How Organizations Are Leveraging Google Ad Grants and Google for Education for Programs and Fundraising

A Practical Guide to Growing Donations and Advancing Your Mission

For nonprofits and educational organizations, growth depends on visibility. The more people who discover your programs, understand your mission, and connect with your impact, the more support you can build. Yet many organizations still rely on traditional outreach methods while overlooking some of the most powerful free tools available today.

Google offers two major resources that can transform the way mission driven organizations reach supporters: Google Ad Grants for nonprofits and Google for Education for academic institutions. These programs can help increase donations, boost program participation, and strengthen community engagement. Both are widely accessible, but many organizations have not yet taken advantage of them or do not fully understand what they offer.

This guide breaks down how each program works, who qualifies, and how your organization can begin using these tools to elevate your mission and grow support year round.

Understanding Google Ad Grants

Google Ad Grants is one of the most impactful digital resources available to nonprofits. It provides eligible 501(c)(3) organizations with up to ten thousand dollars every month in free search advertising on Google. This puts your mission in front of people who are actively searching for help, information, or causes to support.

For nonprofits working to increase donations, reach new audiences, or promote services, this program can be a game changer. Search ads help your organization appear when supporters are most engaged and ready to take action, whether that is donating, signing up for an event, joining a newsletter, or exploring your programs.

Who Can Apply

To qualify for the Google Ad Grant, your nonprofit must:

• Hold a valid 501(c)(3) status

• Maintain an active website with strong, relevant content

• Comply with Google’s program policies

• Be outside the categories that are redirected to Google for Education, such as schools, school districts, or academic institutions

Most community based, philanthropic, arts, environmental, youth, and human service nonprofits qualify and can apply in a matter of minutes.

What the Grant Offers

The Ad Grant gives your organization advertising credits at no cost. These credits can help you:

• Increase online donations

• Promote fundraising campaigns

• Reach new community members and participants

• Attract volunteers

• Highlight impact stories

• Promote awareness for essential programs and services

Organizations that use the grant consistently often see sustained growth in website traffic, stronger donor pipelines, and improved long term digital visibility.

Understanding Google for Education

Google for Education provides a suite of technology resources designed to help schools and academic nonprofits communicate more effectively, collaborate more easily, and support digital learning in a cost effective way. While it does not include advertising credits, it is an essential resource for institutions focused on education, student services, or academic instruction.

These tools help reduce operational costs, streamline daily tasks, and expand access to digital learning resources. Many education focused nonprofits use Google for Education to improve engagement with students, families, and donors, which strengthens both program outcomes and fundraising readiness.

Who Can Apply

Eligible organizations include:

• Accredited K to 12 schools

• School districts

• Colleges and universities

• Education focused nonprofits whose primary mission supports teaching or learning

Organizations in these categories are directed to Google for Education rather than Google Ad Grants.

What the Program Offers

Google for Education includes access to:

• Google Workspace for Education

• Google Classroom

• Security and data protection tools

• Training and professional development

• Advanced features such as Gemini for Education

• Collaboration and communication resources

These tools help schools streamline communication, support digital instruction, coordinate fundraising events, and share impact updates with their community. For educational nonprofits, this can strengthen outreach, grant reporting, and the overall ability to showcase mission impact.

Where to Begin

If you are ready to explore these programs or want to confirm your eligibility, you can start with the official Google pages below.

Google Ad Grants for nonprofits
https://www.google.com/grants/

Google for Education
https://edu.google.com/intl/ALL_us/

How Organizations Are Using These Programs to Drive Impact

Growing Donations With Google Ad Grants

Nonprofits commonly use the Ad Grant to:

• Promote donation pages to new supporters

• Increase visibility for year end giving campaigns

• Reach individuals searching for causes to support

• Highlight success stories and program outcomes

• Increase attendance for fundraising events

Many organizations find that search ads place their mission in front of people who are already looking to give or get involved, which leads to stronger results than traditional outreach.

Expanding Program Awareness

Both programs help organizations significantly increase visibility for their services, programs, and community offerings. With Google Ad Grants, nonprofits can place targeted search ads that reach individuals the moment they are looking for resources or support. For example, a food bank can appear in searches like “food pantry near me” or “free meals for families,” while an animal rescue can show up for “adopt a dog” or “volunteer with animals.”

Organizations offering mental health support, youth services, environmental programs, or arts and culture initiatives can use the grant to ensure their mission appears in searches where people are seeking guidance, programs, or ways to get involved. These ads can also promote seasonal initiatives like summer camps, after school programs, fundraising drives, and community events.

Schools and education focused nonprofits can use Google for Education tools to reach families and students more effectively. Tools such as Google Classroom and Google Sites allow organizations to share enrollment information, training sessions, tutoring programs, parent nights, and academic updates. This makes it easier for families to stay informed and increases overall participation in school programs and community learning opportunities.

Strengthening Community Engagement

Google Ad Grants place nonprofits directly in front of audiences during key moments of intent. When people search for help, information, or meaningful causes to support, your organization can appear at the top of the results with helpful calls to action, such as “Donate,” “Sign Up,” “Volunteer,” or “Learn More.” This targeted visibility increases engagement from supporters who may not have known your mission existed.

Nonprofits can drive engagement for town halls, advocacy campaigns, resource guides, volunteer orientations, and awareness events. They can also highlight impact stories that help build deeper trust in their mission.

Through Google for Education, schools and academic nonprofits can strengthen communication with families, donors, and community partners. Tools like Google Workspace for Education help educators collaborate on program updates, grant applications, community impact reports, and outreach materials. Gemini for Education can generate parent letters, event summaries, or presentations that help keep stakeholders informed and engaged.

Reducing Operating Costs

Both programs help organizations redirect funds toward mission critical work by reducing technology and marketing expenses. Google Ad Grants offers free monthly advertising credits that many organizations would otherwise struggle to afford. Instead of paying thousands of dollars for search ads, nonprofits can market programs, promote fundraising, and drive donor engagement without financial strain.

Google for Education provides access to tools such as Google Workspace for Education, Classroom, and secure collaboration platforms that many institutions would normally pay licenses for. These tools reduce costs for communication software, document storage, presentation tools, and digital classroom systems.

By lowering these expenses, nonprofits and schools can invest more in staff, program delivery, outreach, student support, and community services. Many organizations also use the savings to strengthen fundraising capacity, purchase needed supplies, or expand program offerings without increasing overall budgets.

Where to Start

For Organizations Seeking Google Ad Grants

1. Confirm your 501(c)(3) status

2. Register with Google for Nonprofits

3. Complete the TechSoup verification process

4. Activate the Ad Grant in your Google account

5. Build campaigns focused on program awareness and fundraising

For Organizations Seeking Google for Education Benefits

1. Visit the Google for Education eligibility page

2. Complete the verification form

3. Set up your admin console and teacher accounts

4. Explore tools such as Google Classroom and Workspace for Education

5. Begin integrating these tools into your communication and program plans

Frequently Asked Questions

Can education focused nonprofits use Google Ad Grants?
Most organizations centered on academic instruction are redirected to Google for Education. However, education related nonprofits that primarily offer community programs, youth services, advocacy, tutoring, or broader mission based work may still qualify for the Google Ad Grant. Eligibility depends on your core mission rather than your audience.

Can Google Ad Grants support fundraising?
Yes. Many nonprofits use the Ad Grant to promote donation pages, annual appeals, fundraising campaigns, peer to peer events, and Giving Tuesday initiatives. Search ads help organizations reach supporters who are actively looking for causes to give to, which can significantly increase online giving.

Does Google for Education offer advertising credits?
No. Google for Education focuses on technology and learning tools. It provides collaboration, communication, and instructional resources that strengthen program delivery and support engagement with students, families, and donors.

How long does approval take?
Most organizations receive approval within a few days once TechSoup verification and Google eligibility requirements are completed. Some institutions may experience a slightly longer review period if additional documentation is required.

Do organizations need marketing experience to use these programs?
No. Both Google Ad Grants and Google for Education are designed to be accessible to beginners. Google offers tutorials, guides, and training paths to support organizations as they learn how to use the tools effectively.

Can we use the Google Ad Grant to advertise on YouTube or display ads?
The Google Ad Grant applies only to search ads. You cannot use grant credits for display ads, YouTube ads, or remarketing. However, you can use insights from your search campaigns to strengthen your organic YouTube and content strategies.

What happens if our nonprofit does not meet the monthly Google Ad Grants performance requirements?
Google requires nonprofits to meet certain minimum performance standards. If your account falls below these thresholds, Google typically notifies you and provides time to make adjustments. Most issues can be resolved by optimizing keywords, improving landing pages, or refining ad copy.

Can Google Ad Grants help build awareness for programs outside fundraising?
Absolutely. Many nonprofits use the grant to reach people searching for services such as housing support, mental health programs, education resources, adoption services, food assistance, and more. Program visibility often grows significantly once organizations begin using targeted search ads.

Can Google for Education tools help with donor communication?
Yes. Many institutions use Google Workspace for Education to create donor reports, share program updates, manage fundraising presentations, and coordinate events. With tools like Docs, Slides, and Gemini, it becomes easier to produce polished materials that keep supporters engaged.

Is there a cost to maintain access to Google for Education?
Google Workspace for Education Fundamentals is offered at no cost. Additional paid tiers with advanced features are available, but many schools and academic nonprofits find the free tier provides everything they need for communication, collaboration, and instructional support.

What Is New in Google for Education and How It Supports Mission Driven Organizations

Google for Education continues to release new tools that help schools and education focused nonprofits streamline operations, personalize instruction, and improve communication. These updates strengthen program delivery and can indirectly support fundraising and community engagement by giving institutions stronger digital capabilities.

One of the most helpful recent additions is a collection of ready made AI prompts for teaching, created to save time and support personalized instruction. Educators can quickly draft syllabi, lesson plans, or course outlines with Gemini. You can explore these resources here:
https://edu.google.com/intl/ALL_us/products/gemini-education/

Google also introduced the ability to generate presentations directly in Gemini for Education. Users can submit an idea or upload a reference file and receive a complete slide deck that can then be edited in Google Slides. This feature is particularly useful for classroom instruction, staff meetings, fundraising presentations, and parent communication.
Learn more here:
https://edu.google.com/intl/ALL_us/products/gemini-education/

Educational organizations can enhance content using YouTube Learning, which now offers curated monthly playlists across core academic subjects such as literacy, physics, geology, and math. These playlists provide free, high quality content that can enrich classroom instruction and family engagement:
https://www.youtube.com/learning

Educators looking for peer support or professional development can explore Edu on Air, Google Educator Groups, the Champions Program, and the Google Ed Leadership Program. These programs give teachers and administrators opportunities to share expertise, grow as leaders, and stay informed about new technology best practices.
Explore educator programs here:
https://edu.google.com/intl/ALL_us/for-educators/

Google has also expanded Gemini Deep Research, which can now integrate with Gmail, Drive, Docs, Slides, and Sheets. This allows educators and academic nonprofits to generate reports and summaries using their own files and online research simultaneously. This feature can support tasks such as curriculum planning, grant writing, and stakeholder communication.
Details are available here:
https://edu.google.com/intl/ALL_us/products/gemini-education/

To strengthen transparency and data protection, Google now clearly indicates when users are operating within a school issued, education protected environment by displaying an EDU label or organization logo within the Gemini app.

Early learning resources continue to grow with the addition of more than 30 new decodable books in Read Along for Google Classroom, offering stronger phonics progression for Kindergarten and first grade students. This update enhances foundational literacy programs.
Learn about Read Along:
https://edu.google.com/intl/ALL_us/products/read-along/

Students can now participate in the Gemini K 12 Student Certification, which introduces responsible AI literacy and teaches students how to use generative AI effectively and safely. This certification strengthens digital readiness and creativity skills.
Explore the certification here:
https://edu.google.com/intl/ALL_us/for-educators/certifications/

Educators interested in developing deeper skills can also consider becoming a Google Certified Trainer, which allows them to help others use Google tools effectively across their school or district.
Learn more about the Certified Trainer program:
https://edu.google.com/intl/ALL_us/for-educators/certifications/ 

For younger learners, YouTube Kids continues to spotlight themed educational playlists designed for children twelve and under:
https://www.youtubekids.com/

Google Arts and Culture offers new interactive experiences like Route 66 Rewind, which lets students explore more than thirty historical Route 66 locations through an engaging, kid friendly interface.
Explore Route 66 Rewind:
https://artsandculture.google.com/project/route-66

These updates support classroom instruction, digital literacy, early childhood learning, curriculum development, educator collaboration, and overall organizational communication. Schools and educational nonprofits using these tools often find that they strengthen program impact and help create a more connected and informed community, which can also support long term fundraising and outreach goals.

Key Takeaways

Google offers two major programs that can significantly strengthen your organization’s digital presence and mission growth: Google Ad Grants and Google for Education. These programs help nonprofits and educational institutions expand visibility, attract supporters, improve program delivery, and increase donations.

Nonprofits can access up to ten thousand dollars in free monthly search advertising through the Google Ad Grants program, which helps organizations promote services, fundraising campaigns, and community impact initiatives at no cost. You can learn more or begin the application process here:

Google Ad Grants
https://www.google.com/grants/

Educational institutions benefit from the Google for Education program, which provides collaborative tools, digital learning resources, and technology support. These resources help schools and academic nonprofits improve communication, strengthen operations, and support fundraising outreach with modern, cost effective tools. Program information and eligibility details can be found here:

Google for Education
https://edu.google.com/intl/ALL_us/

Whether your organization focuses on social services, philanthropy, education, healthcare, community outreach, arts and culture, environmental work, or any other mission driven field, these programs offer meaningful opportunities to reach new audiences and create greater impact. By taking advantage of these free tools, nonprofits and educational institutions can grow program participation, boost fundraising results, and advance their mission with greater effectiveness.

Ready to Grow Your Team or Discover Meaningful Nonprofit Opportunities?

If your organization is hiring, Foundation List makes it easy to reach mission driven professionals who are passionate about creating positive change. Thousands of nonprofit employers rely on Foundation List to find talent for program leadership, fundraising, operations, education, healthcare, arts, and a wide range of service focused roles.

If you are exploring new opportunities, you can browse open nonprofit positions and apply directly. New jobs are added daily, and your next role may be only a few clicks away.

Explore opportunities or post a role here:
https://www.foundationlist.org/