro Studios · Nonprofit Services
Google Ad Grants
Eligible nonprofits can get up to $10,000 a month in Google search ads at no cost. Hydro helps your team qualify, build campaigns that meet Google’s rules, and turn that traffic into donors, volunteers and subscribers.
The grant
$0 a month
Google Ad Grants gives eligible nonprofits up to $10,000 a month in ads on Google search. The ads only run on search results. Budget that goes unused in a month does not carry over.
Keeping the grant takes steady work. Google deactivates accounts that fall out of compliance. These are the rules it checks:
- A 5% click-through rate across the account, every month
- Conversion tracking that records at least one conversion a month
- Bidding based on conversions
- Keywords with a Quality Score of 1 or 2 paused
- At least two sitelinks and location targeting
- Answers to Google’s program surveys
An account that misses the click-through rate two months in a row is deactivated until it is fixed.
What we do
We check whether your organization qualifies and walk you through Google for Nonprofits and the Ad Grants application.
We work with your team to decide which programs, campaigns and audiences the grant should support, then plan campaigns around them.
We build the campaigns, ad groups, keywords, ads, sitelinks and location targeting to meet Google’s requirements from the first day.
We connect Google Ads and GA4 to the actions you care about, such as donations, newsletter sign-ups and volunteer forms. On HubSpot, we tie those conversions to your contact records.
We watch click-through rate and Quality Scores, pause weak keywords and help you answer Google’s program surveys. If your account has already been deactivated, we can help get it reinstated.
Ads work best when they land on a page built for the search. We design and build those pages on HubSpot for sign-ups, donations and programs.
Each month we review search terms, test new ads and move budget toward the campaigns that bring in conversions.
You get a monthly report on clicks, conversions and grant spend, along with what we changed.
When you are ready to grow past $10,000 a month, we run paid search with your own budget, plus AI search visibility and email nurture for new subscribers.
How it works
- 01Review
We look at your eligibility or, if you already have a grant, your current account.
- 02Build
We set up campaigns, conversion tracking and any landing pages the campaigns need.
- 03Manage
We work alongside your team every month to keep the account compliant and improve results.
- 04Report
We send a monthly report and meet to plan the next month’s campaigns.
Client spotlight
$0/mo
Simon Wiesenthal Center
Hydro works with the center’s team on the strategy, planning and management of its Google Ad Grants campaigns. The grant gives the center $10,000 a month in search advertising. The campaigns send people to landing pages designed to grow its subscriber list.
$0/mo
Museums of Tolerance
The Museums of Tolerance have their own Google Ad Grants account, with another $10,000 a month in search advertising. Hydro works with the museums’ team on the strategy, planning and management of those campaigns.
The same Hydro team built the center’s three websites and the Museums of Tolerance Education Hub on HubSpot.
Questions
Who is eligible?
In the United States, registered 501(c)(3) charities with a working website that meets Google’s policies can apply. Google lists government entities, hospitals and medical groups, and schools and universities as ineligible. The charitable arms of hospitals and universities can often apply on their own.
What does it cost?
The grant itself is free. Hydro charges for setup and for monthly management.
What happens if the account drops below a 5% click-through rate?
Google deactivates accounts that miss the 5% requirement two months in a row. Getting reinstated means pausing the keywords that drag the rate down and submitting a request. We can help with both.
Can the grant pay for YouTube or display ads?
No. Ad Grants ads appear only on Google search results.
Do we need to be on HubSpot?
No. We work in Google Ads and GA4 for any nonprofit. If you are on HubSpot, we can also connect Grants conversions to your contact records and follow up with new subscribers by email.
Talk to Hydro
Tell us where your organization is with Google Ad Grants, whether you are applying for the first time or trying to get more out of an account you already have.