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Google for Nonprofits and Google Ad Grants

SCORE Staff
  • Updated

Google for Nonprofits, Google Ad Grants, Google Ads, and Goodstack

Google Ads is a powerful digital advertising platform that enables organizations to reach their target audience by strategically placing ads across Google's vast network. 

For SCORE, a non-profit organization, this platform becomes even more valuable through the Google Ad Grants program, which provides $10,000 in monthly advertising credit. The program is part of Google for Nonprofits, which offers additional benefits, including Google Workspace for non-profit email management, YouTube Nonprofit program access, and Google Maps Platform integration. 

This comprehensive guide explains how Google Ads works, how SCORE leverages this tool to connect with local entrepreneurs and promote workshops, and the important distinctions between paid advertisements and other Google search features such as organic results, Business Profiles, Knowledge Panels, and Featured Snippets. 

The program is centrally managed for SCORE chapters to ensure consistent compliance and proper documentation of these valuable in-kind donations across all locations.

Action Items for Chapters

December 2025 Update:

SCORE HQ will be requesting Admin access to several chapter Google for Nonprofits accounts. Later in FY2026, SCORE HQ will be requesting Admin access to several chapter Google Ad Grants accounts. If you have any questions, please email marketing@score.org.

For SCORE HQ to gain Admin access to your chapter’s Google for Nonprofits account, please review the following information.

REQUEST: If you receive an email from Google requesting g4np@scorevolunteer.org to have Admin access to a SCORE G4NP account:

◦ APPROVE the request. (This is a simple 1-click process by the current chapter Google for Nonprofits Admins. Do not deny the request.)

◦ IGNORE the request. (After 14 days, Google will automatically assign SCORE HQ as the Admin and remove all existing Admins for that chapter’s Google for Nonprofits account.)

◦ IF YOU DENY the request, then SCORE HQ will be sending an Admin access request again at a later date.

Here is a sample screenshot of the email that the chapter Google for Nonprofits Admins may receive from Google:

 

Additional action Items for Chapters are at the bottom of this page.

Google Ads

What is it? 

Google Ads is a digital advertising platform that lets businesses create and display ads across Google's search results, partner websites, YouTube and mobile apps. Advertisers bid on specific keywords and pay when users click their ads, allowing them to reach potential customers actively searching for related products or services.

An example of a Google search text ad:

google ad example.png

How Does SCORE Leverage Google Ads and Google Ad Grants?

Google Ads amplifies SCORE.org's reach by strategically displaying our brand and website across Google's extensive advertising network. Google optimizes ad placement through advanced AI technology across platforms like YouTube, Discover and Search to deliver maximum conversions.

As a participant in Google for Nonprofits, SCORE gains access to specialized tools and discounts designed to address key organizational needs, such as attracting new clients and volunteers, streamlining operations and motivating supporter engagement.

SCORE can extend its digital marketing reach and impact through the Google Ad Grant program – which serves non-profits in more than 50 countries.

What’s In It For Me? (WIIFM)

Connect with local entrepreneurs at critical moments

  • Capture attention when people search on Google.com for terms related to mentoring and advice
  • Target locations and communities that SCORE serves
  • Leverage AI to dynamically and automatically promote your chapter's local webpages (i.e. score.org/chaptername), as well as relevant national webpages (i.e. score.org/resource/...)

Demonstrate SCORES value instantly

  • Stand out among paid consulting services by highlighting SCORE's free mentoring.
  • Showcases SCORE's expertise and value proposition
  • Draw users to SCORE's programs and mentors

Driving real results

  • SCORE's Google Ads program is focused on driving three primary conversions: mentor requests, workshop registrations, and volunteer applications

Distinguishing Google Ads and Google Ad Grants from Other Google Features

When navigating Google's search results page, it's important to distinguish between advertisements and other search features. While Google Ads appear prominently in search results with an "Ad"or “Sponsored” label, many other elements on the page serve different purposes; they are not part of the advertising platform. Here are the key features often mistaken for but not Google Ads.

  • Organic search results appear based on Google's ranking algorithms and SEO factors, not paid (or Ad Grant) placement. These listings earn their positions through relevance, authority and other organic ranking signals, making them distinct from paid (or Ad Grant) advertisements. Users can identify organic search results as links that do not have an "Ad" or “Sponsored” label.

organic search results.png

  • Google Business Profiles (formerly Google My Business) are free business listings in Google Maps and local search results. These profiles help businesses manage their online presence and connect with customers in their area through reviews, photos and business information, but they are not paid advertisements.
  • Knowledge Panel displays factual information about entities (people, places, organizations) in a prominent box on the right side of search results. This information is pulled from various trusted sources and is part of Google's effort to provide quick answers, not a paid advertising feature.
  • Featured Snippets appear in a box at the top of search results, highlighting a direct answer to a user's query. They are selected from high-ranking organic search results based on relevance and quality, not through any advertising payment or bidding system.
  • AI Overviews provide AI-generated summaries and key points about search topics, drawing from multiple sources to give users a quick understanding. These are part of Google's search experience improvements, not paid promotional content or advertisements. (However, Google Ads may appear within AI Overviews.)

Google Ad Grants ARE part of Google for Nonprofits.

Google for Nonprofits provides access to these Google products at no charge:

  • Google Workspace for non-profits and non-profit-specific discounts for Google Workspace Business Standard, Business Plus and  Enterprise editions
  • Google Ad Grants
  • YouTube Nonprofit program
  • Google Maps Platform

If your chapter currently has a Google for Nonprofits account, we may need to request that you add a new staff administrator.

If you currently have administrator access to a Google for Nonprofits account, we may need to change your Google for Non-profit administrator access to ensure the ongoing safety and security of the program.

Google Ad Grants Amount

Funding

$10,000/month, or $329/day, in free media budget for Google.com Search Ads on Desktop, Tablet, and Mobile devices. This is an in-kind donation from Google to SCORE.

Program Management

Due to the specialized nature of the Google Ad Grants program and the complexity of accurate valuation tracking, HQ will centrally manage all in-kind donation reporting to ensure consistent compliance and proper documentation across all chapters. This centralized approach allows for streamlined reporting processes and maintains uniformity in how these valuable donations are recorded and reported.

Centralized Google Ad Grants Program

Securing and Managing Google for Nonprofits and Ad Grants Accounts

To fully leverage this grant's buying power, our staff is working to secure Google for Nonprofits accounts and Ad Grants accounts for all SCORE chapters. Once we’ve secured these accounts, we’ll develop ad campaigns to increase our three main conversion actions: mentoring requests, workshop registrations and volunteer applications.

Action Items for Chapters

  1. Please do not apply for a Google for Nonprofit or Google Ad Grants account.
  2. Please do not contact Google or Goodstack (formerly known as Percent).
  3. If your chapter currently has a Google Ads account (Grant or Commercial):
    1. For all current SCORE Google Ads accounts (Grant or Commercial), we ask that you refrain from changing your accounts until further notice.
    2. We may need to send a linking request asking you to connect to the Google Ads Manager account. Connecting to this account ensures consistency in conversion tracking and ongoing support and management of the account.
    3. We may need to add or remove Google Ads user access. Simplifying SCORE's Google Ads user access is important to ensure all chapter Google Ads accounts remain safe and secure.
    4. We will optimize your Google Ads account with an updated campaign structure and other account settings during this time.
  4. If your chapter currently has a Google for Nonprofits account:
    1. For all current SCORE Google for Nonprofits accounts, we ask that you refrain from changing your accounts until further notice.
    2. We may need to add or remove Google for Nonprofits account administrators. Simplifying SCORE's Google for Nonprofit administrators is important to ensure that all chapter Google for Nonprofit accounts remain safe and secure.
    3. During this time, we will optimize your Google for Nonprofits account with an updated naming system and other account settings to help manage this program as it grows.
  5. If your chapter currently has a standalone Google Workspace for Nonprofits account, other than scorevolunteer.org (this is not common):
    1. Please contact HQ at campaigns@score.org before making any changes to your chapter’s standalone Google Workspace for Nonprofits accounts
    2. There are no current plans that should impact your chapter’s current standalone Google Workspace for Nonprofits account
    3. Google for Nonprofits administrators are not the same as Google Workspace for Nonprofits account administrators
    4. Issue relating to chapters’ standalone Google Workspace for Nonprofits accounts will be handled on a case-by-case basis
  6. If you receive any communications from Google or Goodstack (formerly known as Percent) regarding Google for Nonprofits, Google Ads, Google Ad Grants, or related programs, and you would like to verify the authenticity of these messages, please forward them to campaigns@score.org.

Support Process 

If you have questions about Google for Nonprofits, Google Ads, Google Ad Grants or Goodstack, please email campaigns@score.org. 

Resources

 

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