Applying for Google Ad Grants and Google for Nonprofits

Applying for Google Ad Grants and Google for Nonprofits

This slideshow is also available with audio here:

Upcoming Class: Joining Google For Nonprofits and Applying for a Google Ad Grant

Join me October 29th at 2PM. I'll be presenting how to join Google for Nonprofits, as well as applying for a Google Ad Grant. Here's the description:

Google has a whole suite of tools and Apps for Nonprofits, including Google Adwords Grants which allow up to $10k per month in free advertising, but how to create the account and utilize the text only ads can be a challenge. 

In partnership with the Michigan Green Consortium, acting as first time applicants for a Google for NonProfits account, WasteWater Education 501(c)3 will be hosting a real time distance learning class to walk you through becoming a Google For Nonprofits account holder.

Our philosophy is simple - we're all connected, we all have the passion for our environment. Not to share would be unconscionable.

We will be using our Blackboard Collaborate Web Conferencing service so it's important that you check your system's ability to log in beforehand.

Register for the event here: http://www.meetup.com/NetSquared-Northern-Michigan/events/140198872/

Google Grants is now Google Ad Grants

Google Grants changed its program name to Google Ad Grants.

Nothing else changed. Google has rebranded to clarify what their program offers to nonprofits, which is in-kind advertising through Google AdWords, Google’s online advertising tool. Hopefully, the new name will make it easier for nonprofits seeking in-kind advertising to find the Google Ad Grants program.

If you haven’t taken advantage of the program already, visit the Google Ad Grants page to apply. Nonprofits receive up to $10,000 per month in AdWords advertising to promote their missions and initiatives via text ads on Google.com.

Google Grants Renewal Policy Starts in July

Starting in July 2013, Google Grants will have a renewal policy for any Google Grantee who has been in the program for over 6 months. During the renewal window, nonprofits must re-submit proof of current, valid nonprofit status, along with their AdWords Customer ID, for review. This is a big change -- Google has not required renewal before now, and Google Grants were automatically ongoing.

Details:

What is the renewal policy?
The renewal policy is in place to ensure that Google Grants accounts are in compliance with Google Grants policies and guidelines.

Google will be asking Grantees to submit a renewal form with their current nonprofit status documentation and AdWords Customer ID. The Google Grants team will review and approve accounts for continued stay in the Google Grants program who abide by the eligibility guidelines and have up-to-date nonprofit status. Grantees whose nonprofit status has lapsed or whose accounts don’t comply with Google Grants guidelines will be subject to removal from the program.

Why do I have to renew my eligibility?
Google is asking Grantees to renew their eligibility to ensure Google Grantees approved into the program have up-to-date nonprofit status and AdWords accounts that are compliant with their policies and guidelines in promoting only nonprofit initiatives and services.

Who needs to renew their eligibility?
Any Google Grantee who has been in the program six months or longer will be required to renew their eligibility.

What do I need to submit to renew my eligibility?
Google will send you an email with a renewal form to fill out during the renewal window. Please make sure your notification email in your Google Grants AdWords account is up-to-date. The renewal form will ask you to provide:

• Nonprofit status number or documentation (depending on the country)
• AdWords Customer ID
• Nonprofit organization and contact information

When do I need to renew my status?
Google is beginning the renewal policy in July 2013. Going forward, the renewal policy will likely be an annual process (subject to change). During the renewal window, Google Grantees will have a period of three weeks to submit their renewal form.

When will I know about the status of my renewal?
Google will review organizations on a rolling basis. You may not receive your notification decision for several weeks. Your account will remain active and running while you wait to hear back from Google.

How can I ensure that I keep my Google Grant?
You can start preparing for the renewal window by gathering your nonprofit status documentation and reviewing your AdWords account to ensure it is in compliance with the Google Grants guidelines.

1. Check that your organization’s nonprofit status is current and valid, as noted by your country’s guidelines. If your nonprofit status has lapsed, you will be ineligible for continued stay in the Google Grants program.
• For example, an organization had nonprofit status in 2010 and was approved for a Google Grant in 2010. However, the organization lost nonprofit status in 2012, so their Google Grants account will be suspended.
2. Check that your AdWords account complies with Google Grants policies and guidelines. Google recently made a change to their URL policy (see below), so please ensure you make any necessary changes to your AdWords account to ensure you are in compliance.

What if I missed the window for renewal?
Google Grantees will have three weeks to submit their renewal form. After the three week window, Google reserves the right to cancel any accounts who have not submitted the form on time.

Can I re-apply to Google Grants if my organization was suspended?

If your nonprofit status has lapsed, you can re-apply only if and when you have proof that your nonprofit status has been reinstated. Note: you will need to re-apply through the regular Google Grants application process.If your account was suspended due to account guideline violations, you will not be allowed to re-apply to the program. For example, if you hosted AdSense ads on your site, if you used your AdWords ads/keywords for commercial purposes, or if you ran ads for website URLs not associated with the initially approved nonprofit URL.

If your account was paused because you did not log into your account in over 30 days, you may simply log back in and resume your campaigns. If Google finds that you are in violation of their active account management policy for multiple months, your account will be subject to cancellation.

Google Grants URL Policy Change

Yesterday, Google Grants changed their URL policy. Going forward, Google Grantees may only promote the one website domain name associated with the registered nonprofit that approved for Google Grants.

Google says it has made this change "to maintain the integrity of our program." More info on the URL policy is here.

NEXT STEPS
Google Grantees must remove any extra domain names from their account by July 2013. After a short grace period, Google will begin enforcing the new policy. Grantees that continue to promote multiple domain names or a domain name not associated with the registered nonprofit will be subject to removal from the Google Grants program.

EXAMPLE
Your organization has the website domain name www.HelpForAnimals.org.

You are allowed to have ads that direct users to subdomains and subfolders within your website, such as your volunteer page, events page, or programs page:
www.subdomain.HelpForAnimals.org/subfolder
www.HelpForAnimals.org/volunteer
www.HelpForAnimals.org/events
www.raceforlife.HelpForAnimals.org

You may not promote an entirely different domain name, such as www.ShopForPets.com or www.AdoptDogs.org.

IDEAS
No doubt this change will be a real challenge for many nonprofits. A few ideas:

1. If you have separate domains for events or fundraisers, link the ads to new pages on your main website, and then send users out to those separate sites. These new pages should describe the other websites, and have prominent click-through buttons for specific areas of the other sites.
2. Move the other sites to a subdomain on your main page (e.g., events.nonprofit.org).
3. Use an i-frame to embed the other sites on the main site. (If you're not familiar with iframes, see here.)

Applying for a Google Grant

Applying for a Google Grant can be confusing. Google says it takes 2-4 hours, but it really only takes a few minutes. Get step by step instructions in this slide show:

Applying for a Google Grant from Chris Middings

Measuring Non-Profit Goals with Google Analytics

Google Grants can be used to achieve many nonprofit goals. Justin Cutroni points out how to track these using Google Analytics.

These strategies:
1. Fund projects by generating donations

2. Coordinate volunteers
3. Raise awareness of our cause

Are achieved through these tactics:
1. Collect donations via a website
2. Recruit volunteers via a website
3. Educate public via an informational website

NPG can help you set up Google Grants and Google Analytics to achieve and measure your goals.

Read the full post here: http://cutroni.com/blog/2013/04/22/measuring-the-non-profit-from-planning-to-implementation/