Google Ad Grants: the Google Ads advertising credit for nonprofits

Introduction

Google Ad Grants is Google's program that offers eligible nonprofits a monthly advertising credit for Google Ads campaigns on the Search Network. It is not a cash grant paid to the nonprofit: it is a credit usable exclusively within a dedicated Google Ads account, under the program's rules.

What is the amount of the grant?

Google states a credit of up to US $10,000 per month in advertising on the Search Network, which can be allocated across several campaigns. This amount is expressed in US dollars by Google's official page; Capital OS does not convert this figure into euros, to avoid displaying an exchange rate that would be neither guaranteed nor up to date.

Who can apply?

The program is reserved for nonprofits and organizations recognized as a charitable organization in their country, after obtaining "Google for Nonprofits" status. Public institutions, schools, and structures without recognized charitable status are not eligible. The organization's website must also comply with the Ad Grants program's specific website rules.

How does validation work?

Registration requires validation by a local Google partner, responsible for confirming the organization's charitable status. This partner has changed over time (TechSoup was long the reference for France): rather than citing a name that could be outdated, Capital OS recommends checking the current partner directly on Google's official page before starting the process.

How can Capital OS help?

Capital OS matches an organization's profile (notably its nonprofit status) against this scheme to flag the opportunity. This initial match is neither a validation of charitable status nor a guarantee of obtaining the credit: verification of Google for Nonprofits status and actual eligibility is handled exclusively by Google and its validation partner.

FAQ

Is the Google Ad Grants credit paid out in cash? No, it is an advertising credit usable only within a dedicated Google Ads account, not a cash grant. Can a company benefit from it? No, the program is reserved for nonprofits and organizations with recognized charitable status. Is the $10,000 amount guaranteed every month? This is the monthly cap stated by Google; actual usage depends on compliance with the program's rules and the campaigns actually active. Do you need a standard Google Ads account before applying? No, registration goes through Google for Nonprofits status, then activation of the Ad Grants program, with management rules specific to this type of account.

Google Cloud for Startups: cloud credits for startups

Beyond Ad Grants, Google offers Google Cloud for Startups: Google Cloud Platform and Firebase credits for startups, up to $200,000 (Scale tier) or $350,000 for artificial intelligence startups (Scale AI tier). Reserved for startups with verifiable funding, from pre-seed to Series A — a program separate from Ad Grants, with its own conditions.

Official sources

• Google — Ad Grants — program overview and credit amount
• Google — Ad Grants eligibility criteria — official eligibility conditions